Elevating Women’s Voices in Wilderness Spaces
Winner of the Sawtooth Backcountry Women’s Adventure Scholarship:
Elena Mora, Boston MA
READ ELENA’S ESSAY!
Winner of the Trail Mixed: North Cascades Scholarship:
Maurya Lacy, Mableton GA
READ MAURYA’S ESSAY!
Apply for one of two Scholarships, each including a spot on an Aspire trip and running gear from Janji!
- Free entry to one of the following Aspire trips:
- Gear from our co-sponsor, Janji
We want to empower women getting into wild places, blazing their own trails, and sharing the ups, downs, twists, and turns of their journey. For too long, wilderness narratives have been about the lone, often male, explorer pitting himself against the elements. We look forward to new narratives and stories created and shared from wild women.
Women’s Adventure Scholarship Details
2 scholarships will be awarded to 2 separate female athletes venturing into wild spaces. Applying is simple, and involves responding to 3 questions:
- Why do you love to run?
- What fears, barriers, challenges, stories, or obstacles, make it difficult for women in general or you personally to venture into wilderness spaces?
- What is your proudest running accomplishment?
6 finalists, 3 for each scholarship, will be selected and invited to write a more in-depth essay on women moving through the wilderness. Both the application submissions and essays may be shared with our running community. We believe that sharing these stories and essays will contribute to an inspiring and growing narrative of female-focused wilderness exploits. Applicants can opt to have their words shared anonymously.
Who Should Apply?
We encourage a diverse field of applicants in terms of age, race, experience, and backgrounds. Applicants need not have overcome any specific hardship or have a deeply compelling story. An extensive wilderness/running resume is not required. A desire to explore is sufficient!
By applying you are joining a network of women who are passionate about elevating the visibility of women adventure athletes. Even if you don’t think you are a “competitive” applicant, we want to hear from you. We invite ALL athletes and adventurers to signup and follow the stories of your fellow females.
Application Process
- Initial applications will be accepted between March 1st through March 28st.
- From our application pool, 6 finalists (3 for each trip) will be selected and invited to submit a one page essay on: How moving through wild spaces is empowering to me as a woman.
- Finalist essays will be due on April 17th.
- Scholarship recipients will be announced on April 21st.
2021 Scholarship Winners
Angie Madsen: Sawtooth Backcountry
To be a woman moving through wild spaces is to carry a backpack of items you didn’t ask for. Sure, we squeeze in our Ten Essentials, anti-chafe salve and the best of the best snacks (cheese and chocolate, duh). But, stuffed in the gaps between all our tangible gear, you’ll find the invisible items that weigh our pack down more than you’d notice. Read Angie’s full essay.
Bruna Moscol : Rendezvous
To be a woman athlete in the outdoors is to exist as a creature society has deemed an impossibility. “Women are like flowers,” they say. Beautiful. Delicate. Weak. Women must be kept inside- “like a gift”- they say, like something precious. Bound in a cocoon of protection, women were historically kept inside. Caged. Read Bruna’s full essay.
Maryanna Brown: Stage
To feel in control of your destiny is a powerful thing, a comfort that has been denied to women, particularly to women of color for what seems like time immemorial. Spending time in the wild is when I get to snatch back the reins of existence and live on my own terms. Read Maryanna’s full essay.
- One application per person.
- Applicants must be female and 18 years of age or older.
- Applications will be evaluated by a team of representatives from Aspire and partners.
- All scholarship entrants agree to receive promotional materials from Aspire and partners.
- Entrants agree to allow application responses and essays to be made public, with the intent of sharing wisdom and inspiration with a larger audience of wilderness and trail enthusiasts.
- Scholarship recipients agree to contribute updates, including photos, from their training and trip experiences to be shared on Aspire’s and partners social media channels.