The Frontier7 Foundation: Our expedition on Denali is a launching platform for our foundation: The Frontier7 Foundation. The Foundation aims to engineer chance by building asocial network for social impact. It is an online platform that matches and connects people based on mutual passions, and desires to solve complex social issues in a unique manner. We enable individuals to do what they love doing, and in the process positively change the lives of others, a critical component to our foundation.
The Foundation proposes to tap into joint resonance and passion for action and activities that can alter the basic human responses of moving away or against those who are different and toward those who are similar. The foundation will connect individuals through the platform, and then provide other resources, financial and other, to help bring those dreams and passions, which align with the Foundation’s mission, to reality to benefit others.
The Expedition: Starting May 4th, 2015 we will begin an expedition to summit Denali, the highest point in North America, in Alaska. We wish to summit together, and in the process become the first American-Arab team to do so. From the top of Denali, a message will be sent about hope and the power of human connection. A message that we both feel particularly strong about, given the global reality we live in. For a seemingly unlikely pair to overcome this physical feat would be symbolic of the human connection and cooperation needed in today’s volatile global reality; in a world full of divide rather than unity. Please help us build awareness around our climb and what it stands for. We hope you will join us to make a conscious effort to bridge cultural divide, and capitalize on the power and beauty of collective achievements, positive intentions, humanity, and interdependence.
Our story: On paper we could not be more different: An American man from Massachusetts, a returning Veteran from multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and an Arab woman who had grown-up in the shadows of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict who has dedicated her career to resolving those same conflicts.
Despite our obvious differences, and without our immediate recognition, through our own shared passions we had begun to forge an unlikely bond. We learned to see each other in a unique light: as two individuals who share a passion for the mountains and adventure, for mental and physical challenges, and aspirations to excel. It was that common ground that laid the road for what has come to be an unbreakable partnership. Our goal is to engineer connections like this for others.
Fundraiser Goal: Our minimum fundraising goal is $40,474, twice the height of Denali, and one dollar for each foot we both will climb. We would appreciate any consideration of support towards making our dream a reality, and so we can help others make their dreams a reality.
*Part of the fundraiser will go towards covering part of the climbing cost, and the rest would be invested in establishing our social enterprise, the Frontier7 Foundation