How Alenka Mali Is Helping To Promote Climate Justice

An interview with Monica Sanders

You will be made fun of, by the public and the ney-sayers. I didn’t realize how many people don’t believe in climate change, or how many people don’t believe that we have any room for improval. It’s a balance between choosing a respectful conversation or simply agreeing to disagree sometimes… you can’t change people’s minds, you can only inspire and hopefully provoke a good conversation!

Our world is facing a climate crisis of unparalleled magnitude. As this environmental challenge intensifies, public figures like athletes can play a significant role in raising awareness and promoting tangible actions towards climate justice. They have the power to reach diverse audiences, incite collective action, and influence societal attitudes for the better. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Alenka Mali.

Alenka grew up at the edge of Patagonian giants and the European Alps. Following the nomadic footsteps of her parents, she found her purpose and passion in snowboarding. In 2018 she started competing on the FWQ, while continuing to participate in races like Super G, banked slalom, and other local events. Alenka is based out of Squamish and trains full-time in Whistler. She enjoys BASE jumping while bagging peaks in search of couloirs and steep faces. The rest of the year, when she’s not surfing or climbing, she snowboards the Patagonian backcountry.

As a winter athlete, she chases the season on both hemispheres. Northern ones are usually spent in BC, with a month or so in Europe, while the summers stay reserved for Argentina and Chile. Her idea is to stay fluid with her plans and have low expectations before the season, which helps her stay grounded and open to new possibilities. She finds joy in little moments. Being alone, in the middle of nowhere, where she can hear her own heartbeat is one of her favorite things to experience in the backcountry.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you share with us the “backstory” that led you to your career path in professional sports?

Thank you for having me. I think my love for snowboarding and how badly I wanted a life pure of riding powder and mountain tops, naturally led me to where I am. There was no “plan” or path to becoming a professional snowboarder, I think opportunities came to me at very good moments, but it was all a product of hard work and dedication to my passion. I don’t consider myself lucky for everything I have achieved so far, it’s all on me, but I have to say I wouldn’t be where I am today without my family, my partner and my sponsors pushing me and supporting me one way or another.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your career? What were the lessons or takeaways that you took out of that story?

I can think of countless times where funny enough, things just worked out in the best way possible and it almost always started with a “disaster” or a “catastrophe”. Something that I thought it would set me back but it was actually the best thing that could happen to me. Countless times. This one time in particular, I think about it almost every single day still…

I was getting ready to leave on a trip to the US, for a few competitions that were very important to me at the time. One day before leaving, I broke my snowboard in half during practise (a deck that i had consider my lucky shredder), and I thought the world had ended. It was an irreparable damage, and there was no way I would bring it with me to the competition. In tears I called my partner and like many times before, he’d tell me the same boring line.. “It all happens for a reason and it all works out in the end”… well, I did not see one good reason for this.

I walked into a shop of the local board brand, Prior and asked about their inventory. I bought a board on the spot, even though I couldn’t really afford it at the time. I went off and brought home a few good podium finishes and ended up loving that board (to this day, it’s my favorite deck,)! That spring, the same brand offered me a spot on their team, which I proudly represent, up to this day.

What would you advise a young person who wants to emulate your success?

Very often we hear about the “talent” talk in sports, but talent isn’t everything. In fact, it’s not even half of it. Hard work and dedication is everything. I would like to say this; figure out very clearly what you want in life, and then make a plan of attack. If you have your “North”, like we say in Argentina — your goal — clear and in front of you, all the decisions, sacrifices and compromises, all the hard work will come easy. If you want it bad enough, you can have it.

The only limits that we have in life, are the ones in our mind. Life is limitless with possibilities and you never know what good thing can come from a “setback, or a disaster” so take everything with an open heart and a clear mind.

In sports particular, I would like to point out that sacrifices will have to be made. If you want to succeed, you will have to say no to many “fun” things, and your social life, as well as your relationships might get impacted. I have seen many talented athletes loose themselves in the world of parties and instant pleasure.

Is there a person that made a profound impact on your life? Can you share a story?

I don’t think I can pinpoint a specific person that has made the most impact on my life, but I am deeply inspired by my mother. She is an incredibly renowned alpinist and a badass climber, who has made first ascents all over the world and stomped her big mark between the women of alpinism. She has taught me I have to be tough, determined, and to stay driven. She has brought me and my brothers to many climbing expeditions, where we witnessed first hand, how it is to follow your dreams. For her, family and following her passion shared the top priority in her life, and she did a great job of balancing both.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about what it is like being a professional sports player?

