Episode 68: Perfectly Capable of Climbing – Kareemah Batts

Episode 68: Perfectly Capable of Climbing

Kareemah Batts, Founder of Adaptive Climbing Group

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Sponsored by Vasque

Kareemah Batts is a cancer survivor and the founder of Adaptive Climbing Group. After finding climbing after losing part of her leg to cancer, Kareemah wanted to share the feeling she has on the wall with others. She’s done with sympathy, she just wants to climb.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

– About the outdoor activities you can access in and around New York City
– How Kareemah got into rock climbing, despite reservations
– Why it can be difficult to go back to your favorite activities after an amputation
– The impact First Descents had on Kareemah’s re-discovering her love for the outdoors post-cancer
– How discrimination can impact a job search when you have a disability
– Why Kareemah wanted to share climbing with other people, and why she believes anyone can climb
– How disability is a culture
– The growing pains of starting a nonprofit climbing program and the significance of organic growth
– Tips for how to be more welcoming to disabled people in the outdoors (hint, treat them the same as anyone else)
– How Adaptive Climbing Group‘s unique training instills empathy into their instructors
– Why Kareemah is motivated to keep doing what she’s doing

Find the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, GooglePlay, or wherever you stream podcasts. Listen to our live 2021 catchup interview with Kareemah Batts here.

Featuring:

Kareemah Batts (learn more at AdaptiveClimbingGroup.org); Hosted by Gale Straub; Featured in the midroll: Maggie Peikon and her Indonesian hiking honeymoon.