By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Author
HUNTINGTON BEACH — What’s being promoted as the biggest gathering of Black surfers in historical past will happen from 7 a.m. to five p.m. Sept. 14 on the Huntington Seaside Pier, dwelling of the U.S. Open of Browsing.
It’s the third annual “A Nice Day within the Stoke,” an occasion that features a surf competitors, free surf classes, a Double-Dutch leap rope contest, a wellness zone and seashore yoga by Lululemon, music, a 5K Run/Stroll, and giveaways.
The browsing competitors contains longboard and shortboard and likewise contains classes for these 18 years and youthful. It options female and male professional and novice surfers representing the U.S. and throughout the diaspora, together with Senegal, South Africa, Brazil and Jamaica.
The aim of the occasion, anticipated to draw 2,000 spectators, is to attract extra individuals of coloration to the game of browsing.
The day culminates in an awards ceremony honoring winners in numerous classes and a recognition of trailblazing Black browsing pioneers who’ve made vital contributions to the game like Nick Gabaldon, the primary Black browsing legend who surfed within the late Nineteen Forties on the Inkwell Seaside in Santa Monica.
Launched in 2021 with the primary occasion taking place in 2022, “A Nice Day within the Stoke” is the brainchild of Nathan Okay. Fluellen, 43, the occasion’s founder, an advocate for the Black browsing neighborhood, and likewise a TV host, journey journalist/vlogger, producer and entrepreneur.
The host, creator, and govt producer of the Telly Award-winning journey journey TV present, “World Broad Nate: African Adventures,” a information to dwelling a world life-style, Fluellen, 43, has traveled to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, South Africa, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
He has visited six continents, 60 nations and all 50 states.
Fluellen, who lives on the planet and holidays within the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles, is a Chicago native who grew up in Calumet Metropolis, Illinois. He attended Tennessee State the place he graduated with a level in economics and speech.
When he speaks about browsing and getting extra Black individuals within the sport, the passion in his voice makes it clear it’s his ardour.
He’s devoted to selling range and inclusion in browsing and has been a outstanding advocate for rising the visibility of Black surfers on the worldwide stage. “A Nice Day In The Stoke” is the marquee occasion underneath Fluellen’s Kavata Youngsters 501 C-3 group.
I lately caught up with Fluellen, a health fanatic, to speak about “A Nice Day within the Stoke.”
DD: Why did you create this occasion?
NF: I wished to foster the expansion of Black aggressive surfers on the skilled stage but additionally to supply starting surf classes to attendees to assist encourage the Black neighborhood to really feel extra at dwelling within the ocean on an off-the-cuff and enjoyable stage. I need to be of service to the neighborhood.
DD: What sort of suggestions have you ever obtained over time concerning the occasion?
NF: Everyone is thrilled. It’s been all optimistic power and suggestions. It retains me energized. It’s not straightforward. It’s plenty of work. Individuals look ahead to the occasion. We’ve had optimistic opinions. We need to simply continue to grow.
DD: Why is that this occasion being held in Huntington Seaside?
NF: The U.S. Open of Browsing occurs there. I wished to offer our neighborhood the possibility to come back out to the place the very best compete.
DD: Who can compete within the upcoming competitors?
NF: Individuals from the African diaspora. We would like elevated participation. I need to give individuals a platform to rejoice our existence. Throughout the pandemic, the surging neighborhood would maintain paddle outs. I might go. It was a response to a tragedy. I don’t need to do this anymore. I simply need us to come back collectively on a cheerful observe. We’re Black, we’re joyful.
DD: You had a response to the aftermaths of the murders by police of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. How did it have an effect on you?
NF: The entire killings simply turned extra heightened. When somebody is killed, there’s a deep emotional set off. It’s traumatizing. At the moment, there have been plenty of paddle outs the place surfers paddled out into the water to pay tribute and acknowledge a tragedy. There have been plenty of these. I’m not going to do any extra paddle outs. It’s simply reacting to a tragedy. I need to do one thing actually significant.
DD: When will you’ve got free surf classes?
NF: We have now two surf classes. One might be held from 9 to 11 a.m. and the opposite 12 midday to 2 p.m. We received’t have swimming courses that day. I’ve a non-profit known as Kavata Youngsters intending to offer free swim classes. We even have Kavata Swimwear. It’s the primary Black-owned efficiency swimwear line. I didn’t see any — so I began my model.
DD: It’s difficult getting Black of us into the water.
NF: Browsing is a mechanism for Black of us to discover ways to swim. Within the Black neighborhood, I discovered that 70% of the neighborhood has low to no swimming abilities. Now, by way of browsing, we will change the narrative.
DD: Why is it known as Kavata?
NF: The title Kavata is my sister’s center title. Her title was Laini Kavata. She handed in 2009, as a result of triple-negative breast most cancers. My household created a basis in her reminiscence to affix the combat to discover a treatment.
DD: The web site says the purpose of “A Nice Day In The Stoke” is to get younger Black browsing athletes on the medal stands of among the world’s main browsing competitions and to diversify the U.S. Olympic Browsing crew for the 2028 Summer time Olympics in Los Angeles and past. Why do you care a lot?
NF: We gotta be capable to absolutely discover the human expertise and maximize our full potential.
DD: How lengthy have you ever been browsing?
NF: I began in 2017. I lived within the valley, and barely went to the seashore. Then I moved to the West Adams district. Browsing was one thing I’ve at all times wished to do. Logistically, I dwell shut sufficient to the seashore. I used to be so enthusiastic about it. Browsing felt pure to me.
DD: Once you first began, did you see individuals who seemed such as you within the water?
NF: No, I didn’t see individuals like me once I first began browsing.
DD: How are you aware this would be the largest gathering of Black surfers in historical past?
NF: There have been surf competitions however none of them have been this large.
DD: What number of surfers are you anticipating?
NF: We’re anticipating 70. Twenty of them are girls. I’m bringing in 4 ladies from Brazil. We don’t have a plethora of Black feminine surfers within the U.S., however there are lots within the African Diaspora, Caribbean, Brazil, South Africa, Senegal and Mozambique.
DD: What’s the distinction between quick and longboard?
NF: Have you ever heard of the time period Dangle 10?
DD: Sure.
NF: You’d Dangle 10 on a longboard. That’s when all 10 toes are on the nostril of the board. The quick board is extra high-performance. It’s like while you’re using the wave.
DD: You wished to seize an iconic image just like the one with jazz greats known as A Nice Day In Harlem (1958) and the newer one A Nice Day In Hip-Hop (1998). Did it occur?
NF: Sure, we did it in yr one. We had 500 Black surfers. I used to be impressed by the picture, A Nice Day in Harlem. I wished to be in that very same zeitgeist.
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“A Nice Day In The Stoke” companions/sponsors embrace town of Huntington Seaside, Go to Huntington Seaside, Breitling, lululemon, Black Woman Sunscreen, Bones Loves Milk and YETI.
Darlene Donloe is a contract reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She might be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com.
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