This week, in honor of Black History Month, we are highlighting an individual who wants to share her passion and love for the sport with other people of color. Meet Annette Diggs! Diggs, a Stevens Pass ski instructor, has been on a journey to change and address the lack of diversity and break down barriers to the outdoors for people of color. She started EDGE Outdoors, a non-profit with the mission to “attract and retain Black, Indigenous, Women of Color including Trans Women of Color in snow sports while encouraging leadership and exploration in snow and adventure sports.” Recently, we sat down with Annette to ask her a few questions about her journey.
Q. When did you first start skiing? What was this experience like?
I started my skiing journey 5 years ago at Stevens Pass. I was motivated to learn how to ski after being on a mountaineering trip. During this trip, I had been hiking for hours and was extremely exhausted when I was passed by a group of backcountry skiers that zipped down the mountain. This lit the fire that encouraged me to learn to ski so I could enjoy the same experience.
My first time skiing was a very isolating experience; I felt like an outsider. However, I enjoyed being on the mountain so much that I didn’t want this experience to discourage me from participating. After that moment, I knew I wanted to make the sport more accessible and change the perception of who belongs on the mountain.
Q. Tell us about your non-profit Edge Outdoors.
EDGE Outdoors is a non-profit focused on investing in women of color to increase diversity within outdoor sports. We create a learning environment that is light-hearted and fun and will create a long-lasting support group for each other. Through this approach, we are able to provide ski lessons and increase the retention of these individuals. It seems there is a gap between youth programs and adult programs and somewhere along the way, we lose people of color in our sport. To solve this, we provide mountain access for an entire year for the individuals in the program as well as opportunities and ways to get involved in the mountain and outdoor community.
Q. What has been the biggest challenge for you?
There have been so many challenges, but one of the biggest challenges we face is the mindset of some people in the outdoor industry. I believe that in order to change the mindset, I need to lead with grace and patience.
Q. What are some of the biggest successes you have had on your journey to diversifying skiing?
My biggest success is finding a community and support system within the resort community and within Stevens Pass. I remember when I went into my interview for my role as a ski instructor, I said I want to be a part of this organization so I can share my passion with other people of color and I have received overflowing support ever since. In addition to my mountain family, the support we’ve received from Vail Resorts and Epic Promise has been instrumental in making EDGE Outdoors a success.
Q. What are some ways people can get involved?
EDGE Outdoors is always looking for more volunteers. There are many opportunities, anything from grant writing to social media support. Monetary donations are welcome too. If you are interested in supporting our organization, please reach out.
Hear Annette share her story in an episode of our Epic by Nature podcast, We Are Part of the Problem.
Trivia Question: Who was the first company to feature a Black skier in a national ad? Know the answer? Submit it here. Those who answer correctly will be entered to win a raffle prize.