At empowered.travel, we celebrate women who chart their own course—who embrace the tension between strength and softness, confidence and vulnerability, boldness and beauty. Women who aren’t afraid to take up space. Sasha DiGiulian is one of them.
You may know her as the world champion climber or the star of the new film Here to Climb. But what makes Sasha a woman who truly inspires us isn’t just her accolades—it’s how she carries herself through the world: unapologetically feminine, fiercely determined, and disarmingly honest.
Sasha DiGiulian: The Power of Owning Every Part of You
From her earliest days on the climbing wall, Sasha showed the world that strength doesn’t have to come in muted colors or sharp angles. She showed up with her long blonde braid, bright pink chalk bag, and glitter in her eyes—and she didn’t hide her femininity to be taken seriously.
In a sport long dominated by men, Sasha carved her own route—both literally and figuratively. And in her stunning new memoir, Take the Lead: Hanging On, Letting Go, and Conquering Life’s Hardest Climbs (available here), she opens up about what it really takes to blaze that kind of trail.
This isn’t just a story about summits and ropes. It’s about identity, injury, eating disorders (a struggle many of us know all too well), love, grief, ambition, fear, and self-worth. It’s about what happens when you dare to be both strong and sensitive—and how claiming the full spectrum of yourself can become your greatest power.
“Take the Lead”: A Memoir That Feels Like a Hand Reaching Out
Sasha’s book feels like a conversation with a friend who’s been through fire—and came back stronger, softer, wiser. In it, she reflects on the ways she’s been underestimated, judged, and shaped by a culture that still expects women to shrink, stay quiet, or sacrifice something essential to “make it.”
She didn’t. She refused.
Instead, she built her career on her own terms—balancing a grueling athletic schedule with a full course load at Columbia University, advocating for environmental protections on Capitol Hill, and climbing some of the most difficult big-wall routes in the world. She pushed through serious injuries, public scrutiny, and private struggles—and never stopped showing up as her full, radiant self.
“My strength doesn’t come from pretending I’m not scared or hurt or emotional. My strength comes from letting myself feel those things—and still climbing anyway.”
— Sasha DiGiulian, Take the Lead
That kind of vulnerability is not a weakness. It’s a revolution.
“Here to Climb”: Sasha DiGiulian‘s Story on the Big Screen
In her powerful documentary Here to Climb, Sasha lets us witness her in motion—on the wall, on the edge, in the quiet moments of doubt and awe that climbers rarely share.
The film, which premiered at the 2024 Mountainfilm Festival and is currently making waves across the adventure film circuit, is both an origin story and a love letter—to climbing, to sisterhood, to self-belief.
🎞️ Watch the trailer to feel that wild spark she brings to the screen. It’s electric.
Why Sasha DiGiulian Inspires empowered.travel
At empowered.travel, we speak to women who are stepping into bold new chapters of their lives—sabbaticals, solo journeys, career pivots, emotional resets. Sasha reminds us that these transitions aren’t about escaping ourselves, but coming home to who we’ve been all along.
She shows us that:
- You can be glittery and grounded.
- You can be ambitious and tender-hearted.
- You can climb mountains (or take time off to wander) without needing to justify it to anyone.
Most of all, she reminds us that real empowerment doesn’t look like perfection—it looks like presence.
Ready to Take Your Own Lead?
If Sasha’s story lights something up in you—a hunger for growth, a longing for freedom, or a nudge toward the unknown—listen to it.
🌍 Our Sabbatical Guidebook was created for women like you. It’s part reflection space, part travel toolkit, and all about helping you build a life that feels aligned, expansive, and yours.
Whether you’re dreaming of Patagonia or planning a quiet solo month somewhere soulful, you don’t have to do it the way anyone else has.
Explore More
📚 Buy the memoir: Take the Lead on Amazon
🎥 Watch the trailer: Here to Climb – YouTube
🔗 Read about Sasha: Wikipedia | Official Site
🧭 Plan your sabbatical: empowered.travel/for-traveler
Empowered.Climbing: A Community That’s Ready to Rise
Sasha’s story couldn’t come at a more perfect time for us. We’re in the early stages of building empowered.climbing, a new branch of our movement with a clear mission:
Beginner climbing programs designed to lift you up—inside and out.
This isn’t just about learning knots and footwork (though we’ve got you covered there). It’s about building confidence, presence, and resilience—on the wall and in life.
Rooted in Japanese Psychology coaching, our programs focus on intentional action, self-awareness, and trust. Because climbing—like life—isn’t about eliminating fear, but learning how to move with it.
Whether you’re tying in for the first time or reconnecting with your strength, empowered.climbing is here to support your journey—body, mind, and spirit.
Even more exciting? Our founder was recently certified as a Climbing Wall Lead Instructor by the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA)—a meaningful step toward helping more women experience the joy, power, and grounded presence that climbing can offer, both on the wall and beyond. Sasha’s journey reminds us exactly why this work matters.
Final Word: Taking the Lead Is an Inside Job
Sasha DiGiulian didn’t just redefine what it means to be a world-class climber—she redefined what it means to be a woman in her power. To climb, to fall, to feel, to rise—and to keep going with open hands and a fierce heart.
That’s the kind of inspiration that moves mountains.
