Statement in Support of our AAPI Community

STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF OUR ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Last June, we released a statement that led with,

Being and feeling safe is a right for all people.

This is not true for many within our community.

Today, we are reaffirming that statement and voicing our support for our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community members. The murderous rampage on March 17 in Atlanta by a potentially racially-motivated gunman, led to the deaths of eight individuals, six of whom were Asian women. This alone is a horrific and tragic event. But it is not an isolated incident. The United States has a long history of anti-Asian violence and hate which has only intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are dedicated to actively listening to the Asian members of our community, to receiving feedback, and implementing change. We want you to know that we see you, we hear you, and we are working to become an organization where you feel fully supported and welcome.

Today, we are calling upon our Mazama community to show their support for our AAPI members and to aid in disrupting the cycle of violence and hate. We ask you to act to prevent gender-motivated harassment and violence in our communities, and to learn about the history of racism and violence against Asians in this country. And we ask you to question your everyday interpretations, judgements, and actions as you review the list of resources below.

A few action steps the Mazamas have taken in the last year to address the culture of systemic racism and gender-based violence within our community: ■ Launched an online Preventing Sexual Harassment & Sexual

Assault training. ■ Published an Equity Statement that was crafted by our Diversity,

Equity, and Inclusion team. ■ Supported a Mazama board member and committee member’s enrollment in the Intertwine Alliance Equity & Inclusion Cohort. ■ Supported two staff members attending The Outdoor CEO

Diversity Pledge Fundamentals Training. ■ Implemented learnings from that training including updating language in our job postings and accessibility language on our website. ■ Worked with our partner outdoor organizations to schedule a

Systemic and Structural Racism 2-day intensive training for our

Executive Director and a board member. The learnings from this training will be shared with our membership. (scheduled for

October 2021) ■ The Mazama Board voted to sign on to the Outdoor CEO

Diversity Pledge.

Several other initiatives, including proposed amendments to our organization’s bylaws, are in progress. This is just the beginning of our work to make the Mazamas a truly welcoming and inclusive place.

For resources and more information be sure to check this list: tinyurl.com/MazamaAAPI

MAZAMA AFFINITY GROUPS

The Mazamas strives to provide safe spaces for specific groups of people to meet and support each other as well as to foster a greater sense of community within the Mazamas. We know that while the mountain community is a safe and welcoming space for many people, it isn't always so for people who are underrepresented in our industry, organization, and leadership. Having affinity space is a crucial part of moving towards a truly inclusive community. Here is a list of the current affinity groups at the Mazamas.

■ Mazama Classics is for individuals who have been members for 25 years or more. Classics Events are designed for Mazama

Members with 25 years or more of membership. Classics offer a variety of year-round activities including hikes, picnics, and cultural excursions. You'll have the opportunity to share years of happy Mazama memories with the Classics Group. All ages are welcome to join the fun! ■ Adventurous Young Mazamas (AYM) offers activities targeted to those in their 20s and 30s and anyone young at heart. All activities are open to everyone, regardless of age. If you join an

AYM event you can expect great leaders, awesome locations, and overall, a ton of FUN! ■ Melanated Mazamas is the new Mazama group for Black,

Indigenous, Brown, People of Color, and/or folks who are from the global majority. The Melanated Mazamas is a community for folks to gather, support, and adventure together. This is a

BIPOC-only space. We appreciate white allies, but ask that white folks respect this space created specifically for the Mazamas

BIPOC community. Interested in joining? Contact melanated@ mazamas.org.