((PKG)) BLACK GIRLS SURF
((Banner: Black Girls Surf))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martínez))
((Courtesy/Extra footage: Dave Malana, Tandem Boogie,
Black Girls Surf))
((Map: Los Angeles, California))
((Main characters: 2 females))
((Sub characters: 5 females; 2 males))
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
When I was growing up, I heard so much, “Well, Black people
don't swim”. And I heard that from my father. When he first took
me to the beach, he said, “Don't go out past the whitewash. If
something happens to you, I'm not coming to get you.” And for
me that meant, “OK, well, I got to learn how to swim. I got to
learn how to take care of myself out here because he's not
coming to help me.”
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
My name is Lizelle Jackson. Pre-COVID, I was an active travel
guide. Post-COVID now, I'm a surf instructor.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
Paddle. Paddle. Jump. That’s better.
Black Girls Surf, you know, their intention is to get more Black
women to be professional surfers. And so, right now, we're just
working here in the L.A. chapter trying to get as many women of
color in the water as possible. And then, eventually, hopefully
there'll be some women from that stage that would like to
progress on to the professional stage.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
I mean, you take something like Bruce's Beach. In the early
1900s, there was a Black beach resort there and eventually they
were kicked out. They were forced to move further inland and so,
Black people lost one of the few beaches that they could go
to. So, I mean, you look at something like that. If there is only
one slice of beach that Black people could utilize at that point,
then it's no wonder we don't have more Black surfers. A lot of
times, surfing is something, is passed down from generation to
generation. You see surfer dads out there with their little
daughters, pushing them into the waves. Well, our dads didn't
have that opportunity.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
So, on a board like this, you are going to do something called
the turtle roll.
((Samantha Johnson, Chef, Surf Learner))
Oh, I've seen that. I’ve YouTube-ed it. I YouTube things and
yeah, I've never done that.
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
So this one, you can't duck dive.
One of the reasons I keep coming out here is because I wish
there had been somebody when I was first learning, that was
there for me to look up to and someone that looked like me. And,
I think, when you don't see yourself represented in, whether it's
those media images or whether it's just looking out in the water, it
can be difficult. And so, if we can create this space where women
of color, Black women, feel safe to come into and feel safe
learning and that they already feel like, “OK, I can handle myself
here.” And that’s what we're really looking to do, right, is just to
empower women to feel that they belong in this ocean, no matter
which beach they go to.
((NATS))
((Surfer))
Everyone circle up.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
I want to thank everyone today for coming out. It's wonderful to
see you all and all your beautiful faces. If you don't have a flower,
please stop by and grab a yellow rose. I will have Rhonda speak
today from Senegal and she's speaking at all the other paddle
outs worldwide.
((NATS))
((Rhonda Harper, Founder, Black Girls Surf))
Good morning. This is Rhonda Harper from Black Girls
Surf. These paddle outs are peaceful protests for lives lost to
police brutality and racism in America. Black lives matter.
((NATS))
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
Today, we're honoring the lives of those lost: Breonna Taylor,
George Floyd, Vanessa Guillen and hundreds of more lives. The
belief is that it’s our individual, collective responsibility to
participate rather than ignore, to prevent rather than react, to
preserve rather than degrade, because this is our time to do
so. When you paddle out into the water today and you release
those roses in honor of those who have fallen, think of something
you want to bring back with you into this new society we are
creating, something that's healing, something that you wish to see
more of in the world that you feel that is not there.
((NATS))
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
It's beautiful, isn't it?
My name is Sayuri and I am the Los Angeles SoCal Chapter
Coordinator for Black Girls Surf. This is happening worldwide
today in several other counties as well as around the world. And
the support was real, like, we started out with eight people and
then it went to, like, 20. We brought 60 roses. All the roses are
gone.
((NATS))
((Event participant))
Thank you so much.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
Thank you guys for coming out. Did you guys get in the
water? Did you go in the water?
((Event participant))
Yes, they did.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
Awesome.
Surfing? Are you interested in surfing?
((Event participant))
I would love, like, I've always wanted to learn to surf but I never
knew anyone and never had, like, friends to go to take a class.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
All right, cool. Then you should come out to one of our board
meetings because all we do is get together and surf.
