Zeb Powell and Jake Canter jumps over the group at Culture Shifters

Snowboarding

10 organizations building a more inclusive outdoor community

Get to know the groups and how they are making a difference.

By Keria Orsatti

5 min readPublished on 05/02/2023 · 6:02 PM UTC

In mid-April, the ski season is usually winding down in mountain destinations across the northern hemisphere. Resorts prepare for end-of-season parties and slushy pond skims after a whirlwind of flashy events, competitions and tourism. But it was at this time a group of changemakers brought together by Selema Masekela and Zeb Powell, with support from Burton and Red Bull, were gathering around the Limelight Hotel in downtown Aspen. They were passionately discussing the importance of diverse representation in places like this and how to improve it.

Group ride at Aspen Snowmass at Culture Shifters
© Griffin Glendinning

Mark McMorris and Christina Granville pose for a photo at Culture Shifters
© Griffin Glendinning

Zeb Powell and Atiba Jefferson enjoy the slopes at Culture Shifters
© Griffin Glendinning

Zeb Powell and Jake Canter jumps over the group at Culture Shifters

Selema Masekela at Culture Shifters

Jandro Brown and Omar Diaz enjoy the slopes at Culture Shifters

Culture Shifters

Over 100 invited guests traveled to the plush ski haven to participate in Culture Shifters, an annual gathering of what co-founder Selema calls “a community dedicated to redefining the idea of what it looks like to be a snowboarder.” For three days, the group of leaders in sport, music and culture along with advocacy groups working to diversify the outdoors rode together at Aspen Snowmass and explored solutions for making experiences like these a more viable option for those who traditionally haven’t had access.

It was acknowledged that shifting to a more diverse and inclusive culture in snowboarding will require an all-hands-on-deck approach and continued amplification and support for community impact groups like many of those present at Culture Shifters. While some attendees have been working to “make the mountains more colorful” in Aspen, others were traveling from coastal destinations, where they were changing the face of surfing or carving out spaces for women in skateboarding. The diversity of playgrounds were well-represented in the room. Overall, they all believe the outdoors are for everyone and strive for a world where more Black, Indigenous and other people of color feel welcome to explore and enjoy these spaces.

Get to know some of the organizations at the forefront of diversifying the outdoors.

Brown Girl Outdoor World

Through community engagement, education and a wide range of outdoor activities, Brown Girl Outdoor World (BGOW) is committed to changing the narratives assigned to Black, Indigenous and racialized communities and their place in outdoor adventure and recreation. They work to move the conversation towards tangible solutions for diversifying outdoor recreation, through education, training, and employment that would lead to bridging the gap for individuals, community organizations, businesses and government agencies, to shift the thinking and associated actions and recognize that Black, Indigenous and Racialized communities belong in the great outdoors.

Colour the Trails

Founded by community strategist Judith Kasiama, Colour the Trails is a group championing inclusive representation in outdoor spaces, working with brands, businesses, and like-minded organizations to break barriers and create accessibility. They work to create safe spaces for learning, subsidize outdoor adventures, produce diverse content, and collaborate with allies to create change in the industry and policies.

Ebony Beach Club

Ebony Beach Club, a modern homage to the original club from the mid-50’s, is a monthly pop-up of black joy on the beaches of Santa Monica. Founded by Brick (Justin) Howze, it brings out the BIPOC community to enjoy a playground historically barred from black beachgoers. In an effort to reclaim Black leisure, their events offer an atmosphere of freedom and the opportunity for surf lessons.

Edge Outdoors

Washington-state based organization Edge Outdoors is addressing the dearth of Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color in snow sports. By educating on past discriminatory practices, the organization provides opportunities and scholarships for underrepresented communities to find joy and community within mountain spaces.

froSkate

Founded in 2019 by Karlie Thornton, froSkate is a Chicago-based skating community created with the purpose of making a safe and inclusive environment for BIPOC and TQGNCNB (transgender, queer, gender non-conforming or non-binary) identifying people in the world of skateboarding. Since forming, Karlie and the crew have hosted more than 100 events, positively influencing hundreds of skaters and spreading the message of “All Love No Hate.”

Hood to Woods

Founded by New York City natives Brian Paupauw and Omar Diaz, the Hoods to Woods Foundation is raising awareness of the outdoors to inner city children, establishing a love of snowboarding in the youth. Since 2009 Brian and Omar have been bringing kids to area ski resorts and teaching snowboarding, sharing their passion and highlighting how the outdoors can have a long-lasting impact.

Indigenous Life Sport Academy

The Indigenous Life Sport Academy (ILSA) creates social change and development within Indigenous communities with a focus on sport. The academy provides Indigenous youth with opportunities to play, express themselves, improve both their mental and physical health, as well as learn skills such as snowboarding, skateboarding, biking, climbing, hiking, and golf that can benefit them long into their adult years.

Shred Foundation

Based in Upstate New York, Shred Foundation’s mission is to introduce youth in underserved communities to the possibilities within snowboarding and skate culture. They are doing the work to inspire and highlight the creativity and opportunities for an alternative path within the snow and skate industry, and at the minimum, ignite passion for a new sport.

Ski Noir 5280

Based in Denver, Colorado, at the heart of Ski Country USA, Ski Noir 5280 provides meet-ups to its members, primarily the BIPOC community, and opportunities to access all the Rockies has to offer. During the 2022-2023 season they started Slide Thru Saturdays, a monthly pop-up in collaboration with I-70 Things and Colorado Department of Transportation to provide access to resorts in order to experience the fun of snow sports.

STOKED

In action sports culture, to be “stoked” means to be motivated, inspired and energized. Using this concept as the foundation, STOKED employs the sports, cultures, and industries of action sports to propel youth from underserved communities into successful futures. The group aims to close the opportunity gap and diversify the action sports industry through participation, mentoring, and a career pipeline program.