(funk music) My name is Edith.

I'm one of the organizers for Diversify Whitewater, and I'm hoping to help you guys have fun on the water today.

- Woo!

(cheering) - We're going to split you guys up into groups.

You guys are going to have your volunteer and your little pods.

They're going to teach you guys a little bit about whatever craft you choose.

We're going to play some games in those.

(clapping) I really hope that with the work that we're doing through Diversify Whitewater, that we can bring more BIPOC folk into the outdoor and paddling spaces.

You know, maybe they don't go into whitewater kayaking, but maybe they'll go on more hikes outdoors or experience the outdoors and just feel that community and that joy that comes with being outdoors.

And I'm hoping to have more BIPOC representation in the paddling community.

- Today I'm here at Lake Sammamish with Diversify Whitewater as part of a two day event.

Day one I learned the basics of how to whitewater kayak.

And day two, I put those skills to the test.

My guest is Edith Han, a community organizer and whitewater kayaker who uses the sport to help build confidence and help manage her anxiety.

- Try and make your way over how best you can.

And if you spin, the boats are made to spin, so that's okay.

- All right.

Trust me, the first time I was in a whitewater kayak, I kind of just spun in circles a lot.

- Yeah.

It is so strange.

- Let's say you want to turn around something.

Or let's say that you started turning and you're like, I don't want to turn so much.

We have something called, like, our sweep stroke.

Remember, you're leaning forward a little bit and then putting it further out here.

Yeah.

So keep your hand on the paddle and then you're going to kind of more like rotate around that.

- Uh huh.

So that'll give you a big spin.

Do you feel that?

- Yep.

- Yep.

- And then you can try it in the other direction too.

- Oops.

You're getting it.

You're like now I know how to spin in circles.

- I know, I was like I could do this.

- Ooo.

- Growing up with immigrant parents, I actually did not do much outdoor stuff.

But I did have an opportunity in middle school to attend, like one of those, like, outdoor camps for like, a week.

And, slept under the stars and was able to take some hikes.

And this was all in California.

I just started to fall in love with the big trees and the surrounding mountains and the silence that came with all of that.

I knew that there were people that were out there doing things, and just didn't really know where to begin or how to begin.

Being a female presenting person of color in the outdoors, I think there was definitely a level of imposter syndrome.

And just wondering if I belonged out there.

I think luckily in some of these spaces there was a lot of female representation, which was nice.

But I think that intersectionality of that and also being a person of color definitely felt a little bit awkward sometimes.

I have experienced a lot of different microaggressions in the outdoor spaces.

Not on purpose, obviously, but it still gives you that moment of like, do I do I belong here or like, this is this is really awkward, (laughs) basically.

So it is really important to have these affinity spaces for BIPOC folk in the outdoors.

So you don't have to always have that mask on or to, you know, always be on the lookout or wondering.

- So how did you go from that place of imposter syndrome to leading other people and encouraging other people to get outside?

- Even with that imposter syndrome, I still feel it even today.

I just remind myself that it is important to have these types of representation out there, and the only way for that to happen is for somebody who looks more like me to be leading these events.

- Hmm.

- And to bring people together.

(thoughtful music) - What is it about paddling sports that you love?

- You feel really connected to the world in some ways, to nature.

Feeling the movement of the waves and the tides and to me it's just another way to explore the outdoors.

You know, there's certain things that you can get by on foot, but there are just so many other things that is harder to to access and to reach.

And it's also just a very different view from land versus like on the water.

So for me, I think whitewater kayaking is a large part of not only just connecting with nature, more, but learning to not try and control everything so much because of the way that the water just moves and you just have to go with it.

It's a bit of a puzzle in some ways to have to break down, and it's also something for me to challenge myself.

- Yeah.

(cheers) - Welcome to day two of Diversify Whitewater weekend.

We are going down a stretch of the Snoqualmie River here today, starting in Fall City.

And then we're going to be paddling down a few miles, and we're going to have a couple of little rapids here and there.

So let's get you guys in your boats and we can start paddling down.

- Awesome.

- All right.

Woo!

(upbeat music) - What do I what does this mean if I tap my head twice?

- Are you okay.

- Are you okay.

- And how do you respond if you are okay?

Yes.

- (laughs) - Yes.

Calmly tapping your head twice.

- No.

(laughs) - Come on.

- We want to get at least once.

- No.

- All right.

We're heading up a rapid now.

Let's go.

Lean forward and paddle.

- Oh my goodness.

Okay.

Ah!

- Oh!

All right Alison.

Swim towards me, swim towards, swim towards.... It's okay.

Just swim towards us.

- Okay.

Okay.

(laughs) Well, I don't want to.

I didn't even realize how shallow it was.

My brain was like, it's over.

And then I was like, I can touch the ground.

(laughs) Like, oh, I'm going to drown.

(laughs) - In high risk situations means that you have to look out for each other, and be mindful and to, you know, have your head on a swivel and make sure that if anybody ends up in trouble, you know, that the people around you are going to be there to support you, whether it's to get your boat out of a rapid situation or to come paddle after you, if you swim.

- I definitely experienced that because when I went under, it was like everybody swarmed me in the best way, and I never felt unsafe.

I never felt like, alone, so.

(acoustic music) - Some of the most memorable moments are either involve me being out there and helping somebody through their fear, being able to celebrate their successes and just have that moment.

That struggle that you talked about still also comes with a lot of smiles and laughter.

And I think that's really key.

And so for me, as long as people are enjoying and having fun while also challenging themselves with something new, I think, I think that's wonderful.

I just love it so much.