Affinity Groups

Melanated Mazamas is a space for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPoC) climbers and hikers to meet and support each other as well as to foster a greater sense of community within the Mazamas. Please email melanated@mazamas.org for more information, to get on our mailing list, and access our google calendar. We meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Movement Climbing Gym. Check out the Mazama calendar for our hikes and climbs.

We are an affinity group for the queer and/or trans community within the Mazamas. We welcome all who identify as LGBTQ2SIA+ as well as those who are curious or questioning their sexual orientation and/or gender identities. Our intention is to provide safe and welcoming space within the Mazamas for queers who love the outdoors, whether that be for adventures or socializing. We are creating a space for all queer, trans*, non-binary, and questioning/curious Mazamas to freely express themselves in a supportive environment. If you have questions or would like to get involved, contact us at queerzamas@mazamas.org.

We are at the beginning stages of creating affinity spaces for mental health, disability, and neurodiversity. This group is a starting point, as a place where we can all support each other to imagine and create the spaces we need and to be in solidarity to build community. Perhaps we'll support multiple affinity groups as needed but for now we are operating as one. We invite you to reach out to mhdn@mazamas.org with questions or to become involved. You can find a clarification about terms and group intentions as well as a survey link on the Mental Health, Disability, and Neurodiversity webpage.

Adventurous International Mazamas (AIM) is a new affinity group that is open to people who were born, lived, or spent time in other countries. Ideally there is interest in sharing stories of time or travel abroad and interest in making international outings/trips. We will have a monthly meetup at Movement Climbing Gym and plan hikes. Contact Rahul Jain at aim@mazamas.org if you’re interested in getting involved and helping to build out this affinity space.

She, They, Us is an inclusive and welcoming community of women, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming folx interested in the outdoors. We create opportunities for women, gender non-conforming, and genderqueer people to learn new skills, hike, and climb in a safe environment. We strive to encourage each other and promote growth in order to build a new generation of climbers through mentorship. By supporting each other, we help each other achieve goals outdoors, feel empowered to try new things, and grow. We hope to build a supportive network and foster a sense of belonging for all who participate in our affinity group activities. We are committed to anti-racism and welcome dialogue about intersectionality. Our vision for this affinity group is to offer activities that celebrate diversity for historically underrepresented gender expressions in the climbing and outdoor space. She, They, Us is a collaborative space that will continue to evolve and grow, informing and inspiring each other along a path to further awareness. Contact shetheyus@mazamas.org for more information.