Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
From filmmaker Pallavi Somusetty:
Emily Taylor, a Black woman and rock climbing coach in Oakland, CA strives to empower her students through her Brown Girls Climbing program, and connect them to the outdoors.
In search of personal inspiration and as a way to center BIPOC voices that are often marginalized in the climbing industry, I began to film Emily’s Brown Girls Climbing program. I saw how the microaggressions that seemed alienating to me, were further amplified for young Black and brown girls. My perspective as a brown woman climber has helped me connect to my participants as they challenge the notion of who can occupy space in the wilderness.
In this short form, I found it impossible to chronicle every setback Emily and her students faced during my time filming them, along with all of the ways they reclaim their space. So I hope audiences will stick with me as I work this coming year on a feature-length documentary that allows us to explore the Brown Girls Climbing journey in greater detail. Follow along at coachemilyfilm.com and @coachemilyfilm on IG, FB, and Twitter.
Learn more at: eddiebauer.com/campaign/one-outside-film-grant/2021_recipients_pallavi-somusetty
This project was created as part of the Eddie Bauer One Outside Film Grant. For more Information visit: eddiebauer.com/campaign/one-outside-film-grant
From filmmaker Pallavi Somusetty:
Emily Taylor, a Black woman and rock climbing coach in Oakland, CA strives to empower her students through her Brown Girls Climbing program, and connect them to the outdoors.
In search of personal inspiration and as a way to center BIPOC voices that are often marginalized in the climbing industry, I began to film Emily’s Brown Girls Climbing program. I saw how the microaggressions that seemed alienating to me, were further amplified for young Black and brown girls. My perspective as a brown woman climber has helped me connect to my participants as they challenge the notion of who can occupy space in the wilderness.
In this short form, I found it impossible to chronicle every setback Emily and her students faced during my time filming them, along with all of the ways they reclaim their space. So I hope audiences will stick with me as I work this coming year on a feature-length documentary that allows us to explore the Brown Girls Climbing journey in greater detail. Follow along at coachemilyfilm.com and @coachemilyfilm on IG, FB, and Twitter.
Learn more at: eddiebauer.com/campaign/one-outside-film-grant/2021_recipients_pallavi-somusetty
This project was created as part of the Eddie Bauer One Outside Film Grant. For more Information visit: eddiebauer.com/campaign/one-outside-film-grant
