CREATING OPPORTUNITIES & ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL PADDLERS

OUR MISSION

The mission of Diversify Whitewater (DW) is to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in paddle sports by holding free community paddling events.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CO-FOUNDER

The barriers to entering the paddlesports community are both material and cultural – such as access to equipment and instruction, and a lack of representation and mentorship for formerly marginalized communities.

DW funds opportunities that uplift Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in wild and scenic spaces, on waterways, and within the paddlesports community to mitigate these barriers. We create a safe and welcoming environment for participants to try something new close to home. All of our programs are free for participants and include access to boats, gear, and paddling instruction.

We deliver on this mission by supporting the following:

Paddling events hosted by DW and partner organizations

Scholarships for organizations holding mission-aligned programming

Multi-day paddling skills progression programs

Our no-cost paddling events include two different event models: Community River Paddles, which share the beauty of whitewater with participants during a guided river trip, and Paddling Skills Days, which teach participants skills to paddle and navigate different types of boats on flat or beginner moving water, empowering participants to continue paddling on their own. See our Events page for more information!

Our ultimate goal is to build a cohort of BIPOC and ally boaters who can pass on their skills to the next generation and increase representation in the paddlesports community. We prioritize educating our participants and volunteers on responsible and sustainable practices in the outdoors, including acknowledging and respecting Indigenous land. Lastly, we work to share resources and experiences on addressing and increasing DEI both on and off the water.