This feminist is empowering BIPOC women and girls through the healing power of surfing.
FEMINIST sat down with Jessa to learn more about how she is empowering women on their mental health journeys through the magic of surfing.
Photo credit: @nicolevisions
Jessa Williams
is the founder of INTRSXTN SURF, an organization that centers the voices and visibility of BIPOC women in surf. She is passionate about creating safe spaces for BIPOC women and girls to enjoy surfing and the ocean. She is also the award-winning director of the short film Moving Mountains.
What does being a feminist mean to you?
I’ve always liked bell hooks’ simple definition of feminism,”Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” and I look up to women like her, Angela Davis and Kimberlé Crenshaw who stress the importance of intersectional feminism.
“What was your experience starting as a Black woman in surf, and how did it inspire you to create INTRSXTN SURF?
When I began surfing, I felt very alone and isolated- not just as an adult learner, but also as a Black woman in a space that’s very white/male dominated. In my earliest days of surfing I experienced some harassment in the water, which included both racist and misogynistic slurs. I felt like many of the other women surfers didn't quite understand, (because they were mostly white women,) and the other Black or BIPOC surfers didn't understand, (because they were mostly men.) It became clear to me that it was the intersectionality of my identity that led to me feeling so isolated in this experience I was having of falling in love with surfing. I created Intrsxtn Surf to take this negative experience I was having and channel it into building something positive for other women like me, who may also feel, or be made to feel, that surfing isn’t for them or that they are unwelcome in the water. Intrsxtn Surf exists to create a safe space for Black women and women of color to explore the outdoors through surfing. We are headed into our 4th season of programming and have helped hundreds of women catch their first waves!
We really admire your advocacy for women's safety and wellbeing, both mental and physical. Why is it important to have dedicated spaces for women, especially women of color?
The entire goal of Intrsxtn Surf is to have a space where Black women and women of color can feel safe in the ocean and the outdoors. Yes, physical safety is important for obvious reasons, and being at the beach and moving our bodies freely without being surrounded by men is a part of that. Mental wellbeing, though, is one of the most important aspects of our space. Why is it important? To put it simply, the conscious and subconscious labor of making sure white people feel comfortable around you, even and especially white women, can be absolutely exhausting. This is mostly invisible labor that is everywhere we go- in our cities and communities and definitely in our places of work. When we’re together in this group, these are not things we really even talk about, that’s not the point of the group. But the absence of that weight means we can show up as our full selves and have the opportunity to genuinely relax or recharge. It’s important because we need spaces where we feel seen and where we can build connections with other people who we feel truly see us. It’s important because it helps us relieve stress. It’s important because it helps us access joy!
Photo credit: @nicolevisions
Photo credit: @nicolevisions
What does a “safe space” for BIPOC women look like to you?
Freedom to just be. Safety from the threat of judgment, criticism, harassment, discrimination or physical harm.
You’ve written about how safe spaces should allow Black women to be free from the “Black tax.” What is the “Black tax,” for those who haven’t heard of it?
What I’m referring to is the feeling that we have to be excellent at something in order to be perceived as being deserving of having a seat at that thing’s table. But this isn’t just a feeling. This is a very real thing and most people are aware of it if you look at it through the lens of the pay gap, for instance. Black women today earn 70% as much as white men for the same work. There’s a huge pay gap for Latina women as well. To add to this, we know that colorism exists right alongside these things. This is what I’m referring to, not just a feeling, not just a theory, but a reality that we must work harder in order to get the same as others. This can be seen with pay, with opportunities, with visibility, with respect and accolades, and so many more things. With Intrsxtn Surf, our space encourages those in our community to not worry about being excellent surfers, but rather, to get to enjoy being present in the moment, enjoy moving our bodies, enjoy communing with nature and enjoy just being able to play and have fun, no matter their skill level. It’s a break from having to be so focused on achievement and over-achievement.
What has been your favorite part of running INTRSXTN SURF so far?
My favorite thing is helping someone catch their first wave! To see someone do something they didn’t think they could do, or always dreamed of doing, it’s a really fulfilling experience and a humbling moment to be a part of.
How can our community help to create more inclusive spaces that prioritize women's mental health?
By continuing to support groups like ours and community builders like myself that are out here doing the work. There are many! It’s a ton of work and we need all the support and resources we can get. Thank you so much for uplifting the work we’re doing, and for the work your platform is doing!
Photo credit: @jason_armond
Photo credit: @nicolevisions
Catching a wave looks like a lot of fun, probably cuz it is! But we know the work our collective is doing to make surf more accessible to women who’ve historically been excluded from surf culture is a lot more than just a “fun” thing to do. It’s changing lives. And it’s work that we can’t do without support.
Your support goes directly to the ongoing operating costs of our community programming.
You can support the work of Intrsxtn Surf as we step into our 4th season of community programming by visiting intrsxtnsurf.com/support-us Thank you so much!!
