Rowing, Diversity, Inclusion and Racism

[okayrower]

The protests and social unrest in the wake of the killing of George Floyd has sparked plenty of conversations about racism in the United States. The changes that are occurring are long overdue, and there's still a long way to go. Our sport has long struggled with diversity, and the reasons why rowing continues to be a white, middle to upper-middle class sport are many and varied.

I believe most rowing clubs and teams are welcoming to people of color, and our sport has become more diverse. However, the changes have been slow and incremental.

What can be done? Action and decisions with consequences are different that being tolerant or welcoming.


Personally, I don't think it will be a good look for USRowing to be hosting events in Bethel, OH in the near future.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nat ... 207842001/

I recall driving through town and seeing plenty of Confederate flags over the years.

[fatsculler]

Statement from the Stewards of Henley Royal Regatta
https://www.hrr.co.uk/henley-royal-regatta-statement

The Committee of Management recognises that following the appalling death of George Floyd, the events of recent weeks have been pivotal in highlighting the issue of racial injustice across the world. We recognise that rowing is seen as a predominantly white and privileged sport, especially in its leadership, and we believe that we all have a part to play in addressing racism and inequality as individuals, as communities and as organisations. We unequivocally condemn racism in sport and in society.

Whilst growing diversity and inclusion of participation in rowing can only be achieved through the efforts of many organisations in the sport, we recognise that HRR has an important role to play. The Committee of Management and the Trustees of the HRR Charitable Trust have therefore been actively and carefully considering how to act with positive, substantive effect.

For a number of years, the HRR Charitable Trust has funded a range of programmes dedicated to enabling young people from a diversity of backgrounds to take up the sport about which we are so passionate. This work creates opportunities for young people to experience the benefits of our sport through a range of coaching, inclusion, life skills and health programmes.

Nonetheless, we recognise that we can do more to address issues of diversity and inclusion. Over the coming months, the HRR Charitable Trust will work to expand our Youth Rowing programme, which focuses on creating opportunities for young people from under-privileged backgrounds, and currently operates in London, Warrington and Liverpool.

Specifically, the Trust will also seek opportunities to provide its support to initiatives and programmes which actively enable greater access to the sport for people of a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background.

It will take time for the sport to become more diverse and inclusive, but through our work with the Trust, we are committed to supporting the long-term pursuit of equality of opportunity to participate in rowing. In the meantime, we stand together with the rowing community in the campaign against racial inequality and racism.

[rowing]

I was wondering when this discussion would carry over to the boards. The silence was deafening.

I believe most rowing clubs and teams are welcoming to people of color,

Being welcoming is one thing. I can welcome a POC into the boathouse. But making them feel as comfortable as possible and inviting them to make it their boathouse too is the key.

Our sport has long struggled with diversity, and the reasons why rowing continues to be a white, middle to upper-middle class sport are many and varied.

Not really. It's mostly about income inequality and the racist policies that allow it to continue.

What can be done? Action and decisions with consequences are different that being tolerant or welcoming.

Amen. It starts with the make-up of our NGB's and BOD's and coaching staff's. There are plenty of capable POCs that are not even considered for those opportunities.

[rowing]

Nonetheless, we recognise that we can do more to address issues of diversity and inclusion. Over the coming months, the HRR Charitable Trust will work to expand our Youth Rowing programme, which focuses on creating opportunities for young people from under-privileged backgrounds, and currently operates in London, Warrington and Liverpool.

Specifically, the Trust will also seek opportunities to provide its support to initiatives and programmes which actively enable greater access to the sport for people of a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background.

It will take time for the sport to become more diverse and inclusive, but through our work with the Trust, we are committed to supporting the long-term pursuit of equality of opportunity to participate in rowing. In the meantime, we stand together with the rowing community in the campaign against racial inequality and racism.

Sound's like business as usual HRR

[fullmetal]

I've been pretty vocal on my social media accounts, but to be honest, I did not expect that this forum would be a high ROI for any awareness or activism. It's an apt for rowing as a whole, honestly, where none of us are necessarily overtly racist in person, but we participate in a sport that has many barriers to entry effectively precluding BIPOC participation.

