- A Great Day In The Stoke is the largest celebration of Black surfers in the country.
- Event founder Nathan Fluellen said he created the event in 2020 to show solidarity amidst the racial injustice protests.
- California beaches have a history of discrimination against Black residents.
On a sunny weekend in June, people from across the country gathered in Huntington Beach, California, in honor of "A Great Day in the Stoke," the largest celebration of Black surfers in the US. For many, it's a way to find community and solidify a new image of what a surfer looks like.
For many Black surfers, events like "A Great Day in the Stoke" are a rare sight. California beaches have had a long history of discrimination and exclusionary practices against Black residents. It was why founder and adventure travel host Nathan Fluellen said he was first inspired to create the event back in 2020. He saw it as his way to celebrate the Black community and show solidarity amidst the racial injustice protests across the country following the murders of George Floyd, Aubrey Ahmad, Breanna Taylor, and others.
"We came together because of a tragedy, and it was a reaction, and it was exhausting. Another reason is that we built a community and relationships through social media and screens on our phones. We hadn't had a chance to meet in person, hug one another and see people's smiles. It is invaluable to share space with people that look like you and love surfing," Fluellen told Insider.
For years, Black people were denied access to public pools.
The racial gap in the surfing community is deeply rooted in the inequalities the Black community has had to wrestle with within the United States. Because of denied access to public pools during segregation and the redlining of neighborhoods, many Black children and families lacked access to pools to learn how to swim. This has created a generational handicap for many across the country.
According to figures from the YMCA, Black parents are 1.6 times more likely to report having low confidence in participating in water activities or being in the water. The same report showed that 44% of Black parents reported only having a beginning level or no swimming ability. It's why events like "A Great Day in the Stoke" are so meaningful for those within the community.
"I know many Black people never had the chance to surf, and I wanted non-surfers to witness Black people dancing on waves and allow them to catch their first wave," said Fluellen. After developing a love for the sport in his youth, Fluellen has surfed all around the world. He said he still feels that same sense of "childlike joy" when he meets other Black surfers.
"I'm excited to learn their story about how they started surfing," Fluellen said. "Why they love surfing, what type of boards are in their quiver, and if I can learn something new from them."
"I wanted Black surfers to have the opportunity to compete on the same waves."
For those like Kayiita Johnson, founder of Black Surfers Global Community, events like these are critical. Johnson began surfing regularly after moving to California for grad school back in 2016, but struggled to immediately find a community.
"The reality is even Black folks who grew up in California feel like outsiders when it comes to surfing events, and much of that is due to systemic racism in the past and present," Johnson told Insider.
"Fixing this is going to require not just community events and promotion of surfing in the Black community, but actual policy changes to right the wrongs of the past and present so we can protect the future," Johnson added.
Johnson said it is motivating to see the different types of people come out to celebrate and partake in A Great Day in the Stoke. "I saw children being inspired by amazing Black surfers from all over the world," he said. "I saw unity, and that's exactly what we need to restore the natural balance and diversity in surfing."
Fluellen said it was critical for the event to occur at Huntington Beach because of its reputation for attracting the best surfers globally and showing the next generation of people that look like them at all levels in the sport.
"I wanted Black surfers to have the opportunity to compete on the same waves," he said. "It was also crucial for the youth to see where the pros rip and inspire them to continue to work on their skills."