((Event participant))
That is awesome.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
So, we have events like this. We have surf therapy days. We
have board meetings. And we are also starting our surf camps up
this summer. And that's where we get girls that are ages 11 to 17
in the water and on the board and we start training them to surf
professionally.
((NATS))
((Darryl Knox, L.A. Resident))
I wish I could've got that one. That's OK though. I love seeing
her in the water. It’s not just about African American versus any
other race. It's just seeing your children have fun and doing
things that they like to do is always a pleasure. As rare as it is to
see somebody like Tiger Woods in golf, it's probably just as rare
to see African Americans out on the water and I don't think we live
in a lot of the beach communities, especially in the US.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
Inhale that action.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
Big exhale.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
Sayuri and I would just like to start by officially welcoming you to
the Black Girls Surf, the BGS Surf Therapy Program. Today, we
just kind of want to address those, you know, what are those
things that you're looking to leave on land and what is it that you
want to find in the water? For me this morning, I definitely want to
leave stress on land. And in the water, I'm just looking to find
playfulness today. Just have fun and let everything go.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
So, I want to leave frustration on land and then what I want to find
in the water is always peace.
((Event participant))
I want to leave my anxieties on land and I want to find, have some
stoked moments.
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
There we go. Stoked.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
A lot of experiences that you have in the water parallel life itself. I
mean, just getting out into the water is this constant battle,
right? But then you have these moments of calm and
peace. Like, I can see some of the choices that I make, whether
it's, “Am I going to paddle into this wave?” or, “Am I just going to
keep paddling all the waves?” That kind of parallel, the way I
behave in the real world. But also, I think water, just in general,
is extremely therapeutic. Just, it's incredibly calming. I think it's,
our bodies are what, about 70 percent water. So, it's almost like
you're going home, right? Like, going back into the womb and
just feeling comfortable and at peace.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
My hope is that we'll just start to see a much more diverse
lineup. And so, my hope is that one day, when we go out in the
water, when I see another surfer of color, it's not, like, this kind of
surprise. And I just want to get to the point where that's normal,
where we go out into the water and we see all different shades,
creeds, colors, whatever it is, and that nobody bats an eye.
((NATS))
((Banner: Black Girls Surf))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martínez))
((Courtesy/Extra footage: Dave Malana, Tandem Boogie,
Black Girls Surf))
((Map: Los Angeles, California))
((Main characters: 2 females))
((Sub characters: 5 females; 2 males))
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
When I was growing up, I heard so much, “Well, Black people
don't swim”. And I heard that from my father. When he first took
me to the beach, he said, “Don't go out past the whitewash. If
something happens to you, I'm not coming to get you.” And for
me that meant, “OK, well, I got to learn how to swim. I got to
learn how to take care of myself out here because he's not
coming to help me.”
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
My name is Lizelle Jackson. Pre-COVID, I was an active travel
guide. Post-COVID now, I'm a surf instructor.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
Paddle. Paddle. Jump. That’s better.
Black Girls Surf, you know, their intention is to get more Black
women to be professional surfers. And so, right now, we're just
working here in the L.A. chapter trying to get as many women of
color in the water as possible. And then, eventually, hopefully
there'll be some women from that stage that would like to
progress on to the professional stage.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
I mean, you take something like Bruce's Beach. In the early
1900s, there was a Black beach resort there and eventually they
were kicked out. They were forced to move further inland and so,
Black people lost one of the few beaches that they could go
to. So, I mean, you look at something like that. If there is only
one slice of beach that Black people could utilize at that point,
then it's no wonder we don't have more Black surfers. A lot of
times, surfing is something, is passed down from generation to
generation. You see surfer dads out there with their little
daughters, pushing them into the waves. Well, our dads didn't
have that opportunity.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
So, on a board like this, you are going to do something called
the turtle roll.
((Samantha Johnson, Chef, Surf Learner))
Oh, I've seen that. I’ve YouTube-ed it. I YouTube things and
yeah, I've never done that.
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
So this one, you can't duck dive.
One of the reasons I keep coming out here is because I wish
there had been somebody when I was first learning, that was
there for me to look up to and someone that looked like me. And,
I think, when you don't see yourself represented in, whether it's
those media images or whether it's just looking out in the water, it
can be difficult. And so, if we can create this space where women
of color, Black women, feel safe to come into and feel safe
learning and that they already feel like, “OK, I can handle myself
here.” And that’s what we're really looking to do, right, is just to
empower women to feel that they belong in this ocean, no matter
which beach they go to.