I found the USRowing interim CEO statement to be pretty lukewarm and tone deaf, and everything from USRowing since has been damage control. Still waiting to see something meaningful, but I'm not going to hold them to it as they've not proven themselves effective at generating meaningful change (somewhat due to the lack of centralized control in the sport of rowing, fair).

Change, it seems, must come from within (individuals and clubs).

[lt.wolf]

SEC COMMISSIONER GREG Sankey threatened to not host any future conference championship events in Mississippi until the state changes its flag.
Mississippi is the only state that still has the Confederate symbol -- a blue cross with the 13 stars -- on its flag.
"It is past time for change to be made to the flag of the State of Mississippi," Sankey said in a statement. "Our students deserve an opportunity to learn and compete in environments that are inclusive and welcoming to all.

[rowingpun]

Kind of an empty threat from the SEC. Not a single championship was held in Miss. this past year. Ole Miss does have outdoor track next year, though. They'll never get a football or basketball championship so its not like the state is really losing out.

[okayrower]

SEC COMMISSIONER GREG Sankey threatened to not host any future conference championship events in Mississippi until the state changes its flag.
Mississippi is the only state that still has the Confederate symbol -- a blue cross with the 13 stars -- on its flag.
"It is past time for change to be made to the flag of the State of Mississippi," Sankey said in a statement. "Our students deserve an opportunity to learn and compete in environments that are inclusive and welcoming to all.

Is this in reference to USRowing no longer holding events in Bethel, OH?

[lt.wolf]

Just a reference that things are changing .

[fullmetal]

Well, they moved nationals from Harsha to Camden before even the pandemic, iirc. But the question of returning to Harsha in the future is surely in doubt now.

[fullmetal]

How many of us were on the USRowing + RowingInColor diversity zoom call Friday evening?

[rowing]

I was on that call. That was one of the most powerful discussions about race and racism in the sport that I’ve seen.

[Cowbells123]

I was on that call. That was one of the most powerful discussions about race and racism in the sport that I’ve seen.

For those of us not privy, was there any spotlight on programs that are making strides into accessibility? Some junior programs have in the past (Oakland Strokes, RowNY) what are the others? Any collegiate?

[fullmetal]

This was more of a grassroots panel than anything. No current USRowing board members were on the panel (not sure if any were invited, given the topic of the panel, which was to discuss the experiences of those who have lived racial inequality in rowing). No particular clubs were given a spotlight other than the clubs represented by the panelists -- notable clubs I remember were DC Strokes and Philadelphia City Rowing.

From the panelists' perspective, the best diversity/outreach initiatives seemed to be exactly what rowing recruiting normally consists of -- except without the assumed-white culture filter. What does this mean in relation to the question you posed?

(My takeaways)

1. Stop looking for the culture fit, and start looking for the culture add.
When you think of the culture fit concept, you're really trying to see if a recruit or team member fits within the established team culture. This is always going to be pretty much white culture (whether we realize it or not, that is the truth of rowing). It's up to the coaches to lead the way and make room for culture add (or expansion, in my words). An example was given of a junior women's team where team hats were the norm, but a black rower's hair was too big for the hat. Apparently a visor was not a solution...and this became one of those things that just got in the way.

2. Minority attrition may not be what it seems.
If you're recruiting minority rowers but not retaining them, you might see reasons for leaving along the lines of other sport commitments, burn out, academics, or lack of interest. While some of those may be real contributing factors, there is a real possibility that the actual motivation for leaving is exclusionary team culture, and if you're a white coach, you'll never hear this from a minority rower because they just won't want to explain it to you. Earn their trust, stand up and put an end to any and all microaggressions or racially-tinted conversation in your control, and create a culture within which minorities can feel comfortable. You can invite minorities into the boathouse, but if they never feel comfortable inside, they'll leave. Coaches have the power to enable that comfort (lean on team leadership, set the example, set the tone and expectation of team culture).

