Join us on the Apollo Rooftop for this month’s LIT ON H book club Lupita Aquino (@lupita.reads) in conversation with Silvia Vasquez-Lavado! This event is in person, it is free and open for all to attend! Seating is limited, please RSVP here
“In climbing the Seven Summits, Silvia Vasquez-Lavado did nothing less than take back her own "life—one brave step at a time. She will inspire untold numbers of souls with this story, for her victory is a win on behalf of all of us.” —Elizabeth Gilbert
When Silvia’s mother called her home to Peru, she knew something finally had to give. A Latinx hero in the elite macho tech world of Silicon Valley, privately, she was hanging by a thread. She was deep in the throes of alcoholism, hiding her sexuality from her family, and repressing the abuse she’d suffered as a child.
Her visit to Peru would become a turning point in her life. Silvia started climbing. Something about the brute force required for the ascent—the restricted oxygen at altitude, the vast expanse of emptiness around her, the risk and spirit and sheer size of the mountains, the nearness of death—woke her up. And then, she took her biggest pain to the biggest mountain: Everest. “The Mother of the World,” as it’s known in Nepal, allows few to reach her summit, but Silvia didn’t go alone. She gathered a group of young female survivors and led them to base camp alongside her, their strength and community propelling her forward.
In the Shadow of the Mountain is a remarkable story of heroism, one which awakens in all of us a lust for adventure, gratitude for the strong women in our lives, and faith in our own resilience.
About the Author:
Silvia Vasquez-Lavado is a humanitarian, mountaineer, explorer, social entrepreneur, and the author of the critically acclaimed Memoir, "In The Shadow of the Mountain"
In 2016, Silvia Vasquez-Lavado became the first Peruvian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest in Nepal. By 2018, she completed climbing the 7 Summits (otherwise known as the tallest mountain on each continent), becoming the first openly gay woman to do so.
Silvia is a role model for anyone who has been told that their identity comes with limitations. She is a fierce advocate for LGTBQ+ equality, women's rights, and sexual abuse survivors. Silvia's achievements made her recognized as a leader on and off the mountain and a symbol of women's empowerment worldwide.
Silvia's Memoir is not a story of an arrogant tale of forging herself through the sweat and grit of alpine mountaineering but a journey to understand what Silvia's heart was calling for when it led her to the mountains and what the mountains can teach us if we pay attention.
Silvia's story is not a triumph over nature or addiction or trauma but a complex, engaging exploration of what it means to let nature—both Mother Nature and our wild inner nature—lead the way toward truth and healing.
About LIT ON H ST Book Club:
Lit on H St book club was co-founded and is moderated by Lupita Aquino (@lupita.reads). The club chooses books by people of color in fiction and non-fiction. Check out our calendar for meeting dates. Get 10% off each selection for book club at the register anytime. This book club generally meets on the last Sunday of every month.