Meet Gina Danza of Wild Gina in Burbank

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Danza.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Gina. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was working in television for when I started to become more involved with hiking. Former ESPN Producer turned photographer, I began to find interest in outdoor shooting. I met a few friends on Instagram who shared similar interests like hiking, climbing, and shooting beautiful landscapes. I noticed that I was the only black girl among the group but it didn’t phase me until an incident occurred at my local retailer in New Jersey. I visited my local REI retailer to grab my very first pair of climbing shoes. As I was shuffling around and trying on pairs, a white man walked up to me. He began chatting with me, asking me about where I climb and recommending brands.

Before he ended the conversation, he turned around and said, “Don’t take this the wrong way but black people don’t climb.” He walked away as I was left with the climbing shoes on my feet. I didn’t know what to say or do but I realized change needed to happen. This stereotype plagued me and I didn’t want other black women to feel it too. So, I started to share my story, write articles, climb, and photograph more. After a few years, I quit TV to move to California to continue my passion of making the outdoors more diverse through marketing. I worked with brands such as Hoka One One, Merrell, Backcountry, and more over the past 3 years. I became an agent for POC outdoor athletes and groups such as Black Girls Trekkin’ – an LA hiking group that encourages WOC to get outdoors. I am working hard today to continue on this path to help transform the outdoor space. You look at advertisements today or past and you see not one person of color. I wanted to change the narrative…..and, I am.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. Sometimes, brands don’t understand why they must include diverse stories in their marketing campaigns. Explaining my personal traumas is another job on it’s own.

Please tell us about Wild Gina.
I connect brands to POC athletes and groups to integrate more diversity into marketing campaigns. I have got one group from LA (Black Girl’s Trekkin) a Hoka One One national campaign and multiple of other gigs with the company within my first year here. Additionally, I photograph for brands. It’s equally as important to get diversity behind the camera too. Whether producing a campaign or photographing it, I do it all. Occasionally, I speak at colleges and host outdoor events on diversifying the outdoors through marketing. Recently, I was invited to lecture at Yale University and had a great conversation with students of Yale Outdoors.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I don’t know if I would of done anything differently because I am still doing it. Paths do change. Currently, I am working to become a director and producer of diverse work in TV and film on top of continuing to create space for diverse voices in the outdoors. You’re allowed to have many avenues of passions as long as you balance them accordingly. Just make sure that what you are doing feels right. Listen to your gut once – it’s usually right the first time.

Contact Info:

• Website: ginadanza.com
• Instagram: wildginaa
• Twitter: wildginaa

Image Credit:
All shot by me (Gina Danza) except the one of me with my camera. Black Girls Trekkin’ Women Who Hike, Lady Crvsh Crew, and Paulina Dao are in these photos.

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