Sophie Llenos (Huss) Represents Himalayan Women Trail Leaders at the 2025 Bessie Awards in NYC

Sophie Llenos (Huss), an MSU PhD candidate and dedicated Himalayan Women Trail Leaders (HWTL) team member, proudly represented HWTL at the internationally recognized Women in Travel Summit and Bessie Awards in New York City. At the Bessie Awards, Sophie accepted the Wanderful Award on behalf of HWTL for being an initiative that has represented, supported, and empowered women in the past year. Sophie’s voice and passion brought global attention to the transformative work being done by HWTL in the Himalaya and beyond.

While Sophie represented HWTL in New York, she credits co-founders Marinel de Jesus, international human rights lawyer and founder of the Porter Voice Collective and Equity Global Treks, and Mingmar Dolma Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to guide and trek over 100 days on the Great Himalaya Trail, for bringing this initiative to life. As true trailblazers, their advocacy and unwavering belief in justice remind us that the communities in which we work and travel should not just have a seat at the table - they should lead the way.

“This work goes beyond gender equity. It’s about decolonizing and indigenizing travel. It’s about rewriting HERstory.”
— Sophie Llenos (Huss)

What This Award Represents

HWTL’s mission is not just about increasing gender equity — it’s about transforming the trekking and travel industry by:

Empowering Indigenous and local women
Challenging colonial narratives in tourism
Building just, inclusive systems of outdoor recreation
Advocating for human rights through ethical travel

This award celebrates not just an organization, but a movement — one that HWTL continues to advance through both research and on-the-ground action.

Looking Forward

This win marks a milestone, not a finish line. With leaders like Marinel, Mingmar, and Sophie bridging research and activism through community-led action, HWTL is just getting started in expanding gender equity in the outdoors. We invite you to join HWTL in building a future where travel and research uplift everyone, especially those historically pushed to the margins.

Sophie