Citation: Hernández, L.H., Darling, D.M.G., & Kastellec. M. (2026). From crags to archives: Queer worldbuilding and organizing with the Salt Lake Area Queer Climbers Organization. Community Organizing Journal. https://doi.org/10.71057/k7sepv79
Abstract: In this article, we detail the process of constructing the Salt Lake Area Queer Climbers (SLAQC) organization, a non-profit organization in Salt Lake City, UT, that provides a homeplace for queer, trans, and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) rock climbers in the Wasatch Range. Our article is grounded in an autoethnographic case study analysis. Utilizing autoethnographic vignettes, we authors and SLAQC co-organizers illustrate our experiences in developing SLAQC, including our origins in launching our first Pride Month climbing event; our experiences in developing SLAQC’s mission, vision, and values, which are rooted in Black feminist principles of intersectionality and homeplaces; and our strategies in launching and sustaining the organization, including our partnerships with local organizations, our media campaigns, and our weekly, monthly, and annual programming. In addition to detailing our organization’s founding and deployment, we assert that affinity-based organizations can serve important queer worldmaking functions that not only respond importantly to anti-identity legislation, but also provide important spaces of identity affirmation, worldbuilding, and mentorship.
Keywords: Autoethnography, Worldbuilding, Identity, Queer Climbers
Link to Full Article: https://organizingjournal.net/index.php/COJ/article/view/55
