Learning about and participating in STEM can be intimidating for people who aren’t already part of this community and may not know how to engage. As a result, some people may opt out or fear engaging, when in fact they truly do wish to participate, learn more about, or even pursue an advanced degree in these areas. What does it take to create a welcoming and accessible environment in the weather, water, climate community that encourages people to instead opt in and choose to tackle or overcome their perceived or real barriers to entry? In this session, we discuss programs and initiatives that have developed innovative and “out of the box” approaches that prioritize accessibility and creating safe, welcoming spaces - who have successfully engaged diverse populations in weather activities and/or education.