LOVE YOUR PEAKS - B4BC IS THIS WEEKEND AT TARGHEE!

Maggie Gonzalez (B4BC’s Events & Outreach Manger) lets us snow what B4BC is about, and what goes on this weekend at The Ghee!

In today’s hyper-polarized world, it is increasingly difficult to find topics which we all can agree on.  However, not all hope is lost. Division might seem to be at an all-time high but there are still two universally accepted truths: snowboarding and skiing are fun, and cancer is bad.

B4BC epitomizes both facts. Since 1996 B4BC has used board sports as a vehicle to spread valuable information to women on how to prevent and detect breast cancer, as well as offering a space for survivors (thrivers) to connect through nature-based experiences. 

Boise, ID is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation and since its inception in 2002, the Freak Alley Gallery has reflected this influx of people, ideas, and culture through art. Located in the heart of downtown, Freak Alley started as a drawing on the alley doorway of a café by eventual founder Colby Akers. Since this original drawing the alley has exploded into the Northwest’s largest open-air, multi-artist mural gallery. Melissa Nodzu, the current face of Freak Alley, took over for founder and O.G. artist Colby Akers in 2020. According to Melissa over 200 artists have been represented in the space. Some have been covered in the layers of paint, as hundreds of new murals were painted from 2011-2019 in the “annual refreshing” of the gallery. The constant additions have led to an ever-evolving space for the hundreds of visitors who walk through the alley every day.

I was lucky enough to talk with a few contributing local artists and get their take on the Freak Alley experience. Their contributions can be seen throughout this article.