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• Mindful Surfing in Competition: "Everything happens the way it's going to happen." — Reid Van Wagoner
• Resilience in Sports: "Just kind of push yourself and get over those obstacles and not let them get you down too much. If you let them get you down, then you're not going to be able to improve or to push past those." — Reid Van Wagoner
• Inspirational Figures in Surfing: "I look up to basically all of them. I met most of them and they're all so sweet. I have a couple local surfers like Katie Simmers and all of them like the youngest, like surfers on tour right now. I like surf with them and I always looked up to them when I was a little girl and then now they're on like the WSL tour and I'm like, wow, like I could do that one day." — Reid Van Wagoner

• Follow us your host Laura Day: @confessionsofasurflady
• Follow The Surf Société: @surfsociete for surf lady tips from #thesurflab inside the membership
• Follow Reid on Instagram: @reid_v_dub
• Become a Member at The Surf Société at www.surfsociete.com

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Confessions of a Surf Lady is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy.

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Meet Lynn and Sunkat, Filipina american surfers who grew up in both the states and the islands of the Philippines. In 2008 they began to bring donated surfboards and equipment back to remote island destinations, where surfing was usually only done by foreigners passing through.

By donating recycled equipment to the local kids, and incentivizing them to pursue education, they've empowered locals to find ownership in the growing surf scene in the Philippines. Through their non-profit organization "Balik Bayod" meaning "Returning wave" they have been supporting filipinos with donated surfboards since 2008.

In this episode we'll explore the complexities and beauty of surfing in the Philippines, including the influence of foreigners and the importance of preserving local communities. As co-founders of Balik Bayod Returning Wave, Sunkat and Lynn share their stories of connecting with their Filipino heritage and empowering the local surf scene.

We'll discuss the challenges faced by the Filipino surfing community, like limited government support and the need to foster a thriving local surf economy. They underline the significance of supporting Filipino businesses globally and how doing so can reshape cultural perceptions, especially concerning the embodied experience of being dark-skinned within the outdoor community.

You're invited to join the conversation, contribute to sustainable surf practices, and even participate in equipment donations. This episode not only encapsulates the spirit of surfing but also the power of unity and cultural connections within our global community.

Main Themes:

• Inclusion in Surf Culture: [30:04] "I always feel like, as a Filipino American, we've been battling with inclusion in the surf community, but that's actually our home. So to be excluded from a sport that's in your home is kind of crazy, but to be someone that's going to come and bring the resources so local people can be a part of not even just the surfing and surf culture and create their own surf culture." — Laura Day
• Supporting Filipino Surfers Globally: [37:07] "I think, like, when you meet another filipino surfer, it's always exciting. And you know that we have traveled, you know, that we have intermingled with different cultures, but there's that happy bond that happens around surfing, I think, because it's all about getting stoked when you catch a wave and basically, yeah, that feeling of being part of a community like that and for sustainability." — Lynn
• Surfing Culture in the Philippines [46:49] : "My experience and I think Lynn's, is that the kids we surf with are like, clapping when we catch a wave. You know, I'm not a very good surfer, but I never really experienced that anywhere else. I think that's a special thing about Philippines, is kind of this sharing culture." — Sunkat

Resources:

• Follow us your host Laura Day: @confessionsofasurflady
• Follow The Surf Société: @surfsociete for surf lady tips from #thesurflab inside the membership
• Follow Returning Wave on Instagram: @returningwave
• Visit Returningwave.org

Support the Show.

Confessions of a Surf Lady is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy.

Try out a membership with your first 2 weeks FREE visit Surfsociete.com/join

Send us a Text Message.

Participate in The Surf Craft Series at The Surf Société. Join now and get your first month free. Create an Account here.

Have you ever walked into a surf shop and felt out of place? Traditionally there has been a major barrier to entry for women in surfing. This not only shows in the lineup but trickles all the way down to our experiences in surf shops. Many women report not feeling acknowledged or taken seriously and I believe that has discouraged women from branching out and learning more about surfcraft and surf history.

In this episode we're going to talk about how learning more about surfcraft can empower and enrich your personal surf journey and how our upcoming events at The Surf Société can give you the information and support you need to feel confident walking into any surf shop or meeting with any shaper to talk about your next surfboard.

Support the Show.

Confessions of a Surf Lady is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy.

Try out a membership with your first 2 weeks FREE visit Surfsociete.com/join