Written by Alice Kemp HabibFunctional support
Getty ImagesPeople of color have historically been excluded from the sport, but now a series of Black organizations around the world are trying to change that.
In early 2023, a bus full of skiers and snowboarders arrived at a ski resort in France. chamonix A resort located at the foot of Mont Blanc. After racing down the slopes during the day, by night his electric slide performance will leave resort guests feeling tipsy as the stars twinkle overhead while listening to a blend of Afrobeats, R&B and dancehall music. I invited you. This trip was planned by soft life skia British collective that aims to bring “Afro-Caribbean culture and atmosphere” to the slopes.
Despite being in one of the most famous mountain resorts in the world, the group was the only black skier on the mountain for five days. But now, Soft Life Skiing is one of the few organizations around the world working to address the lack of diversity in the sport.
“If you go to a place where there are a lot of white people, [as a Black person]Edmond Antwi, one of the co-founders of Soft Life Ski, said: “People may feel uncomfortable and we want to help them relax, enjoy music, learn new skills and do the same. I'm creating a place where I can laugh with people.” . ”
Skiing has always been an overwhelmingly white sport. According to an annual survey conducted by National Ski Resort Association According to the NSAA, 88.1% of U.S. skiers in the 2022-23 season were white, while only 1.5% were Black. In England, 2022 numbers According to a study by Sport England, white skiers accounted for nearly 70% of the total, with black participation rates so low that they were not even able to register.
soft life skiBut how did skiing become so uniform in the first place?
It is widely believed that skiing has been around since ancient times. Invented by the Sami people of Scandinavia It was then exported all over the world by immigrants from the European Alps. These immigrants introduced skiing to the United States in the late 19th century, primarily as a means of transportation for people living in isolated mountain communities. Later, waves of wealthy European immigrants and American tourists who frequented the luxury resorts of Austria and Switzerland expanded the popularity of skiing, paving the way for a ski-based tourism industry in North America. I did.
“The whiteness of skiing in the U.S. is partly to do with it.” [its] “History of culture, nation, and race,” said author Annie Gilbert Coleman. The unbearable whiteness of the skis Examining the lack of diversity in sports. “This ties in with the strategy of early resort owners to attract investors and make things look very shiny. Celebrities and wealthy people were the targets.” [the popular Idaho ski resort] sun valley and they quickly became a target [Colorado’s famous ski destination] aspen, too. ”
In the 1910s and '20s, ski resorts began opening across the United States. They often used the typical “American” image of a cowboy on horseback ready to conquer the mountains. More common, however, were the symbols of “Europeanness” (such as Bavarian-style villages and advertising slogans in German) used to promote the Rocky Mountains as the American Alps.
Alamy”[There was] Gilbert Coleman said, “It's a very specific construction of white elite ethnicity, reminiscent of Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden.Promoters have integrated these into this image of white ethnicity, and the promoters have incorporated European-made trousers and boots. “We have made it accessible to visitors by purchasing.” And skiing. When we went to the resort, we were able to eat at an Austrian restaurant, train with a French ski instructor, and stay in a Swiss chalet. ” Inevitably, people of color were excluded from this vision of mountain life, a fact made worse by racists. Many of the early ski clubs in the United States adopted this policy.
Today, many factors are used to explain the low participation rates of non-white skiers, chief among them being prohibitive costs. skiing is expensivebut the commentators It pointed out Many people of color who can afford it actively choose not to do so. Generational factors may provide more insight. “This is what I call ski pedigree,” said the association's president, Henri Rivers. National Snow Sports Brotherhood (NBS) is an umbrella organization of 58 African American ski clubs across the United States. “Growing up in the sport, I saw a lot of families that had four or five generations skiing. lifestyle. We don't have that.'' Historically, people of color don't have that. ”
However, black-owned ski clubs actually have a long history. America's oldest jim dandy, Founded in 1958 in Detroit, Michigan, NBS recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. In England, nubian ski was founded in 2000 and has organized 22 trips to resorts around the world. Now, a new wave of collectives focused on increasing the participation of young people of color are following in their footsteps.
