When I first heard of Expedition Denali several questions came to mind:
What is Denali? Who is this Tyrhee guy? Why is he speaking at WVU?
Well, what I learned is Expedition Denali is one of the many expeditions designed, developed, and led by the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). The program brought together a diverse group of African American leaders to be the first all-black mountaineering team to summit the largest peak in North America, Mt. Denali. The goal of Expedition Denali is to be a catalyst for public dialogue, by advocating diversity in the outdoors and inspiring under-represented groups to become more involved in the outdoor community. The Denali team demonstrates that no matter what race, age, gender, or geographic location an individual identifies with, there is an equal opportunity for everyone to experience and enjoy time in the outdoors.
Sounds cool, right? So who is this Tyhree guy?
Tyrhee Moore was born and raised in Washington, D.C., and is
currently a junior at WVU, studying sports management. He first became
interested in the outdoors around the age of 12, when he was introduced to the City Kids Wilderness Project. City Kids
enabled Tyrhee to attend two NOLS courses while still in high school, exposing
him to the western United States, mountaineering, and the skills to be a leader
within the outdoors. In 2012, Tyrhee was contacted and considered to be an eligible
candidate for Expedition Denali. After a long selection process and months of
training, Tyrhee was chosen to be a member of the Expedition Denali team.
"I was really
surprised I was chosen. Some of the world's best climbers were considered, and
I was just this young college kid, with minimal experience, and a love for the outdoors."
At 20 years old, Tyrhee is the youngest member of the
Expedition Denali team, demonstrating that you are never too young to make a
difference in the world.
I had the good fortune to meet up with Tyrhee, and hear about
his experiences with NOLS and the Expedition Denali team. For Tyrhee, attempting
to summit Mt. Denali was the first step
in launching what he hopes the outdoor world can evolve to be in the future. Tyrhee
sees Expedition Denali as so much more than a historical expedition. He sees
it as an opportunity to share with others his love for the outdoors, and to
inspire all people to become involved and experience the beautiful world we
live in.
"The mountain doesn’t care what color you are.
Expedition Denali is so much more than being the first to do something. It's
bringing awareness to the outdoor community and promoting these experiences.
This world is an amazingly beautiful place, and if more people do not start to
interact with it, view its beauty, understand its profound wonder, and give it
a voice, it will only continue to be marginalized, until it is gone
forever."
Tyrhee is most excited about the opportunity Expedition Denali has given him to impact others by sharing his outdoor experiences in a public forum.
"It has been such a meaningful experience to me to be
able to go to schools and show kids how I am just like them, and that every
opportunity I have been given is also available for them."
Tyrhee will be sharing stories from his Denali experience along with
fellow team member, Billy Long, Wednesday, February 26th in Ming
Hsieh Hall at 7 pm on the downtown campus.
"By speaking with my fellow mountaineers, I hope to
inspire them to take advantage of the beautiful landscape and resources we have
so close to us."
Come support our fellow mountaineer (literally) and share
with him the first steps in his journey to make an impact on the world! Check
out the Expedition Denali website, the event page on Facebook, and follow our Twitter @AdventureWV, to remain involved with Tyrhee as he continues to be a catalyst for our diversifying
world, and be an inspirational voice for all people in the outdoor community.
Happy Adventuring Mountaineers!
-Birdie :)
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