Dawn Patrol with tSB’s Executive Director, Layla Anane
It’s snowing in the mountains. My day begins at 4:30am.
I am up, bleary-eyed from a long night writing grant applications, but I am alert at the wheel. I take a deep breath - the quiet and stillness of the early morning is soothing. I enjoy those first glorious sips of steaming coffee and mentally review my to-do list as the dark road stretches in front of me, seemingly endless beyond the reach of my headlights.
Four youth had signed up for the Saturday carpool the Wednesday before. Most live in the south end of the city, where access to public transportation is not available in the early hours, and from where their parents did not have the means to transport them to our pick up spot to catch the bus to the mountains.
This is usually the first barrier my students face, something I’d come to anticipate and plan for. Hence the carpool. But still, a hard ask of my limited staff, so I took it upon myself to make it happen, as is common in a small organization like mine.
By the first pick up or second pick-up, I can feel my system beginning to wake. I note the sleepy, but excited, expressions on the faces of the youth as they climb into our well-worn 12-passenger van, their personal equipment in tow. I warn them to check that they have not forgotten their boots, helmet, gloves. I even remind them that one young man even forgot his snow pants once but insisted on making it through his first lesson in his Carhartts. He ended up soaking wet in the end, but elated that he had made his first turn.
The youth are jovial and talkative throughout the ride, their chatter only ceasing as we approach the pickup spot and catch a glimpse of the 30 to 40 or so youth and adults gathered at the pickup spot. The youth disembark, snowboards gripped in hand, shouting “thank you for the ride!” at me before joining the group. Despite the hour, everyone greets and embraces each other warmly, like old friends, over coffee, tea and baked goods. A trio of young men trade barbs over who will be able to land the best jump today as they rub wax onto their boards. Two young women and their coach raise their hands to volunteer to help load up snowboards properly. A youth leader furrows their brow as they labor over a written land acknowledgement they intend to share with everyone once we arrive at the resort.
Not one of the youth or adults in the room are lucky enough to have had access to snowboarding from a young age. The vast majority had begun their progression during the seven weeks of free snowboarding lessons we offer every winter to high-school aged youth and their mentors as a part of our Core Program. While we receive nearly 100 applications a year for our programs, we prioritize those without prior access to snowsports AND those looking for a community in snowboarding that is also committed to social justice and growth.
Looking around the room, I suddenly realize that my job feels like a contradiction, both ridiculous and incredible. I think about the months, years really, that it took to cultivate our partnerships with mountain resorts, transportation providers, retreat centers and caterers. I think about the countless, sometimes last minute, hours spent procuring outerwear or helmets, the time spent customizing full kits to ensure comfort and functionality for every single student that comes through our doors, regardless of ability to pay.
I think about the endless advocacy, fundraising pitches and late-night grant writing I put myself through to cover the costs of living wages for staff who prioritized the voices and experiences of our students. And, like most executive directors, I think about the long-term sustainability of this work, whether it is snowboarding in the face of climate change, uplifting youth voice in the face of growing injustice, or simply the challenges of running a nonprofit rooted in community, not capital, and in the face of increasing inequality.
Even as these challenges drift through my head, I smile. Because for now, here they all are - happy, confident, prepared, and excited for another opportunity to progress and socialize together. To fall in love with the mountains, as I did decades before, and to understand the impact that such an opportunity can have for someone who grew up admiring peaks they never thought they could reach.
After months together and with each new week, this early morning ritual begins to feel like a reunion, and there is a comfortable familiarity here. You would never guess that most of them were once strangers, that months ago they’d entered this space cautious and untrusting and quiet. You would never guess that, years from now, the people they will turn to for advice, support, and even love, are in this room.
This, I reminded myself, is why I am willing to get up at 4 in the morning to ferry youth to and from this spot after another all-nighter, why I needed to make sure transportation (or lack thereof) did not matter. Because the meaningful bonds and experiences that shape us into the people we are meant to be one day are only built with presence and opportunity.
Suddenly, the bus arrives. Everyone moves to grab their gear and head for the door at once. For a moment, I sit back and watch the chaos as I finish my coffee. Once nearly all have boarded the bus, I step outside and notice that the sky is stained pink in the pre-dawn, a good omen. It’s going to be another beautiful day.
About Layla (Instagram I LinkedIn)
Just a semi-introverted Seattle snowboarder, mountaineer and writer with deep community ties, a long record of public service administration and leadership, and a love of all things yoga, travel and outdoor adventure. Currently serving as Executive Director of tSB and working to pursue a Ph.D in clinical psychology between forays into the mountains at home and abroad.
About the Service Board
the Service Board is a nonprofit organization serving youth and young adults in Seattle and King County, Washington for more than three decades. This youth-led initiative enhances community health and wellbeing through expanding opportunity and inclusive access to joy and belonging, creative projects, civic organizing and outdoor adventure. Our work empowers youth and young adults (14-24) as solution-builders to co-design safe, welcoming outdoor spaces and culturally relevant programming that increases physical activity, strengthens mental health, and helps drive positive outcomes for underserved communities.
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