I wanted to write about something else this week. Perhaps commenting on Carissa’s new edit. Maybe breaking down the Torren-Martyn-induced twinny craze. I wanted to take a break from my more personal string of blog posts and dive into something a bit more light-hearted and widely digestible. But following the protests following the murder of George Floyd following the false accusal of the NYC birdwatcher following the gunning down of Ahmaud Arbery following a century of racist police violence following nationwide slavery, I have no choice but to address the gut-wrenching reality of the world we live in today.
It’s hard to find a place to start, and to be honest, I have no idea the direction this post will go, let alone where it will end up. But I have to start peacing apart these feelings– primarily for myself, but possibly for you too.
Yesterday I met up with my friend, John, for an early afternoon surf on the flat, southeast edge of O‘ahu. It was windy but hot, large clouds moved heavily across the sky but never seemed to quite block out the sun to create some shade. We exchanged some surf pleasantries, “How’s it looking? What’s the tide doing? Looks like some fun ones. Got any wax?” After crossing a few streets and following a long dirt path, we made it to the edge of Wailupe and began the long paddle out to the lineup.
The breakwall backwash and tradewind chop mirrored my mind as we inched our way out to sea. This utopic “reality”, constructed by white nationalistic visions, was finally crumbling as the country (and Target Stores) were going up in flames. But here I was, paddling out to a barrier reef off of an island in the Pacifc, the same as I had as a kid, as if problems were just imaginary, as if the tv screen and twitter feed were nothing but someone else’s bad dream. I danced between guilt, compartmentalization, and denial. Saltwater, sweat, and tears. Finally we made it outside to the peak. It was uncrowded and close to perfect, shoulder-high double-up lefts and hollow, wedgy rights dumbed onto the reef over and over again as the south swell continued to rise.
We surfed for an hour, and then two, and watched as the sun rolled slowly towards the horizon. The earth opened wide for the orange, low-light glow. Sitting out the back, I waited for a set during a surprisingly infrequent, but inevitable lul.
We spend so much time, as surfers, waiting. We wait for the new swell, we wait for waves, we wait for our buddies to wax their boards. The majority of surfing is simply reading the ocean and waiting for our turn. We are so used to this– this patience, this calm understanding that a wave will come our way sooner than later.
But in regard to racism, inequity, and State violence, this doesn’t really cut it. We can’t simply wait this one out. A set isn’t just going to appear on the horizon. This goes against our mellowed-out surf culture, but it’s crucial that we are proactive in this dismantling of white supremacy.
I am truly hopeful that this surfing community can and will make a meaningful difference. Cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are incredibly diverse and are forced to reckon with inequality and racism on a day to day basis. They also happen to be some of the surf capitals of the world.
Not only are our voices heard, but our actions are also noticed and respected. San Diego recently hosted a paddle out at Moonlight Beach in honor of George Floyd which made national news. Stab Magazine published a photo series on the LA protests which magnified the issue across the surf community. Surfer Magazine, The Surfers Journal, Surfline, and countless other surfers and surf companies posted the black square on instagram with the #blackouttuesday to demonstrate solidarity with the movement.
Acknowledging these issues is just the start; we have a long way to go from here. This will not pass; we cannot wait this out. I challenge the surf community to do more. I challenge you to donate time and money to people and organizations who work tirelessly in combat systematic racism. I challenge you to join in the peaceful protest, to host community paddle-outs. I challenge you to talk about racism not just at the dinner table, but out in the lineup. I challenge you to read books written by black authors and buy from black-owned businesses. I challenge you to write to your public officials and ask them to stop increasing the police budget. I challenge you to be an active participant in this movement.
Despite its Polynesian roots, surfing has evolved into a heavily white activity. The history of surfing is not pretty one. It is littered with acts of colonialism, neo nazis, and white supremacy. But it is also a place of acceptance, inclusion, and freedom. We, as surfers, have the opportunity to be on the right side of history. We can (and must) make an impact in our communities and, as an extension, our nation.
Listed below are a few places in which to donate your time and money.
Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.
You can donate to Black Lives Matter here!
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
National NAACP initiatives include political lobbying, publicity efforts, and litigation strategies developed by its legal team. The group enlarged its mission in the late 20th century by considering issues such as police misconduct, the status of black foreign refugees, and questions of economic development.
You can donate to the NAACP here, and for tax deductible donations to their NAACP Empowerment Programs, click here!
The Southern Poverty Law Center is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. Using litigation, education, and other forms of advocacy, the SPLC works toward the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality.
SPLC does a great job of monitoring hate groups and other extremist organizations. I love accountability.
You can donate to SPLC here!
The nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization
You can donate here!
BYP100 (Black Youth Project 100) is a member-based organization of Black youth activists creating justice and freedom for all Black people.
Their work is generally centered on ending systems of anti-Blackness and emphasizing the urgency of protecting the most marginalized folks including women, girls, femmes, and the gamut of LGBTQ folk.
You can donate to BYP100 here!
Color of Change leads campaigns that build real power for Black communities. They challenge injustice, hold corporate and political leaders accountable, commission game-changing research on systems of inequality, and advance solutions for racial justice that can transform our world.
You can donate to Color of Change here!
The Sentencing Project works for a fair and effective U.S. criminal justice system by promoting reforms in sentencing policy, addressing unjust racial disparities and practices, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.
Support The Sentencing Project with a tax-deductible contribution and help them work for a fair and effective criminal justice system. Donate here!
Or, connect with The Sentencing Project’s state and local partners to join criminal justice reform efforts in your area here!
Families against Mandatory Minimums
FAMM seeks to create a more fair and effective justice system that respects our American values of individual accountability and dignity while keeping communities safe.
In the last 28 years, more than half a million people have benefited from sentencing and prison reforms championed by FAMM. You can make a donation here!
National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls
The Loveland Foundation – Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls.
A New Way Of Life – A New Way of Life Reentry Project provides housing, case management, pro bono legal services, advocacy and leadership development for women rebuilding their lives after prison.
BAMBOOBLISTER 
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