Allison Gettings
President, Vasque Footwear
The Culture
The best thing about working at Vasque is:
We are a small team of hard-working people with big hearts. Our size allows for open communication, collaboration, and group decision making. We genuinely care about each other and the impact we are making on the world.
When we’re not working, we’re:
Outside
What we’re reading:
How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi, Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, Sixty Minutes to Anywhere by Brendon Leonard, Upstream by Mary Oliver, White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
What we’re listening to:
Everyday nature (our backyards, through our open windows), Lizzo, Kendrick Lamar, Humbird, Wilco, Run the Jewels, Nina Simone, Al Green.
If they made a movie about our workplace, it would be called:
Small Team, Big Dream
Inclusion in the outdoors matters because:
We believe that nature is a powerful healing force, and that the more time we spend in nature, the more grounded and connected we are as humans. Nature makes us better people, which make better communities, and a better world. Soaking up the healing and restorative power of nature should be a basic right for every person on the planet. Equitable access to the outdoors means that everyone can enjoy all the benefits of nature, no matter what. This includes having all voices, experiences, and stories represented. Sharing diverse perspectives mean that we can learn and grow as humans.
Five years down the line, it’s our hope that:
We can look back and honestly see that our efforts, day in and day out, helped inspire people of every shape, color, and culture to actively seek out the restorative power of nature, and because of that, our world is more peaceful, more inclusive and healthier for all of us.