Yes, adventure and the outdoors hold a very large space in defining who I am, but that is not all. Other parts of who I am could not be captured through photos because they are found in the relationships I hold close to me. The important people in my life that a photo could never fully explain, if at all: my beloved family, partner, close friends, and home community.

Of course, the core of who I am cannot be defined by the people in my life, but understanding the ways they have shaped me, and continue to shape me, has a place in explaining to the world who I am. For if it were not for their support in my advocacy work, their willingness to co-adventure with me, and their ability to lend an ear in times of need, I would be a person still searching for my core and not know what to say when asked to introduce myself.

It is no surprise, then, that these are the stories I find myself drawn toward. Not because they are about adventure, but because adventure has a way of revealing something about the people experiencing it.

As someone who has found a large part of who I am in the mountains, and who has spent many winters teaching folks with disabilities how to ski, I have watched people discover pieces of themselves they did not know were there. Sometimes all it takes is one run, one summit, or one moment of believing they can do something they never thought was possible. Through this project, I hope to share those stories so that others may see what is possible for themselves and know that there is a place for them in the outdoors.