Welcome! You're here because something about what you heard about my 2021 thru-hike attempt on the Appalachian Trail intrigues you. Maybe it's me, in which case I wouldn't blame you. I'm amazing.
Perhaps you're a well-intentioned family member, friend, or a someone-who-knows-someone-who-knows-me. Perhaps you're interested in outdoorsy stuff, always wanted to thru-hike but never did, are dreaming of a thru, enjoy blogs (probably not that one), or are bored. Whatever your reason, I do genuinely thank you for checking this out!
I have no need for this blog other than to tell stories that hopefully entertain some folks, reflect on my own experiences through writing, and fundraise (more on this later).
These posts will earn me nothing--there will be no ads, no personal profit, no clout earned, no sponsorship. They will not even be well-written most of the time, so I'm not using this to network with folks while showing off impressive writing skill. In fact, I am often going to let glaring grammatical mistakes stay as they are and long, rambling sentences go unedited--first of all, because I teach English and spend enough time giving young ones feedback on their *developing* writing skills, and second of all because I spent years writing well for people in college, which I thoroughly enjoyed and benefitted from, but which I am free to use and not use when I see fit. In short, for these purposes, the reflection and storytelling are going to supersede refined writing. Brace yourself.
I mentioned earlier that there is a fundraising component to this blog and to my hike. I will tell a story to help you understand why I made that choice.
Last summer, I realized in a profound way and for the first time that my life and decisions about the future revolve around my identity as a white woman. Read that again. At age 22 is the first time I came to terms with this.
I have experienced some challenges as a woman, which I like to say I've mostly persevered through, but I have not experienced challenges related to the color of my skin. Ever.
I spent most of my life completely ignorant to the realities (plural) of people of color. The spring and summer of 2020 contained moments simultaneously exposing ugly truths that I already knew existed while making me realize how much I really did not know or understand. To summarize: I saw my privilege for the first time ever. My dismay and shock at such blatant racial injustices and the prevalence of white supremacy were telling of the fact that I haven't been the victim of these realities, but rather have benefitted from them.
If you've lost me at this point, I recommend leaving the post here and coming back later. It is your choice to read my stories and hear what I have to say.
Continuing on. As I sat with the privileged realization that I'd never had to sit with my privilege before (yes, you read that right), I simultaneously planned a 2021 thru-hike of the Appalachian Trial. I, a white woman, was privileged enough to think about this kind of life-long dream while others battled systemic racism and BIPOC (Google that acronym if you don't know what it means) fought for their lives. Needless to say, I decided to sit with that. How can I go on a hike, willingly putting myself through trials by "roughing it," while others are fighting just to live day-to-day at the hands of people paid to protect and serve?
After several conversations over months with friends and family, I decided to combine my hike (a very personal goal) with my own conviction that I need to be a part of responding to the injustices in my country. I want to put my hike and my personal goals where my convictions lie. I want to see if I can inspire you to join me in taking action. The only way this works is if you hear my story, feel compelled, and want to/can contribute. If not, that's okay! You can follow my posts and think about it; you might learn more about issues you didn't know existed as you do so. However, if you're still with me so far, chances are you'll want to be a part of this in some capacity.
I am raising funds for Outdoor Afro, an organization you can learn more about here and by reading on, as a small but important contribution I feel I can make to affect change. Here's how it'll work:
You sponsor me at $1 per mile that I hike on the AT. If you want to donate $50, think of it as getting me through 50 miles of trail. Every mile walked is something to celebrate on the AT, so every dollar donated is too.
For those of you who don't know, the Appalachian Trail currently covers 2,193 miles. I aim to hike every mile of the AT regardless of the number we reach, but it will be hugely motivational for me to see the number of donations rise as we work together in the name of a great cause. It would be so awesome to reach the $2,193 mark. Of course, if we go beyond that amount, I will be even more thrilled!
This plan is multi-faceted. First and foremost, it is a way I feel I can make a difference in a world of injustice, leveraging my privilege as a white outdoorswoman to promote a cause I believe in: making the outdoors a more inclusive space than it currently is (again, if you think the outdoors is equally accessible to all, stay tuned to learn about how that's not everyone's story). Second, it is a motivational factor that I'm sure will help to keep me going on tough days (and they'll happen, no doubt). Your donation could significantly impact my hike and other's hikes in the future.
If you like the idea of supporting a nonprofit that "has become the nation’s leading, cutting edge network that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature" (outdoorafro.com), this is a perfect opportunity. Any support you provide through a donation would mean a great deal to me. After donating, please leave a comment on this post (or any other post from this point forward) naming the amount you donated. If you prefer to remain anonymous to everyone but me, email me (agnissley@gmail.com) the amount you donated so I can keep track. If you wish to stay completely anonymous (totally fine), just know that your donation will not be able to be counted toward the total unless you can think of a way to tell me your total but not your name. I will be updating this website and my Instagram page (coming soon) with the totals regularly (read: weekly or biweekly). Bonus: include in your comment or email why you chose to donate. I think that'd be super cool.
Of course, you don't need to donate to read this blog and keep up with my journey.
A quick note: anyone thinking of using the comments section of this site or associated social media to challenge what I've stated here should save themselves the time and effort. If you want to discuss something with me, message me directly or email me (agnissley@gmail.com). I will request that we find a time to go on a walk to talk about it together. I think we'll both find that more enjoyable and fruitful.
I truly believe in the power of storytelling and having a growth mindset. Maybe you don't understand what I'm trying to say or don't agree. Again, I encourage you to check back in some other time. You don't have to agree, and you don't have to like what I have to say! All I ask is that you read a story, hear me out, and keep an open mind. Nobody can know everything all the time, but if we're not willing first to expose ourselves to another idea, there's no way we'll change and have new perspectives revealed to us.
I told you the story of my own shifting perspectives because I want you to know that I have done it and strive to continue to do so. I grew up Mennonite in a pretty conservative environment, and I don't agree with everything I was taught, but I also don't reject it all! I like a lot of aspects of the way I was raised, but I also reached a point in my life where I needed to think for myself and decide what my learning path would be.
I am also an English teacher. I work with middle and high schoolers. I teach my students not to think a certain way, but to think. We practice having productive and nuanced conversations. Full disclosure: I've epically failed at that more than once. We all will. But we can't let the difficulty of a task keep us from trying.
To me, success is trying.
I might not make it the whole 2,193 miles. But I can't let the possibility of not reaching my goal in the way I've always envisioned keep me from giving it a shot. I can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good (in the wise words of my father). I won't be paralyzed by the unknown and stay stagnant (physically and mentally) because I'm too afraid.
If you want to go on this epic journey with me, stay tuned for another post soon including details about donating, the issue of inequity in the outdoors, and the first in a series of audio clips from my Honors Capstone project: Stories of the Appalachian Trail.
Until then, thanks for reading and be well.
Happy trails,
Anna
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