Three years ago I saw a photo of a rock face in Mozambique. It became an astonishing force in my life. 36 months, a 3-week reconnaissance trip, and one very special frog later I’m heading to that rock face with an eight-person team of scientists, conservationists, and climbers in October. We’re finding species new to science, we’re starting a new … Read More
Saying Yes: Collaboration and Innovation With Climbing and Cervial Cancer Prevention
In December of last year I received an email from August. August is the executive director of Grounds For Health— a non-profit preventing cervical cancer in coffee growing communities. Within a month we were plotting a way to bring my approach to climbing, adventure, and risk together with their approach to cervical cancer prevention. In a video. What we created was ... Read More
Cheering Like You Mean It
This year I partnered with the Himalayan Cataract Project and imagine1day and produced Ethiopia’s first ever running trail race. Here’s what happened: –179 runners competed in Ethiopia’s first ever trail race. –871 successful sight-restoring surgeries were performed. –1 new library was funded to serve 500 primary school students and a 1000-person rural community in the heart of Northern Ethiopia. Running is universal. That’s part … Read More
Change the Conversation: Interviews with Accelerate Ethiopia
On March 2nd over 150 runners will compete in Ethiopia’s first ever trail race– a half marathon in the country’s northern mountain highlands. The race is a culmination of a week of shared contribution to the eye health and educational strength of Ethiopia with Himalayan Cataract Project and imagine1day. In the days leading up to the race I will be bringing you profiles of Accelerate Ethiopia–runners (including … Read More
That’s My Life: Interviews with Accelerate Ethiopia
Interviews with Accelerate Ethiopia On March 2nd over 150 runners will compete in Ethiopia’s first ever trail race– a half marathon in the country’s northern mountain highlands. The race is a culmination of a week of shared contribution to the eye health and educational strength of Ethiopia with Himalayan Cataract Project and imagine1day. In the days leading up to the race I will … Read More
The 6 Degrees Of Ethiopian Bacon
Last week I stood up on a stage by myself in a giant room and told strangers I liked when things were difficult. I was giving a speech at an event with Wright State University and Five Rivers Metro Parks in Dayton, Ohio and I told everyone that complexity was addictive and that I think it makes a life more … Read More
Armenia Bound
In conjunction with Patagonia’s The Cleanest Line and Kate Rutherford Any climbing trip starts with a conversation. Kate and mine went something like this. Kate: “What’s your fall look like?” Majka: “October’s wide open.” Both of us: “Want to go somewhere good?” We considered Norway but were scared off by the rain; Germany was a strong contender but neither of us wanted to … Read More
Drafting Dad
One day, I will beat my dad at something. I’m 35. He is 70. It hasn’t happened yet. I thought I had his number when I had him out to New Hampshire to go bike riding and canoeing. Our day one bike agenda was 42 miles and 1,500’ feet of elevation gain, and I had a home court advantage. Plus, … Read More
Global Dialog Via the Culture of Coffee
Coffee can erase a famine. Agree? Disagree? Wonder just how literally I mean for that statement to be? How about this one: Coffee can create greater global understanding. If you’re reading this, you’re involved with coffee. If more than one billion cups of coffee are consumed every day in our world, then it is virtually impossible to avoid an association … Read More
I Can’t Go to Ethiopia This Year, Can You Instead?
This October, a powerful, engaged, and curious team is heading to Ethiopia to both change the world, and change how they interact in that world. Usually, I’d be joining them. But this year I need you to take my place. Imagine Ethiopia 2012 is the third iteration of a dream I helped create in 2009 with imagine1day. Our goal was simple: enable … Read More