I’m not sure if there are “myths” that should be dispeled, as I don’t know what other people think I do. I’m also not familiar about what kind of life an olympic gold medalist in swimming or skating lives, because I am not that person. I know for a fact that we each have our own perspective but one thing i know for sure, is that is never as simple, or “cool” or as glamorous as it looks. Many of my friends, or even followers that don’t know me personally sometimes make comments about the good or easy life that I live. And I always laugh… because it’s good but it sure isn’t easy. Or glamorous…

I spend more time traveling than I spend snowboarding, often with more luggage than I can handle, and missed, delayed or canceled flights are a very common thing. Sometimes I cry when I loose, and I’m not always happy when I win. Goals have to consistently change, otherwise I get stuck or loose direction, and at the end of the year, I pour all my income and earnings back into the sport, so I can do it all over again.

Ok super. Let’s now move to the main part of our discussion. Everyone who decides to become an advocate for a cause or specific change has a “why”. What is your “why”? What made you decided to get involved?

My why is a multireason why. A combination of years working in the winter and water sports industry, alongside with other athletes and over 20 years of traveling, since I was a little girl. My parents loved to climb. Not just rock, but they were (still are) passionate about summiting sometimes never summited before, steep snowy peaks which often involved glacier approach and good weather to be successful. The talk about climate change was a huge topic in our family and while my parents were never pessimistic about our future, they rather encouraged us and educated us about what’s going on. The most common two threads were the disappearance of the glaciers due to climate change and extreme pollution in the mountains, due to commercialization of ski and rock alpinistic style tourism.

Which sadly involves people with more money than skills, hiring professional mountain guides (like my dad), to lead expeditions to dangerous mountains, that they aren’t ready for, risking the lives of guides, sherpas and local forces, only to reach the peak and cross the goal off their bucket list, while not caring about the mountains and leaving trashed base camps behind.

I view someone like my mom and dad, as two people who have devoted their whole lives to the mountains. They would never leave an empty can behind. Ever in a million years. The biggest difference between people like them and a rich tourist hungry for adventure, is their connection to nature. When someone summits Mt. Everest without years of training, experience and preparation (because they’re being guided), it’s very different as to how they view the sacred mountain, and the nature surrounding it, as oppose to a well seasoned alpinist, who has devoted their whole life to obtain the level of skill necessary for a summit like that.

Why? Because I believe we can make good choices for our planet, if we are more connected to Mother Nature. High risk sports like BASE jumping, snowboard-alpinism and climbing give ME the chance for that connection to deepen and strengthen.

How does climate change impact your sport?

It impacts it a lot. The snow is my medium, it’s my element. It’s hard to picture my life without it, specially because I don’t want to. Glaciers are shrinking and travel to otherwise stable summits, it’s becoming more exposed and more dangerous.

What are the special contributions athletes can and should be making to this conversation?

Sharing our personal experience is enough to ignite a strong, thought provoking conversation. It seems like many people are afraid to have an opinion these days, because they’re afraid to offend others or seem contreversal or conspiracy theorist. I have always been confident in sharing what I think and I care less and less to offend others, especially when it comes to the well being of our planet. It’s funny because I don’t think sports like mine (snowboarding) will be a priority, when our planet becomes harder and harder to live on. But I do believe it gives us snow athletes a strong platform to share our perspective and personal experience that we see.

How have you used your success to promote climate justice? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting initiatives you are working on right now?

I have spent a big part of my late teens in Indonesia, where my passion for the environment first ignited a spark inside of me. I saw it first hand, the polluted beaches, surfing in plastic… back in 2015, I started a blog — talking about the whole experience. It evolved into tips and how-to’s and eventually I started organizing monthly beach clean ups, first in Indonesia and then progressively in Canada, California and Europe… my social media platforms and my blog have been really good platforms to share my point of view, with an equally strong minded and passionate audience.

What methods are you using to most effectively share this with the world?

My online presence and my voice in the snowboarding world are my main outlets these days, for the last year I have also been actively participating in the POW movement. Exciting and adventurous content is a great way of capturing audience’s attention and it’s almost a duty, to use my following in a productive and empowering way. I don’t want to waste the opportunity that I have.

Can you share with us the story behind why you chose to take up this particular cause?

Easy, I care about nature. I feel my most vibrant, empowered self when I’m in the mountains and if more people could share that feeling, I guarantee you, there would be more good choices made in the favour of our planet.

Can you share with us a story about a person who was impacted or effected by your work?

