BREAKING BARRIERS — Women Who Sail

Alt text: Amali, a woman of color, standing by a Tall Ship with hands by mouth calling out to others. — Why we don’t have more BIPOC in sailing and how to support facilitating more diversity in the sport.

By Amali Knobloch

We all remember the first day of school or camp, the first time at a new gym or new club. We cast our most critical eye on ourselves, projecting our insecurities onto those around us, imagining they can see our perceived flaws as well as we can. As we mature, we are further mortified that our own inner voice would lie and shame us for characteristics that we perceived to separate us from “the pack.” Usually, at some point in our experience, we are able to lock eyes with a set of kind eyes across the room, field, or on the dock.

But Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) often never find that pair of eyes, even in adulthood. We have to navigate the unfamiliar waters to find wisps of commonality between us. And we almost always have to initiate that connection, because if we stay quiet and keep to ourselves in our discomfort, we are criticized, marked as antisocial and rude. As a result, if you sail alongside us, know that we are working – in ways great and small – to make it possible for you to truly see us.

One of the problems that persists in the sailing community, much like the rest of the country, is the failure to fully embrace BIPOC as true members of our communities. It is not enough for us to recognize that problems of societal inequality exist or to feel sad for those who are marginalized. If our community is to become truly inclusive, it will require a personal recognition and affirmative engagement with the humanity of those who are unfamiliar to us. It is not enough to not be racist, we must be anti-racist, and that requires action. We must not seek to erase our differences and rely on exceptionalism, the perception or belief that the advancements of one or a few are reflective of their inherent difference from the rest of the population. We must embrace and use our collective experiences to lift each other up.

Alt text: Amali, a woman of color, sits at a table on a tall ship, teaching a diverse group of children. A nautical map is on the salon table. One child is raising their hand and one child sits next to the table on a stool. — “We must embrace and use our collective experiences to lift each other up.”

I came to the National Women’s Sailing Association (NWSA) this past November to advise on the AdventureSail program, first started by Doris Colgate in 1996. In that time, I have gotten to know this wonderful group of women leaders, who have done so much in their own right to set an example and bang open doors for those behind them--girls like me. Fortunately, they recognize the areas in which they want NWSA to be better and are committed to taking the steps to rectify many of the issues still facing us.

I work actively within the Education Department of the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, as we finalize our transition from in-person, onboard programming, to a virtual Clearwater Connects program. We have had to think critically about access and how the pandemic has restricted it for our most vulnerable members. We are asking how we can use this moment to open up the experience of sailing and the ecology of the Hudson Valley to learners in communities around the country. We must work to break down the barriers that block young people around the country from the water.

As a member of the Board of Directors and the AdventureSail Committee, I plan to bring my personal and professional experiences to AdventureSail as we plan for next year’s program. I am especially excited to work on this program as NWSA establishes partnerships to grow AdventureSail exponentially. We plan on bringing young women nationwide -- specifically those without an opportunity to sail-- on vessels to foster sisterhood, for sail education, and leadership training.

I am also excited to share that I am a part of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee at Tall Ships America. They’ve begun reaching out through members to the wider maritime world to create partnership approaches for increasing attention and taking action that will create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive maritime industry. Founded on the belief that the tall ships and sail training carry messages of hope, cultural exchange, learning life skills and leadership to the world, Tall Ships America recognizes that they have fallen short in the commitment to preserving a maritime heritage that is not a solely white heritage. Specifically, our intention is to begin with what we do best-- support and promote our members who diligently work to create a more diverse and representative workforce, governance structure and educational platform.

The questions around diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in sailing seem to fall along the same themes:
1. How and where do we even find people of color?
2. When we do, how do we talk to them?

It is easy to cast a critical eye on institutions but evaluating what changes you need to make in your personal lives is long overdue. The reasons why there aren’t any BIPOC in your workplaces and social clubs have as much to do with the individual members that make them up as the leaders at the top. Exceptionalism is not the answer and diversity does not mean finding one person of color to absolve you from your own biases.

Each of us need to feel personally responsible for breaking down the barriers that exist between us. We’ve all heard the phrase that it takes a village to raise a child. We often think of that village as made up by parents, siblings, aunts, and uncles if we have them, and maybe a trusted neighbor. What we fail to realize is that the village includes all of us, collectively.

We have an unbelievable opportunity across the sailing world to take advantage of this moment. Facing down the problems in sailing, you and I have something we can work on together.

From Women Who Sail Newsletter | Issue 1. | August 2020.

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Alt text: Picture of Amali Knobloch, a woman of color, on a Roving River bike with an amazing shark helmet. — Amali Knobloch

Amali Knobloch is the Sail Logistics Coordinator at the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater and has worked as an educator, facilitating both day and multi-day environmental education programs at various organizations. Amali prioritizes engaging the community on the intersection of representation, equity, and inclusion in all her endeavors. She serves on the board of the National Women's Sailing Association *and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for Tall Ships America.*