Brown Gal Trekker & Equity Global Treks

06/22/2025

06/20/2025

🌍🏔️ **Trek to Everest Base Camp with Purpose this Fall!** 🏔️🌍

Join us on a life-changing journey to **Everest Base Camp** — where adventure meets impact. BOOK BY AUGUST 1, 2025 and use promo code EBC$300AUG1 to get $300 off your booking!

✨ **Trip Highlights:**
✅ Hike through iconic Sherpa villages
✅ Stand beneath the towering peak of Everest
✅ Cross hanging bridges, glacial valleys & high-altitude wonders
✅ Be led by **strong, experienced Nepali women guides** trained to lead with confidence

This isn't just a trek — it’s a movement.

Through your participation, you’ll support the **Himalayan Women Trail Leaders Initiative** — our **award-winning** program advancing **gender equity** in Nepal’s trekking industry by hiring, training, and empowering local women to become certified trekking leaders along the 1,700 km Great Himalaya Trail.

Join our All-Women Group Departures this Fall
Private treks (all genders welcome) also available

📅 Limited spots available – book now and make your adventure count.
👉 https://www.browngaltrekker.com/nepal/everestbasecamptrek

06/17/2025

I’m an immigrant. And I will always be proud.

It took me decades to say that with conviction. To unlearn the shame. To reclaim what America tried to erase.

Right now, people with legal status—temporary, permanent, documented—are being deported.
Ripped from their lives. Their families. Their communities.
It's happening quietly, systematically, and with a dangerous sense of normalcy.

I’ve been here before.
I was a volunteer immigration lawyer when Trump signed the travel ban. I fought for people who followed every rule, did everything “right,” and still faced expulsion—because their names, faces, or birthplaces didn’t fit someone’s vision of “belonging.”

Now, I live as a global mountain nomad, moving across cultures, borders, and landscapes.
From the Mongolian steppe to the Andes, the Himalayas to the High Atlas, I’ve come to understand that belonging is never permanent—but it is possible everywhere.

It’s not about passports. It’s about presence.
It’s about the responsibilities we carry when we enter new lands - respect, humility, and the willingness to learn.

And when we honor those responsibilities, we do belong.

The U.S., however, clings to a narrow and fearful idea of what it means to be “from here.”
It treats belonging as a zero-sum game—as if making space for immigrants means losing something.

But I’ve seen the opposite:
The more open we are, the more the world opens to us.

Being a nomad has taught me that this planet is small, abundant, and meant to be shared.
Borders are imaginary lines drawn by power—not by love or logic.

There is enough.

Enough land, enough kindness, enough space for all of us.

But America behaves like there’s nowhere better than itself.

Like opening up would somehow make it less.
That isolationist mindset robs everyone—immigrants and citizens alike—of the chance to know the world, and themselves, more fully.

I’ve lived over 30 years in America.
Even as a U.S. citizen, even as a public servant in the legal world, I was always made to feel like an outsider—especially with brown skin.
But out here, on the trails, among mountain people across continents, I found something I rarely found back home:
A sense of welcome.
A sense of enoughness.

When America deports immigrants with legal status, when it dismantles programs and tears apart families, it isn’t protecting anyone.
It’s betraying its own foundation.
It’s rejecting the very people who have built, nourished, and sustained it for generations.

It's self hate.

We don’t have to be territorial.
We don’t have to cling to fear.
We can live differently.
We can live together.

I hope one day we will raise generations in the U.S. who boldly say:

“I’m a proud immigrant.”

Not as an apology. But as a declaration of humanity.

Let’s move toward a world where belonging isn’t something to be earned or proven—but something to be offered. Because everyone deserves to feel like they belong.

Follow my journey via www.browngaltrekker.com

06/17/2025

Meet Our Newest Volunteer: Riley Chervinski!

We’re thrilled to welcome Riley Chervinski (she/her) as the newest member of The Porter Voice Collective team! Riley is joining us as our Communications Lead, bringing her sharp storytelling skills and deep passion for responsible tourism to support our mission of advocating for the labor and human rights of mountain expedition workers in Nepal, Peru, and Tanzania.