I have had multiple people, (many young women, and girls) come up to me in person or online, telling me they were inspired by the way I live my life, or felt empowered after listening to one of my presentations or coming to one of my beach clean ups… it’s moments like that, that motivate me, when I feel lost or confused. There is nothing more empowering than knowing, that your actions and words made a difference, or inspired somebody.

I have always been a big advocate of the saying; “Lead by example, cultivate to create change.” people often fear change, but it’s inevitable, and we have to keep evolving for the sake of our planet. Education and educating women specifically, will be leading solution to climate change. Remember that.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in promoting climate justice, and how have you overcome them?

Being called a hypocrite is never an easy pill to swallow. I’m not perfect. I access the mountains I otherwise wouldn’t be able to access, with a helicopter or a snowmobile. They get me up to remote spots, where I experience sometimes out-of-body instances, completely overwhelmed with the vastness of the space, and being alone. Those moments help me gain perspective on how big the planet Earth is, and how small we are.

I’m inspired by those giant snowy peaks, reaching up like big cathedrals. In awe, I stand beneath them, humble. Splitboarding in those remote areas is a privilege, but I think it’s important to share my passion and my view of the world with others, because the best way to provoke change, is to inspire through passion.

Having your family, peers or even strangers look at you in the eyes and tell you, you are full of shit is anything but easy. Full of shit, for promoting climate justice and talking about solutions while being part of the problem. While it hasn’t been easy, I believe is making me more resilient, but most importantly, it’s forcing me to be as authentic that I can be. Showing up 100% me, and not being fake. Put money where my mount is and acting on my words, not just talking.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started promoting sustainability and climate justice” and why. If you can please share a story or example for each.

1 . You will be made fun of, by the public and the ney-sayers.

I didn’t realize how many people don’t believe in climate change, or how many people don’t believe that we have any room for improval. It’s a balance between choosing a respectful conversation or simply agreeing to disagree sometimes… you can’t change people’s minds, you can only inspire and hopefully provoke a good conversation!

2 . Fact-check everything.

I make sure I fact check, all the information before sharing it publicly. There are a lot of different opinions and websites out there these days and it is really important to make sure the numbers of the information is correct before posting it or sharing it.

3 . It’s hard to tell what is the truth
Going back to the previous point, there is a lot of information out there. What sometimes seems like a reputable website, it can very easily just be a teenager’s blog sharing some false numbers.

4 . Look at the numbers — not opinions.

I think it’s important to look at statistics and numbers (globally and country by country), versus opinions. Everybody and their dog can have an opinion these days. Freedom of speech (as tainted as it’s getting), is still a thing and it seems like lies are spreading faster than the truth. I invite you to do your own research. Global emissions reports for example, are public in every country. Go over those studies and look at how your actions (and which actions) are affecting the climate change, rather than listening to some podcast or a short reel, with one person’s opinion.

5 . Stay hopeful.

It’s easy to loose it. Hope. even though it’s about the only thing we have these days, it seems like. I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel and there is always something that can be done. The only way we loose this fight, is by giving up.

How has your career as a professional athlete influenced or informed your work in climate justice?

I think because I’m so close to snow, and the mountains — that is the side I focus on. I focus on what’s happening with the glaciers, locally and globally… I focus on the weather and the changes in weather patterns, because that is my field and I’m in it, for the majority of my year.

I also like the idea of working with sponsors whos ideals and values align with mine. It’s easy to support each other if we have the same plan for the future. We are stronger together.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I think the POW movement started by Jeremy Jones, is an avalanche, hitting the world right now. I’m proud to be an active member of POW and to fight, research and make a difference alongside of the athletes that I look up to and admire.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you explain how that was relevant in your life?

Everything happens for a reason, and it all works out in the end. It’s as relevant as anything will ever be, in my life. I’m very blessed to live a spontaneous life full of freedom, but it comes with sacrifice and sometimes it comes with set backs, on a seemingly clear road, without obstacles. I think it’s those setbacks and obstacles that make us who we are. And if we are authentic, and independent thinkers, make our own decisions and question the system, rather than follow it — then I think we stand a chance in this world.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Politics, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)

Michelle Obama wrote a very inspiring book, called “Becoming”. I mentioned before but I believe that empowering and educating women across the world will save this planet. She is a big advocate for that. Oh — and Lindsey Vonn. Because I really really like her unapologetic self.

How can our readers follow you online?

Instagram: @alenkaamali

Website: www.alenkamali.com

Youtube: Alenka Mali

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!

About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org.