The People’s Climbing Crew’s Westwood meetups seek to make climbing accessible and inclusive.

The Westwood chapter of the Crew – a group for climbers who are people of color – celebrated its one-year anniversary Feb. 12 at Sender One Climbing, a climbing gym on Lindbrook Drive. Sara Nasr, the leader of the Westwood chapter, said the group aims to foster inclusivity and address the financial and cultural barriers that often limit people from engaging in the sport.

The Crew offers a gear library in some gyms across Los Angeles for members to borrow supplies and sells affordable second-hand equipment, Nasr said. The group, she added, also hosts climbing events at a low rate.

Nasr said the Crew is a supportive community.

“I’ll come to my meetup, and I’ll see other people who feel the same way,” she said. “It just makes you feel a little less alone. … It’s nice to get your mind off things, while knowing there’s people that care about you.”

Nasr said she finds that the group’s climbers are focused on challenging themselves. The Crew, she added, supports people’s progress and celebrates those who try to reach new goals.

Theo Del Rosario – the lead for Queer Crush, another climbing affinity group that practices at Sender One Climbing – said his group and the Crew exist to make climbing feel less daunting to those who are underrepresented in the sport

“It’s like that collective effervescence that you get when you’re listening to music alone versus when you’re listening to it at a concert with other people,” Del Rosario said.

The monthly meetups are also beginner-friendly, said Jennifer Mayemura, a member of the Crew. Mayemura added that she started climbing less than a year ago, and now feels a strong sense of comfort and community at the gym.

Mayemura, who is Asian American, said she found cultural familiarity within the group, adding that she enjoys attending events outside of the gym – such as Lunar New Year celebrations – with members of the Crew.

River Wu, a fourth-year human biology and society student, said Sender One Climbing’s close proximity to campus makes it easy for them to attend events.

Many of the meetup attendees are not UCLA students, Wu said. This, Wu added, has allowed them to connect with people who they might not have met otherwise.

The group, Nasr said, had about four people at its first meeting. At its one-year anniversary meet up, about 16 attended, she added.

“I know some people feel intimidated but after a minute, they get used to the community,” Nasr said. “They’re like, ‘Oh, this isn’t competitive at all. It’s just lifting each other up.’”