Climbing gyms located in low-income neighborhoods
|
I know of one non-profit, Chicago Adventure Therapy, that tries to involve at-risk youths by engaging them in multiple activities. |
|
My friend joe runs a charity to help disadvantaged kids climb ar normal gyms ;) |
|
mustardtiger wrote:The answer is no. In black low income areas the kids look up to basketball and football players. They don't look up to climbers. They have zero exposure to the sport and their friends are the same way. The white low income areas have a similiar situation. They just do not have any exposure to it and often view it as a hippy sport.They have little exposure now, but kids these days are growing up with streaming media on smart phones (even low income kids) and guys like Honnold are breaking into the mainstream audience. When the kids I work with find out I rock climb, there is a hint of understanding. Ten years ago, it would've been blank stares, but now we shouldn't assume that kids from a low income area aren't exposed to the world beyond it. And slowly there seems to be more climbers of color who can serve as role models. There are plenty of Asian climbers now, as well as Megan Martin (though I don't know what her ethnicity is), and I'm also reminded of Lucho Rivera This story says "The best way for Lucho Rivera to save himself from a life of gang violence in San Franciscos Mission District was through the risk and adventure of rock climbing." You gotta think there are more Luchos out there who would gravitate to a neighborhood bouldering gym. |
|
Legion, I don't think you want to hear what most of the people have to say. You asked for opinions on sustainability and demand of your idea. Most have given it a no then given reasons why. You then go onto discount their opinion. Why bother asking the question at all. I hope that is not how you deal with the kids you work with. Again, ask the kids what would be best for them. Sounds like climbing has been great for you. That doesn't mean it will be great for the kids. |
|
Peter L Scott wrote:Legion, I don't think you want to hear what most of the people have to say. You asked for opinions on sustainability and demand of your idea. Most have given it a no then given reasons why. You then go onto discount their opinion. Why bother asking the question at all. I hope that is not how you deal with the kids you work with. Again, ask the kids what would be best for them. Sounds like climbing has been great for you. That doesn't mean it will be great for the kids.this +1 |
|
Peter L Scott wrote:Legion, I don't think you want to hear what most of the people have to say. You asked for opinions on sustainability and demand of your idea. Most have given it a no then given reasons why. You then go onto discount their opinion.No, no, I truly appreciate the opinions and I'm just thinking out loud. Apologies for sounding difficult. Just wanted to throw different thoughts out there to see if anything sticks. I am sincere in asking for opinions, so I'll try to respond in a better fashion. Thanks for understanding, these topics are not easy to discuss. I think a lot of times we're too quick to assume something won't work. These days there are vegetable gardens growing in the inner city, African-Americans from the hood winning gold medals in speed skating, and other examples of "that could never happen". An inner city bouldering gym def would not have worked 10 years ago. Probably not now. Maybe in another 10 years? We can dream, right?! |
|
Kids don't have climbers to look up to, but curiosity is powerful. And one of the advantages of bouldering in particular is that it looks impressive and cool to completely uninitiated people. The athletic moves and powerful physiques of skilled boulderers are, in my opinion, a strong attraction for beginners. and for kids, climbing walls just look like fun- all the colorful holds just beg to be climbed on. |
|
Legion wrote: Maybe in another 10 years? We can dream, right?!Right about the time Kai Lightner and Ashima Shiraishi will be redefining the sport... I don't think anyone really knows where the proliferation of urban climbing gyms is taking us, in ten years ghetto kids could be dominating the entire thing. |
|
You can become a millionaire through football and basketball. Climbing, not so much. Guy who gets the most TV airtime, lives in his van. |
|
Tony Monbetsu wrote:Kids don't have climbers to look up to, but curiosity is powerful.That's a good way to put it. Jacob Smith wrote:I don't think anyone really knows where the proliferation of urban climbing gyms is taking us, in ten years ghetto kids could be dominating the entire thing.Wouldn't that be interesting. How about someone like kevin durant, with his wingspan, getting on a route!! 2 moves to top out a typical bouldering route?! Another thought... occurred to me that maybe skateboarding is a close parallel that provides some good history to learn from. There are skateparks even in the hood these days and plenty of skaters of all colors now. Something about it has drawn in kids, regardless of income or color, and I wonder if bouldering could have the same effect. |
|
I run the climbing program at a YMCA. We don't specifically serve at-risk or low-income youth, but I have worked for numerous non-profits that focused on introducing those populations to rock climbing through outdoor education and adventure programs (rock climbing was usually just one component of a program, with the main focus usually being on team building and often with low and high ropes challenge courses). |
|
The gym I climb at is in the city, smack in between two projects. owner lets youth/teens climb free on fri nights and has memberships for em for just $15 |
|
Thanks for the input. Lots of different "biz models" out there. Glad to see the industry is doing something, anything. Still feel like we are in the midst of a lot of evolution in the climbing gym industry. |
|
I think the reason skateboarding got popular in low income areas is because low income neighborhoods have some of the best terrain for skating. A lot of guys head into cities to skate. It's sort of like how climbers go to the mountains to climb. Also the lifestyle of a skater tends to cross paths when low income urban kids. Yes climbers deffinAtly have a reputation for being low income, however most climbers live the dirt bag life because they choose too. Most aren't born into poverty and most aren't nearly as deviant as the urban low income kids. |
|
Legion wrote: ... These days there are vegetable gardens growing in the inner city, African-Americans from the hood winning gold medals in speed skating...you're not saying shani davis is from the hood are you? might be getting a bit carried away here. |
|
slim wrote: you're not saying shani davis is from the hood are you? might be getting a bit carried away here.Off topic, but yes. Maybe he's not the best example, but that's who came to mind. Anyway, this is from his official website... "Raised by his mother on the city's south side, he started roller-skating at local rinks at age two... As there were - and still are - no speed skating clubs in inner city Chicago, at age 10 Shani and his mother moved to the far north side of the city to be closer to the Evanston rink." |
|
The new Movement gym in Denver is located very near, if not within, some mixed income neighborhoods. Downtown Denver is a lot different than it used to be of course, so I would be very hesitant to call it ghetto. Maybe 10 years ago, but not now. But the major problem for getting kids from low income families into climbing would be the $17/day climbing pass IMO. The movement gym in Denver will see the same type of people that already go to Earthtreks, RnJ, etc... |
|
Derek Jf wrote:The gym I climb at is in the city, smack in between two projects. owner lets youth/teens climb free on fri nights and has memberships for em for just $15 My local spot in Mass solid crew therethat is awesome :) |
|
I appreciate people chiming in and keeping this thread going. Some of you are probably thinking, just shut up, build one, and see what happens! Unfortunately I think that really is the only way to find out and I just don't have the guts to try it. So here I am just talking about it :) |
|
Legion wrote: Off topic, but yes. Maybe he's not the best example, but that's who came to mind. Anyway, this is from his official website... "Raised by his mother on the city's south side, he started roller-skating at local rinks at age two... As there were - and still are - no speed skating clubs in inner city Chicago, at age 10 Shani and his mother moved to the far north side of the city to be closer to the Evanston rink."calling hyde park 'the hood' is a bit of a stretch. it should also be noted that there aren't too many speed skating clubs anywhere.... so yeah, not really an example. i don't see why people feel a need to force feed the whole outdoor experience thing to other folks. seems kind of silly. i think most folks like to go climbing to get away from the urban jungle. probably the last thing they are hoping for is hoods in the woods to roll into their crag. |