CWA Blog Archive-CWA Announces Keynote For 2023 CWA Summit

CWA Announces Keynote For 2023 CWA Summit
Pdf Summary
The CWA announced Kareemah Batts as the keynote speaker for the 2023 CWA Summit, describing her as a para-climber, outdoor enthusiast, and equity and inclusion professional whose background and perspective make her a fit for the main stage. Notably, her keynote's focus is squarely business-oriented: increasing profits for climbing gyms by providing access to indoor climbing, which drives membership. That framing connects inclusion directly to revenue rather than treating it as separate from business goals. Batts articulates the thesis in her own words. She's excited to focus on increasing revenue for gyms by helping them work with and for all existing communities, arguing that if your goal is a larger reach, collaboration is the key to growth. She warns that capsuling ideas, keeping them siloed, leaves a company stagnant and behind a changing world, and that the key to a constantly current and powerful climbing industry is to include and champion without exclusion. This positions inclusion not as charity or optics but as a growth strategy: reaching all communities expands membership and revenue. The article notes that beyond her compelling story and activism in the climbing space, her personality, humor, and joy create memorable moments for audiences. Then-Executive Director Paula Horwitz expresses honor at having someone with Batts's unique background, skillset, and experience headline the event. The throughline is that the 2023 Summit's keynote deliberately links inclusion and profitability, with Batts making the case that access and collaboration drive membership growth and keep the industry current and competitive. Rather than framing accessibility and equity as moral imperatives alone, her keynote argues they're sound business strategy, expanding a gym's reach and revenue by welcoming communities it might otherwise exclude. For operators, the announcement previews a keynote that reframes inclusion as a path to growth, delivered by a speaker whose perspective and presence promise both substance and memorable delivery.
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