Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanya Walker.
Hi Tanya, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Hello, I’m a native Austinite and the mother of two adult sons. The City of Austin is my full-time employer and I am an IT Analyst Sr. In addition to my regular work hours. In 2018, I founded and created Black Women Who Kayak+.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I use my business platform to educate, empower, give access, breakdown barriers and defy the myths of what people of color will and will not do. By placing us in spaces, that you typically don’t see people of color in. In my youth, I loved being outside, but I didn’t appreciate it until I was an adult. The availability of nature and sports for people of color was very limited for many reasons. The first thing that changed everything for me was attending a Christian youth organization called Young Life and meeting a youth leader named Christie Harris. I was plucked from my preconceived box based on myths and stereotypes about what people of color are capable of and financial constraints due to my single mother’s finances. Christie exposed me to an environment I had only seen on television and dreamed would one day be mine to experience. Because Christie introduced me to green spaces and several activities, I became hooked and continued exploring and appreciating the benefits of being in these spaces. Much of what’s today with the BWWK+ members. It was a domino effect for me as well, I exposed my kids to everything that I appreciated and enjoyed. I would include them in every activity that I took part in. Cliff diving, kayaking, SUPing (before it became popular in Austin), rock climbing, etc. It was never my intention to put up a barrier that you must be a certain race to be able to enjoy these things.
Many years later, in 2018, I started Black Women Who Kayak+ with the aspiration of getting more women who look like me to join me kayaking. So, I started a Facebook group and started organizing kayaking events. In the beginning, however, I had trouble getting people of color to join me in something you rarely seen them doing. Several events had passed with only one lady showing up. Feeling disheartened, I got to a point where I was ready to give up and shut down, but this dedicated member encouraged me to preserve. The lady, Tawanda, told me not to, and I’m glad I listened to her. It soon became apparent, however, that this is my passion and my purpose. Because it never escaped my attention that I was always the only person of color when I was doing other activities I loved. My decision to use the Black Women Who Kayak+ platform was prompted by the need to try and dismantle the deep-rooted barriers rooted in what people of color will and won’t do when it comes to particular activities. Apart from breaking down those barriers, I also had to make sure that the business I partnered with aligned with BWWK+’s mission and purpose. It was essential to educate business owners on the benefits of diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) in their establishments so that all people of color can engage in green space activities as well as other sports.
As of 2019, Black Women Who Kayak+ is a chapter organization and has partnered with several national and international companies. As a result of the (+) sign in our business name, nothing is impossible. Among our events are kayaking, cave exploration, rock climbing, rowing, cycling, longboarding, and more. The main thing that sets our group apart is that our events are more than just events. In addition to introducing, educating, breaking down barriers, and debunking myths, we believe every event should be an open invitation to discover more and hold space in that sport or activity. In doing so, we offer scholarships for single parents who want to pursue their newfound interests but cannot afford them. I know as a product of my community that in order for a mother to get her kids involved, she has to feel that the space is safe and she has to feel comfortable in doing it. Black Women Who Kayak+ is assisting in providing that.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
While I was growing up, I would see commercials with only one race featuring families participating in outdoor activities and because I never saw people of color doing those things on TV, I didn’t see myself doing them either. Since then, things have changed a lot. Although I strongly believe that this is my purpose, I didn’t expect it to be easy and it’s not. However, it’s very rewarding. But, we’re fighting against what is deeply ingrained in my existence, as well as almost every other person of color. Even today, some of our major recreational business displays only one race, camping or skiing, etc., in its marketing. So, I decided to share my story, my struggles to encourage members that they weren’t alone and that together, we can face our fears for the unknown outdoors and overcome them together. I also realized I had to gain the trust of people of color. As a people, we had been handed down myths and barriers often passed from one generation to the next, that inhibited us from truly experiencing unknown territory and being vulnerable to what lay ahead of the other side. Today, although it’s still a struggle for people of color trying to introduce something new to other people of color, BWWK+ continues to break down those barriers that are legitimately a concern. Black Women Who Kayak+ is creating safe spaces to our members in those green spaces and within all sports or outdoor activities. It’s imperative that all people of color are made to feel welcomed and have access to the world of the outdoors.
Some business leaders see how important it is to incorporate more diversity and inclusiveness in their spaces now. We are seeing more people of color and more groups such as mine who are holding space and challenging the stereotypes of what people of color can and cannot do. We still have a long way to go before we can truly make a dent in a much bigger problem. Black Women Who Kayak + doesn’t discriminate on who joins us in our adventures. We welcome everyone of color. But we do what everyone to know that people of color DO kayak, DO bike, DO hike, DO water events, DO spelunking, and most are naturals at it. I believe with more inclusive and diverse marketing from these brands and organizations, can be a great step in closing that gap. Another challenge that we’ve been actively addressing, is to provide access to all possibilities, while breaking down barriers for women of color, regardless of their socio-economic status. It’s my personal goal to ensure no women nor child are left behind if financial circumstances act as a barrier for allowing members and their families to partake in activities such as cave exploration (spelunking), rock climbing, kayaking, rowing, cycling, camping, fishing, longboarding, and more. That’s why we’ve created the Black Women Who Kayak+ Scholarship Fund. With the help of our partnership with Recreational Equipment Inc (REI), The British Swim School, The Texas Rowing Center and other outdoors organizations we’re able to make the challenges that we do face, surmountable.
How do you define success?
I feel my purpose in life was already aligned with the success of Black Women Who Kayak+ from the beginning. However, in addition to that, for me, Black Women Who Kayak+ has been successful when I see the face of several women who just learned how to swim for the very first time because we partnered with The British Swim School and we’re able to provide that opportunity to them. Success means seeing kids and their parents become members of the rowing community since we teamed up with the Texas Rowing Center. Success to me, is witnessing Black Women Who Kayak+ in other states and have women tell our BWWK+ Admins, “I wish we had started this sooner because they always wanted to hike, cycle, kayak, etc, without having to do it alone and with ladies who look like them.”. Success, to me, is having the support of other women who are interested in starting a BWWK+ chapter or assisting an existing chapter. Having the ability to serve is my purpose, but I couldn’t achieve it without the help of the business we’ve been blessed to partner with who saw the same need, and they helped make it happen – that’s success to me.
Contact Info:
- Email: bwwk-atx@bwwk.org
- Website: www.blackwomenwhokayak.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwomenwhokayak/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackwomenwhokayak
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPvjehUo8W4
