Building a community of Rainbow Warriors to advocate for inclusion and diversity in the outdoors

Hakuna Wear's thoughts and actions to increase diversity and inclusion in the water and the outdoors

For many this week, we joined paddle outs, protests, and donated in honor of the Black Lives Matter Movement. It was very inspiring to watch the support across the world and the surf community showing their support, but we also know the work doesn’t end after the paddle out.

At Hakuna Wear, we started our journey advocating for diversity in the line up. Surfing is one of the more conservative sports we’ve been a part of, from the low numbers of women and people of color in the water to the lack of openly gay pro-surfers. We believe the surf community needs a splash of rainbow.

"Our mission is to create a safe place through swimwear that advocates for an increase in diversity and builds a community of Rainbow Warriors, those who want to fight for that diversity. We named one of our collections, the Rainbow Warrior Collection with that thought in mind."

When COVID hit, we advocated for being a warrior in your community by wearing a face mask we call Aloha Protectors. But now we are calling on all of our Rainbow Warriors to take a stand and do your part for Black Lives Matter and beyond. 

Diversifying the line up

To increase diversity we need a culture of inclusion. Instead of seeing every new surfer out there as a potential competitor for waves, see them as a possible new surf sister or brother. Help teach someone not normally represented to surf. Volunteer in organizations that advocate for diversity in the outdoors. There are many organizations to join, advocate for, donate to, or volunteer for. 

Organizations committed to diversity and inclusion in the outdoors

Here are just a few advocating for equal representation in the line-up: Urban Surf for Kids, Textured Waves, Brown Girl Surf, Groundswell Community Project, and Black Girls Surf. 

and in the outdoor community in general:

Brown Girls Climb, Diversify Outdoors, Natives Outdoors, Pattie Gonia, Native Women's Wilderness, Outdoors for All, Color Outside, Brown People Camping, Fat Girls Hiking, Queer Nature, Indigenous Women Hike,  Outdoor Outreach, and Melanin Basecamp.

If you know of any others, please reach out so we can add them to the list.

Hakuna Wear fights for a culture of inclusion

Come surf with us every Friday

As part of doing our part, we will continue to host Coffee by the Sea, our take on building a community. We offer free coffee from 6:30-8 am at Cardiff by the Sea and any voluntary donations will be going to the NAACP until the end of the summer. Keep paddling out with us to fight for diversity and inclusion. If you are hesitant to join because you aren't quite comfortable at the break or in the water, just contact us and we will pair you up with someone who can support you. Read more about how we give back.

Matching discounts with donations

We will also be matching any discount used in July to the NAACP. That means if you get 10$ off, we will donate 10$ to the NAACP. We will tally all our donations up at the end of the summer and we thank you in advance for your contribution. To get started, use code RAINBOWWARRIOR10 for 10% off. Check out the Rainbow Warrior Collection.

This is what it means to be a Rainbow Warrior, join our team and fight for what is right.

Check out our other blog posts on community, being free to be you, and giving back.