Originally from Winnipeg, Canada, Riley is a writer, brand strategist, and committed advocate for conservation and ethical travel. She’s worked internationally in Zanzibar, Tanzania, and Tamale, Ghana, gaining firsthand insight into the complex and unequal dynamics of the global tourism industry. Her journalism background fuels her belief that storytelling is a powerful tool for justice, equity, and systems change.

We’re honored that Riley has chosen to volunteer with us — and we know her voice will play a critical role in amplifying the voices of porters and pushing for workforce equity in mountain tourism.

Want to be part of this movement? We’re always looking for passionate volunteers and interns to join us.

Learn more & get involved: https://theportervoicecollective.org/how-to-get-involved/volunteerandinternship/

06/12/2025

From a lawyer to a global mountain nomad update: the Philippine Independence Day version - June 12.

White Supremacy in Two Worlds: A Reflection on Betrayal, Colorism, and Coming Home

I’ve been navigating white supremacy for most of my life—but nothing prepared me for how deeply it runs in the very place I once called home.

Growing up in the United States as a brown Filipina, I was constantly made aware of my place in the racial hierarchy. I learned quickly that whiteness was the standard—for beauty, for leadership, for intelligence. It was in the textbooks. In the media. In the microaggressions. In the doors that didn’t open for me and in the silence when I walked into rooms I had worked hard to belong in.

I spent years unlearning the shame that was placed on my skin, my accent, my culture. I fought hard to reclaim my roots, to find pride in my identity. I thought that returning to the Philippines—my birth country—might offer some sense of wholeness, or even refuge from the burden of white supremacy.

But what I discovered was a deeper betrayal: whiteness reigns supreme here, too.

It shows up in the way white tourists are treated with deference and admiration, even when they contribute nothing but entitlement. It’s in the way businesses bend over backwards to please Westerners, assuming their money, their presence, their approval is worth more than the dignity of our own people. It’s in the way service workers bow a little lower, smile a little wider, and anticipate every whim when the guest is white.

And it’s not just in the hospitality industry. It’s in advertising, job hiring, the school system, social interactions—everyday life. The whiter your skin, the more doors open. The more you are trusted, respected, desired.

This is not mere hospitality. This is internalized racism, a quiet but corrosive inheritance from centuries of colonization.

We call it colorism, but it’s more than skin tone. It’s the internalized belief that anything foreign—especially white—is better. That belief was planted during 300 years of Spanish colonization and watered again during American occupation. We were taught to love the colonizer, to imitate them, to see ourselves as less.

So while Westerners speak about "white guilt" or "privilege," I am contending with something even more invisible and insidious: the painful reality that in both the U.S. and the Philippines, whiteness still rules over me. My brown skin places me beneath them there—and even here.

That is the betrayal.

To leave the U.S. hoping to escape white supremacy, only to find it more comfortable and adored in my own homeland.

I don't know if this will change in my lifetime. I don’t know if the deep-seated colonial mentality that grips our culture will loosen enough to allow our children to grow up seeing themselves as fully worthy without needing to whiten their skin, their resumes, or their voices.

But I do know this: I will not be silent.

I will name this. I will challenge it. I will support and build with those who resist it. Because to love my country is to hold it accountable. To reclaim pride in being Filipina is to reject the notion that we are only valuable when we are in service to whiteness.

We deserve more than inherited servitude masked as hospitality.

We deserve to be seen. By others—and by ourselves.

By the way, it's Philippine Independence day...a good time to remind ourselves of our roots and decolonized version of ourselves.

Follow my journey via www.browngaltrekker.com

06/08/2025

🌟 History Made in Western Mongolia! 🌟

We just wrapped up our very first Women’s Guide Leadership Training in Western Mongolia — and what a powerful beginning it was! 🙌

With four incredible women attending, we spent the day learning, growing, and stepping into leadership. The training covered essential skills like first aid, tourism leadership, and guiding with confidence, and it was nothing short of inspiring.

