Highs and lows: Peruvian mountain climber speaks at Inspiring Leadership Forum

Women from all around the world from a range of different backgrounds and experiences gathered in Regina for the 15th annual Inspiring Leadership Forum.

One of them was Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, an author, mountaineer and social activist.

Vasquez-Lavado was born in Peru and became the first Peruvian woman to climb Mount Everest. She also become the first openly gay woman to climb the “Seven Summits,” which are the highest peaks on each continent.

On Wednesday, Vasquez-Lavado delivered a speech centred around the power of owning your story and owning your narrative.

“Many of us tend to imagine that our story needs to be perfect, that people only want to hear about maybe some of the happy parts, but I think being able to connect to some of the dark sides or some of the pain at times (or) some of the things have made us shameful, it is a way of carrying the strength within your story,” she told reporters after her speech.

In a 2022 memoir titled “In the Shadow of the Mountain: A Memoir of Courage,” Vasquez-Lavado details her story as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence.

A Hollywood film adaptation is in the works starring Selena Gomez.

“We all have a unique voice, and that unique voice needs to be heard,” Vasquez-Lavado said.

“And until we can have the strength within ourselves to be able to stand up and reclaim that agency, then you’re going to be somebody’s shadow in another person’s story.”

Vasquez-Lavado said people would be surprised at how opening up about one’s story can enable them to connect to others.

“Imagine if I would have never spoken out about my own journey, I wouldn’t have had this gift of a lifetime being able to have met (some) of the fiercest and most inspiring women, which happened today,” she said.

Vasquez-Lavado said she’s been sober for six years. She said she was able to reach that point through self-compassion and understanding.

“Ultimately, healing with mountains was a journey of self-compassion,” she said.

She said she has been moved by the feedback she has received from various fans around the world.