((NATS))
((Surfer))
Everyone circle up.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
I want to thank everyone today for coming out. It's wonderful to
see you all and all your beautiful faces. If you don't have a flower,
please stop by and grab a yellow rose. I will have Rhonda speak
today from Senegal and she's speaking at all the other paddle
outs worldwide.
((NATS))
((Rhonda Harper, Founder, Black Girls Surf))
Good morning. This is Rhonda Harper from Black Girls
Surf. These paddle outs are peaceful protests for lives lost to
police brutality and racism in America. Black lives matter.
((NATS))
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
Today, we're honoring the lives of those lost: Breonna Taylor,
George Floyd, Vanessa Guillen and hundreds of more lives. The
belief is that it’s our individual, collective responsibility to
participate rather than ignore, to prevent rather than react, to
preserve rather than degrade, because this is our time to do
so. When you paddle out into the water today and you release
those roses in honor of those who have fallen, think of something
you want to bring back with you into this new society we are
creating, something that's healing, something that you wish to see
more of in the world that you feel that is not there.
((NATS))
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
It's beautiful, isn't it?
My name is Sayuri and I am the Los Angeles SoCal Chapter
Coordinator for Black Girls Surf. This is happening worldwide
today in several other counties as well as around the world. And
the support was real, like, we started out with eight people and
then it went to, like, 20. We brought 60 roses. All the roses are
gone.
((NATS))
((Event participant))
Thank you so much.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
Thank you guys for coming out. Did you guys get in the
water? Did you go in the water?
((Event participant))
Yes, they did.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
Awesome.
Surfing? Are you interested in surfing?
((Event participant))
I would love, like, I've always wanted to learn to surf but I never
knew anyone and never had, like, friends to go to take a class.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
All right, cool. Then you should come out to one of our board
meetings because all we do is get together and surf.
((Event participant))
That is awesome.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
So, we have events like this. We have surf therapy days. We
have board meetings. And we are also starting our surf camps up
this summer. And that's where we get girls that are ages 11 to 17
in the water and on the board and we start training them to surf
professionally.
((NATS))
((Darryl Knox, L.A. Resident))
I wish I could've got that one. That's OK though. I love seeing
her in the water. It’s not just about African American versus any
other race. It's just seeing your children have fun and doing
things that they like to do is always a pleasure. As rare as it is to
see somebody like Tiger Woods in golf, it's probably just as rare
to see African Americans out on the water and I don't think we live
in a lot of the beach communities, especially in the US.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
Inhale that action.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
Big exhale.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
Sayuri and I would just like to start by officially welcoming you to
the Black Girls Surf, the BGS Surf Therapy Program. Today, we
just kind of want to address those, you know, what are those
things that you're looking to leave on land and what is it that you
want to find in the water? For me this morning, I definitely want to
leave stress on land. And in the water, I'm just looking to find
playfulness today. Just have fun and let everything go.
((Sayuri Blondt, L.A. SoCal Chapter Coordinator, Black Girls
Surf))
So, I want to leave frustration on land and then what I want to find
in the water is always peace.
((Event participant))
I want to leave my anxieties on land and I want to find, have some
stoked moments.
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
There we go. Stoked.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
A lot of experiences that you have in the water parallel life itself. I
mean, just getting out into the water is this constant battle,
right? But then you have these moments of calm and
peace. Like, I can see some of the choices that I make, whether
it's, “Am I going to paddle into this wave?” or, “Am I just going to
keep paddling all the waves?” That kind of parallel, the way I
behave in the real world. But also, I think water, just in general,
is extremely therapeutic. Just, it's incredibly calming. I think it's,
our bodies are what, about 70 percent water. So, it's almost like
you're going home, right? Like, going back into the womb and
just feeling comfortable and at peace.
((NATS))
((Lizelle Jackson, Surf Instructor, Black Girls Surf))
My hope is that we'll just start to see a much more diverse
lineup. And so, my hope is that one day, when we go out in the
water, when I see another surfer of color, it's not, like, this kind of
surprise. And I just want to get to the point where that's normal,
where we go out into the water and we see all different shades,
creeds, colors, whatever it is, and that nobody bats an eye.
((NATS))
