DENVER — Inside Ski Noir 5280’s Denver warehouse filled with ski jackets, helmets and boots, Amanael Alemseged prepared for something he had never done before — hitting the slopes.
“I’m born and raised in Denver, Colorado,” Alemseged said. “I just never skied because I kind of always saw it as a tourist thing.”
Despite being a Colorado native, Alemseged said skiing never felt like something meant for him. He said neither his friends or family had ever gone, and the cost alone could be a major barrier.
“Sometimes you really don’t want to just pay $400 to ski,” he said. “That’s insane.”
Alemseged is one of many participants with Ski Noir 5280 and Slide Thru Sessions, a Denver organization founded by Quincy “Q” Shannon to break down financial and social barriers to skiing and snowboarding.
“Ski Noir is an opportunity for us to see ourselves reflected in spaces that we wouldn’t normally go,” Shannon said. “Ski noir exists because we realized there's still inequities within the snow sports industry. When we look at statistics, we still make up less than 5% of individuals who go skiing and snowboarding.”
Shannon started the organization in 2018 after recognizing inequities in snow sports participation. He said cost, access and perception all play a role in keeping people of color away from the mountains.
“The perception and stereotype that it’s too cold, and the real reality is that it’s too expensive,” Shannon said.
Through Ski Noir 5280, participants receive transportation, lift tickets, lessons and gear, skis and snowboards, helmets and clothing, at a significantly reduced cost. Shannon said the organization focuses not only on affordability, but also on building community.
“We’re going to create pathways with resources so that more individuals feel like it’s something they have access to,” Shannon said.
Community Engagement Manager Jasmine Bowman said the program is designed to help people feel welcome in a sport where they may not always see themselves represented.
“Just because you see something far away, it’s not something that can be unattainable,” Bowman said. “We are here to make spark change, make a difference, and just really impact the community in ways that allows us to get people with different experiences to go up to the mountains and just do something that expresses our love and passions for the outdoors.”
Since its founding, Ski Noir 5280 has introduced thousands of people to skiing and snowboarding. Partnerships with ski resorts, transportation agencies and businesses help make those opportunities possible.
Ski Noir 5280 volunteers said Shannon’s impact goes beyond the slopes.
“Q is a bridge. He’s a connector,” Bowman said. “He embodies what community really stands for.”
Shannon’s daughter, Imani Shannon, volunteers with Ski Noir 5280’s youth program. She said on top of learning to ski, she’s learned a lot from her father about community and helping others.
“It's more than just like going up to the mountains and diversifying it. It's really like a community coming together,” Imani said. “A lot of the things that I've learned from my dad, is doing stuff in the shadows for people just out of pure love.”
Shannon, who grew up in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood and now works as a Dean of Students Culture at Denver School of Science and Technology, said his mission is rooted in helping others discover new experiences.
“The thing that keeps me going is the passion of unlocking the outdoors,” Shannon said. “If we have the opportunity to help embrace that, it’s almost our obligation and duty to do it.”
Shannon said helping others experience the mountains for the first time is what drives him to continue the work creating access, opportunity and community for those who may have never believed the slopes were meant for them.
To get involved and learn more about Ski Noir 5280, you can go to the Slide Thru Sessions website.
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