3. Be equal opportunity in your acts of kindness.
The examples of Michael Oher in The Blind Side and Joe Rantz in The Boys in the Boat were given -- both students who were offered extraordinary chances to succeed despite coming from disadvantaged circumstances. In both cases, they were aided by people around them going above and beyond to help them succeed in sport. The question was posed in the panel: what can we do to give minority rowers a little bit of help to stay in the game? Rides to and from practice or school? Snacks? Equipment (gear, water bottles, tape, etc)? (These may all be things to which they don't have access and that they may be embarrassed talking about with anyone.) Give them chances to feel supported in their journey to rowing success.

4. Make the boathouse feel like home.
The question was posed: "Is the boathouse my home?" It's a good standard by which to judge whether your club has a racially-positive environment. That might mean installing board members or directors of color in leadership positions, or at the very least, encouraging them to run for those positions in your club. Maybe it means actively looking for non-white coaches and making sure your organizational by-laws include diversity/inclusion as goals. It might also mean updating your club website or social media presence to actively include photos of BIPOC clubs members.

I don't remember more off the top of my head, but the zoom recording link should be available at some point (I haven't seen one yet). I figure if your club can meet the above four standards, you're in a better place than 90% of rowing clubs. Certainly I don't think my club(s) meet that standard...

[Cowbells123]

This was more of a grassroots panel than anything. No current USRowing board members were on the panel (not sure if any were invited, given the topic of the panel, which was to discuss the experiences of those who have lived racial inequality in rowing). No particular clubs were given a spotlight other than the clubs represented by the panelists -- notable clubs I remember were DC Strokes and Philadelphia City Rowing.

From the panelists' perspective, the best diversity/outreach initiatives seemed to be exactly what rowing recruiting normally consists of -- except without the assumed-white culture filter. What does this mean in relation to the question you posed?

(My takeaways)

1. Stop looking for the culture fit, and start looking for the culture add.
When you think of the culture fit concept, you're really trying to see if a recruit or team member fits within the established team culture. This is always going to be pretty much white culture (whether we realize it or not, that is the truth of rowing). It's up to the coaches to lead the way and make room for culture add (or expansion, in my words). An example was given of a junior women's team where team hats were the norm, but a black rower's hair was too big for the hat. Apparently a visor was not a solution...and this became one of those things that just got in the way.

2. Minority attrition may not be what it seems.
If you're recruiting minority rowers but not retaining them, you might see reasons for leaving along the lines of other sport commitments, burn out, academics, or lack of interest. While some of those may be real contributing factors, there is a real possibility that the actual motivation for leaving is exclusionary team culture, and if you're a white coach, you'll never hear this from a minority rower because they just won't want to explain it to you. Earn their trust, stand up and put an end to any and all microaggressions or racially-tinted conversation in your control, and create a culture within which minorities can feel comfortable. You can invite minorities into the boathouse, but if they never feel comfortable inside, they'll leave. Coaches have the power to enable that comfort (lean on team leadership, set the example, set the tone and expectation of team culture).

3. Be equal opportunity in your acts of kindness.
The examples of Michael Oher in The Blind Side and Joe Rantz in The Boys in the Boat were given -- both students who were offered extraordinary chances to succeed despite coming from disadvantaged circumstances. In both cases, they were aided by people around them going above and beyond to help them succeed in sport. The question was posed in the panel: what can we do to give minority rowers a little bit of help to stay in the game? Rides to and from practice or school? Snacks? Equipment (gear, water bottles, tape, etc)? (These may all be things to which they don't have access and that they may be embarrassed talking about with anyone.) Give them chances to feel supported in their journey to rowing success.

4. Make the boathouse feel like home.
The question was posed: "Is the boathouse my home?" It's a good standard by which to judge whether your club has a racially-positive environment. That might mean installing board members or directors of color in leadership positions, or at the very least, encouraging them to run for those positions in your club. Maybe it means actively looking for non-white coaches and making sure your organizational by-laws include diversity/inclusion as goals. It might also mean updating your club website or social media presence to actively include photos of BIPOC clubs members.

I don't remember more off the top of my head, but the zoom recording link should be available at some point (I haven't seen one yet). I figure if your club can meet the above four standards, you're in a better place than 90% of rowing clubs. Certainly I don't think my club(s) meet that standard...

Wonderful update. Thank you! Those are all certainly good starting points. Rowing has a long way to go but such important work.
I would assume a scholarship/FA aspect is also crucial.