Soft life skiing is one of them. The idea was born after a group of friends went skiing in Valfrejus, France for the first time. They had a great time, but were shocked by the lack of diversity on and off the slopes. “When you see these brands and resorts and you don't see yourself, it affects your subconscious. It makes you wonder if you're welcome,” Antwi said.
AlamyAlso a British group noir mountainThe organization, whose mission is to “bring color to the mountains”, was founded after a group of black British university students visited a resort in Slovakia. Launched in 2019, Mount Noir regularly hosts ski trips with the goal of increasing Black participation in the sport.They went to Bansko, Bulgaria earlier this year and are currently Heading to Val d'Isere, France in March.
Wenonah Bernier, co-founder of the group, said the purity of skiing is directly related to its marketing. “When I went to ski apparel websites, the clothes were always modeled on white people. It was very difficult to actually find clothes that fit me,” she said. But the industry is now starting to take notice. Mount Noire has produced sponsored content for numerous skiwear brands, including Ellesse and Oneskee. Similarly, Soft Life Ski has partnered with Black-owned ski wear provider He Blanqo. And both Antwi and his girlfriend, Barnieh, have noticed an increase in diverse models in ski marketing.
In addition to partnering with brands, many black-owned ski organizations are also looking to disrupt the après-ski scene. “We listen to all kinds of music, and we're versatile, but typically black cultural music: R&B and hip-hop. [Elsewhere, you don’t often] Hear it on the mountain,” Bernier said.
Emmanuel Ojo, one of the co-founders of Soft Life Ski, echoes her thoughts. “Most bars [at ski resorts] Every Friday night is hosted by the same resident DJ and focuses on EDM or electronic music. No chance to enjoy a different kind of night. “We want to change that experience and bring a little bit of Afro-Caribbean culture into the mix,” he said.
soft life skiWhen planning trips, Mount Noir works with local bars to expand its musical repertoire, and other Black-owned organizations sometimes invite artists on their trips. ne-yo and anthony hamilton will perform at the 2023 NBS Summit, while Soft Life Ski is flying a select group of black British DJs to Norway for a trip to Hemsedal's Fili resort scheduled for March. Ultimately, these efforts will create a “home away from home” for a new demographic, Ojo said. These collective experiences also help Black skiers feel less self-conscious. As Ojo said, “It's better to survive in a group of two than in a group of 20.”
Since 2020, sports organizations in the US and UK have implemented a series of measures to increase diversity in the ski world. In 2021, the U.S. ski and snowboard world will be 4 year partnership Partnering with NBS, the ultimate goal was to “put African Americans on the World Cup podium.” snow sports englandThe snowsports national governing body is now working with Mount Noir to fund the training of Black ski instructors.and GB Snow Sports Currently running a 3 year campaign Diversity & Inclusion Action Planaimed at increasing the diversity of recreational skiers, instructors, coaches, and ultimately elite athletes.
“Our biggest focus is to take a long-term view of diversity in snowsports,” said Vicki Gosling, chief executive of GB Snowsports. “We are excited to support current-age athletes who are already in or about to enter an elite environment.” […] In the case of athletes Siddhartha Ullah, Zoe Atkin and nina sparksWe have great examples of young skiers and snowboarders from non-white backgrounds thriving within British team structures, and we are building on that. ”
Resorts are also joining the conversation. In 2021, the CEO of Vail Resorts released the following statement: open letter“We need to recognize that there are parts of our sport's culture that are decidedly less glamorous. Maybe the image we've created of the mountain lifestyle needs to be more diverse. And in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, one of the most lucrative weekends for U.S. ski resorts. Steamboat Ski Resort Raised $50,000 for NBS in Colorado. These efforts, combined with the work of organizations like Soft Life Ski, Mount Noir, and NBS, will likely reduce the whiteness of the mountains' snow in the coming decades.
AlamyUltimately, Rivers wants as many people as possible to enjoy the benefits of skiing. “Being outdoors and in the mountains is mentally rejuvenating. That's something every person on earth should be able to do, regardless of the color of their skin.”
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