Episode #32- Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard

The Climbing Advocate

Our guest for today’s episode is Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard. Briana sits on the board of the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition (RRGCC) and is very active in the world of social advocacy. Beyond her role and responsibilities as a board member, she has contributed tremendously to the RRGCC’s social efforts by coordinating L8 events, which aim to provide barrier-free entry to climbing for folks in marginalized communities or who are new to climbing. When it comes to social advocacy, Briana has become a household name. As a dedicated rock climber, advocate, mom, and wife, she sets high, aspirational goals for herself in all these areas and provides the inspiration in a genuine and honest way for others to follow. Listen in as we discuss her role with the RRGCC, the state of social advocacy in the climbing community, and some of her personal climbing stories. 1:46- Briana’s intro 4:23- Briana’s climbing history 7:35- Lessons learned from the RRGCC 11:45- Briana’s other favorite crag 13:44- The road out west 16:45- Briana’s role with the RRGCC 21:41- L8 and other events 30:41- Responding to negativity 37:18- Briana’s advocacy journey 51:25- What’s the most pressing issue in climbing? 58:36- Briana’s personal dedication to climbing 1:10:21- Briana’s definition of advocacy Briana’s Instagram: @dirtbagmomma RRGCC outreach and education: https://rrgcc.org/outreach-and-education/ A Face in the Crowd: https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106643409/out-of-africa-aka-a-face-in-the-crowd