Black Girls Surf - Episode 33

Host: Rekaya Gibson

Sponsored by: Cuisine Noir Magazine - a food, wine, and travel magazine for African Americans

Special Guest: Rhonda Harper, Owner of Black Girls Surf

Black Girls Surf is an empowerment and development surf camp for black girls wanting to pursue professional surfing. Listen to learn more about the organization and Ms. Harper.

Website: http://blackgirlssurf.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackGirlsSurf/

About Rhonda Harper

A surfer girl named “Sistah Queen Xtreme”, aka Rhonda R. Harper, is an outspoken, overly opinionated Kansas City, Kansas transplant whose first view of the ocean came when her family relocated to San Jose, California. She moved to Hawaii’s North Shore at age 15 where she grabbed her first chance at surfing one day at the Turtle Bay Hilton during a filming of Magnum P.I. The first ride was not as magical as most would think, but it fueled her passion for the sport. 

In 2005, she started Inkwell Surf & Sk8 Club, an inner city after-school program specializing in action sports, academics and community service. As part of community service, she partnered with environmental companies for beach clean ups and surf camps. Through her volunteer efforts it propelled her to inquire on a position within the executive committee of one of her sponsors, South Bay Surfrider Foundation located in Southern California. She worked tirelessly as meeting coordinator, volunteer and youth educator.

Writing was always a passion, but sport writing was a fluke. After sending the now infamous Nicolas Gabaldon plaque press release to Black Athlete Sports Network (BASN) – a return email came with a surprise offer–sports writer position. Harper began immediately contacting black action sport associations and sponsoring companies around the world requesting they send their press releases directly to BASN. Soon, the company offered her the position of Managing Editor of the X-sports division. She was also the host of “Xtreme Factor” the radio version of her column on BASN to BASN‘s new radio station. Colleagues dubbed her “Sistah Queen Xtreme” for her passionate-politically charged campaign- to educate African Americans and others worldwide on the exciting world of action sports.

Rhonda has participated in the Project Save Our Surf: Surf24 event in Huntington Beach, CA. She served as the official Surf24 MC, commentating heats alongside of surf legends, Shaun Tomson and Peter “PT” Townend with a crowd total of 5,000+.

In her quest for more exposure of Black surfers, she started Black Girls Surf which has become one of the most inspirational campaigns under the Inkwell brand. BGS is a surf development camp for Black girls with dreams of professional surfing. She has enlisted the top coaches, trainers and athletes for this exciting endeavor.

November 2017, Inkwell Lifestyle Brand is set to sponsor the first African Invitational Surfing contest on the shores of Sierra Leone’s at Bureh Beach.  This will hopefully bring about a change in the surfing community.

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