This training is more than just skill-building — it’s about amplifying women's voices in the tourism industry, especially in adventure travel, where female narratives are often left out. We are proud to be part of a movement that supports women in seeing themselves not just as guides, but as leaders and changemakers.

The response from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are committed to growing this community of female guides — so travelers can experience Mongolia through a new, empowering lens.

💥 To our sisters who attended: we see your strength, your potential, and your power.
💥 To our fellow tour operators: let’s keep opening doors for more women.
💥 To future travelers: support this movement by choosing to trek with female-led teams.

Follow us for updates on upcoming trainings — and come experience Mongolia with the women who are changing the face of tourism. All tours open to all genders. Join via https://www.browngaltrekker.com/mongolia

06/05/2025

Eight years ago, I was a lawyer—living a life of suits, deadlines, and cityscapes. Today, I wake up in a village of 4,000 nestled in the vast beauty of Mongolia’s Altai mountains, sharing meals with eagle hunting families..

These past few days have been a whirlwind of connection and culture:

💫 A Mongolian and Kazakh welcome ceremony rich with tradition.

🧡 Songs and dances from young nomads

🍽️ Hearty meals of the world’s finest meats and dairy, lovingly shared by my host family.

🦅 Time spent with three different eagle hunting families whose stories humble and inspire.

This is the magic of living as a long-term traveler — not just passing through cultures, but living alongside them. Through initiatives like our award-winning Khusvegi English & Nomadic Culture Camp, we’re planting seeds for the next generation of global citizens and nomads to walk their own bold paths.

To live this way is to trust deeply. Trust that life will meet you halfway — and then some — when you leap.

Freedom is more expensive than money. This right here is my wealth.
What you believe becomes real.
What you let go of makes space for what’s possible.

I doubt I'll ever be a lawyer again. But no doubt I WILL ALWAYS BE FREE. There is no other place but Mongolia to remind me of that.

Follow my journey and subscribe via www.browngaltrekker.com

06/05/2025

🌍✨ One of our incredible clients just embarked on a Gobi Desert tour led by none other than Jackie — one of our highly experienced and knowledgeable female guides. Her deep understanding of the land and culture brings the Gobi to life in ways that only true passion and local expertise can offer.

At Equity Global Treks, we're not just offering tours — we're building a more just and inclusive tourism industry. Elevating the voices and livelihoods of female guides like Jackie is at the heart of what we do. But let’s be honest: it’s not easy.

Too many female guides still lack access to proper training and fair opportunities. We've heard directly from women in the field — about being disrespected by other tour operators, overlooked for leadership roles, and left without the protections they deserve. This must change.

If Mongolia's tourism industry is to be truly sustainable, professionalism, safety, and respect for all guides — especially women — must become the new standard.

We're here to make that happen, one powerful tour at a time. 💪🏽🏜️ Thanks to our clients who support our missio by joining our women-led tours. All genders are welcome to join our group departures. Customized and private tours available upon request.

Support our mission by booking our women-led tours in Mongolia: https://www.browngaltrekker.com/mongolia

06/03/2025

🚺✨ Empowering Women Guides in Mongolia! ✨🚺

On June 8, we’re launching our first-ever Women Guide Leadership Training in Western Mongolia — a powerful step forward for equity in adventure travel. 🎒⛰️

In a region where access to professional training is scarce and many must travel all the way to Ulaanbaatar (at great cost), we’re bringing the skills, knowledge, and leadership tools directly to the incredible women who guide others through the mountains, steppes, and cultural landscapes of this land.

This training includes: 🔹 Leadership development for adventure tourism
🔹 Practical guiding skills & client care
🔹 First Aid and emergency response
🔹 Deep dives into local history & nomadic culture

This is just the beginning. We believe in investing in local women so they can rise as leaders, storytellers, and protectors of the landscapes they know best. 🌍💪

If you want to support or join a female-led trek in Mongolia this year or beyond, check out our website to see all the powerful journeys available — guided by women, rooted in culture, and driven by community. Join our tours via https://www.browngaltrekker.com/mongolia