http://blog.seattlepi.com/sassycitygirl/

SassyCityGirl, Seattle, WA (2025)

10/31/2025

Little demon in a cute package
HAPPY HALOWEEN!

10/04/2025

MELINA DID IT!
Podium at the World Championship in Seoul.
Finals was a nail-biting finish, coming down to the last second of competition, but Melina secured the Bronze medal and stood on the podium for the first time at an elite world-level event.
After an LCL injury earlier this year, she was forced to take a few months to recover, missing the World Cup season entirely, but came back stronger and more mentally prepared than ever. More importantly, she emerged with the mindset to enjoy climbing, pushing herself in a healthy way, and approaching the sport with gratitude and grace. Melina, your smile throughout the comp, even when you didn’t top some of the problems, was EVERYTHING.

10/04/2025

MELINA DID IT!
Podium at the World Championship in Seoul.
Finals was a nail-biting finish, coming down to the last second of competition, but Melina secured the Bronze medal and stood on the podium for the first time at an elite world-level event.
After an LCL injury earlier this year, she was forced to take a few months to recover, missing the World Cup season entirely, but came back stronger and more mentally prepared than ever. More importantly, she emerged with the mindset to enjoy climbing, pushing herself in a healthy way, and approaching the sport with gratitude and grace. Melina, your smile throughout the comp, even when you didn’t top some of the problems, was EVERYTHING.

10/04/2025

MELINA DID IT!
Podium at the World Championship in Seoul.
Finals was a nail-biting finish, coming down to the last second of competition, but Melina secured the Bronze medal and stood on the podium for the first time at an elite world-level event.
After an LCL injury earlier this year, she was forced to take a few months to recover, missing the World Cup season entirely, but came back stronger and more mentally prepared than ever. More importantly, she emerged with the mindset to enjoy climbing, pushing herself in a healthy way, and approaching the sport with gratitude and grace. Melina, your smile throughout the comp, even when you didn’t top some of the problems, was EVERYTHING.

05/10/2025

Sun in a rainbow ring.

05/01/2025

Back to my happy place.

02/19/2024

It’s impossible to describe how proud I am of Joel Guerra, whose story is remarkable and inspirational. At 15 he trekked 2000 miles alone for 45 days from Honduras to the US, faced enormous pressure from his relatives here to quit high school and because he refused, was was kicked out of his home and had to work 35 hours per week to survive. Against all odds, he recently graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering AND just landed an amazing job as a Jr Control Systems Engineer! Joel, you’ve never taken your eyes off the goal, have worked hard under the most difficult circumstances, and have demonstrated a type of bravery I will never comprehend. It has been my privilege and honor to work with you, and I will always be there to support you. Thank you for sharing your journey with me.

10/18/2023

National Champion in Bouldering and in Lead!

Melina, this week you put your health decisions and long term training strategy to the test, and came away triumphant on every level. Bravo! I hope you savor this moment and sink deeply into the feelings of both victory and vindication.

First and foremost, I am beyond proud of Melina. She’s the phoenix who arose in a triumphant comeback last week at Nationals after a bleak start to 2023, where she started from the bottom (literally unable to put any weight on her foot post-surgery, let alone climb), developing a healthy relationship to food, to training, and to her own sense of self. It’s been astounding to witness the changes over the last year.

She proved she could succeed after graduating from college AND do it in a healthy & sustainable way. I hope the young climbers out there who dream of the Nationals podium someday can understand that winning and being at a healthy weight are not mutually exclusive. Starvation to be “lighter” should never be part of the equation.

If you don’t know Melina’s story, here’s the link to read it in her own words (https://www.instagram.com/p/CkqyGj8vv5H/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== ), but basically it’s a raw, vulnerable admission to a hidden eating disorder, which coupled with an obsessive training regime, had resulted in a broken foot, likely due to compromised bone density.

This is a sport that requires athletes to haul themselves up walls; it leads to the false belief that the lighter you are, the easier it is to climb. While that can be true to an extent, like any other highly competitive sport, it leads to extremes. In the world of climbing this is a dirty and dark secret that no one wants to acknowledge, and as we head into the Olympic season, the top organizations want to focus on short term success and maintaining the status quo. I applaud the brave women and men who are exposing this serious problem by posting on social media and talking openly about it. I never imagined that Melina would be part of this narrative, but I could not be more proud and impressed with her decision to share her challenge publicly and to seek help from medical professionals.

11/22/2022

It has been a hell of a ride the last 6 months. Emphasis on HELL, but also laced with a nascent silver lining that continues to reveal a bright and beautiful future. To close that chapter, I wanted to create a permanent reminder to look ahead with intention and to remember the past with gratitude for the lessons learned.

Thank you for the beautiful original artwork. It was exactly what I had envisioned.

Thank you to for bringing some truly extraordinary friends into my sphere and teaching me to view life with more compassion. That said, my spirit guide is a dragon and she is fierce.

11/01/2022

Starting a new collection of sketches to celebrate another year around the sun. Feeling a deep sense of gratitude, and looking forward to this new year armed with optimism and a good sense of humor.

05/31/2022

Eat the cake. Drink the champagne. Hug the ones you love.

SassyCityGirl

10/31/2025

10/04/2025

10/04/2025

10/04/2025

05/10/2025

05/01/2025

02/19/2024

10/18/2023

11/22/2022

11/01/2022

05/31/2022

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