Today is the one-year anniversary of my petition! I want to thank those who have continued to support this effort, and I want to highlight the subsequent efforts for change. 

Firstly, I want to thank everyone who has participated in this year’s work in my absence. This includes both internal members of the Mountaineers and members of the outdoor community at large. I have been delighted to see partnerships created with the goal of changing the status quo. As many of you may know, I traveled into Palestine this year for international aid work, and my time overseas has demanded much of my attention. This year, more than ever, the fight for justice against structures of oppression calls us to exchange our privilege for the power to change. 

Secondly, I want to invite you to come out to the Rally for Victims! This community demonstration will be hosted at the Vera Project on Saturday, December 7th by King County Sexual Assault Resource Center. This effort aims to urge lawmakers to prioritize survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, and other violent crime and their families. 

Lastly, I want to highlight the policy work the Mountaineers have completed since launching their SHSA Prevention Committee. You can read the committee’s final report here: https://www.mountaineers.org/blog/sexual-harassment-sexual-assault-prevention-committee-recommendations 

For context, my petition came a week after a twice-convicted child rapist and Registered Sex Offender was reported to senior leadership after he allegedly harassed a woman on trail. I was given the response to the complaint which stated that this man could not be removed due to ‘nonprofit law’. And later, we found out he continued to hike with the group after he opted to cancel his membership. We waited patiently in those days for a statement from leaders that individuals whose violence is so notable in our community that they are not legally allowed anywhere children could be present without a written plan from their parole officer do not belong in an outdoor advocacy nonprofit setting. This, in my mind, is an easy standard to uphold and an important statement to survivors of abuse to make so that they know they are safe. My hesitation in celebrating this report comes from my perception that the report doesn’t do enough to address Registered Sex Offenders. Additionally, there continues to be pushback against criminal vetting which was deemed standard in the consultation they received. Certainly each organization is in charge of what it deems appropriate, so I’m glad to see the organization committing to changing their policies in some way, but culturally, we have more mountains to climb.

I leave you with a commitment to serving those who are put in harms way at no fault of their own.

Mel