Amputee to Participate in All-Female Ascent of Mount Katahdin, Raise Awareness About Equity in the Outdoors
Above-the-knee amputee and disability rights advocate Dana Lawson will join an all-female climb of Maine's Mount Katahdin this September
MILLINOCKET, MAINE, USA, August 23, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- When an all-female group of hikers assembles to begin their summit of Mt Katahdin in the early morning of September 10th, they'll be joined by above-the-knee amputee and disability rights advocate Dana Lawson. Lawson, who is from Port Angeles, Washington, lost her right leg to cancer in 2008. She is an avid outdoors woman and adaptive athlete who seeks to raise awareness about, and support for, equity and inclusion for disabled people in the outdoors.
"My aim is to help people--able-bodied and disabled alike--reimagine what is possible," said Lawson. "When folks see someone like me, a one-legged hiker attempting to summit Maine's highest peak on crutches, it shifts their perspective about what it means to be disabled."
Lawson has joined forces with a group of women hikers who've spent the last two years on a quest to summit the highest peak in each U.S. state. The group, founded by another Dana--Dana Costello of New Jersey--has climbed 23 state high points to-date and has no plans to slow down.
"It began with hiking the highest peak in Connecticut, followed by Massachusetts, then Vermont...." said Costello. "Our group just kept on growing. It was friends, then their friends, and even strangers who saw our social media posts wanted to join us. We’ve learned a great deal about hiking, backpacking, and most of all, about ourselves. And we've dedicated each hike to a different cause that is important either in the region where we are hiking or in the world more broadly."
The Dana's and their cohort of women hikers, calling itself "G2" (Girl Gang), will devote their Katahdin ascent to the cause of equity and inclusion in the outdoors, sharing their journey in real time across their social media channels and on Lawson's website. They share a common intention: to show others that no matter your age or ability, you can still set and achieve your goals.
"I can't wait," said Lawson, "to stand at the top of Mt Katahdin, on my crutches, and challenge peoples' assumptions about disability and the outdoors. That kind of frame shift is essential if we are going to create and steward natural areas and an outdoor culture that are truly accessible to all."
To keep up with Lawson, Costello, and the other G2 group members as they embark on their ambitious adventure, follow Lawson on Instagram and Facebook at @hoppyhikerpnw and bookmark Lawson's website.
Natasha Dworkin, Publicist
Matterhorn Creative
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