Earlier this month, Sea Trek and Outdoor Afro joined hands to deliver an ACA Leadership, Exploration, and Development (LEAD) program in Alameda and Sausalito, California as one of Outdoor Afro’s annual Capstone opportunities for its volunteer leaders. ACA’s LEAD initiative was established in 2022 as a transformative program specifically crafted to empower and uplift individuals of color by providing them with the necessary training, education, and skill development to make a positive impact in their local communities through paddlesports. Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit that inspires and connects Black leaders in nature.
This collaborative event wasn’t just about strokes, rescues, and navigation — it was about resourcing leaders who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, and inspiring others to safely and confidently experience the water. The training was supported by ACA’s Equity and Access Fund, which is dedicated to expanding paddlesports access and opportunity. As Kelsey noted, “While ACA invested funds to help make this course possible, the real investment is in the people, and in the future of paddlesports leadership.”
ACA Instructor & Leader Trainer Laura Zulliger facilitated the program alongside instructors Dierdre Dixon and Dana Dacus-Hare, and shared how powerful it was to see leaders come together in spaces that felt both challenging and affirming: “Representation matters. When participants see leaders who look like them, it sends a message: you belong here, your leadership is valued, and your presence changes the culture of the outdoors.”
The course participants, Volunteer Leaders at Outdoor Afro, engaged in intensive on-water training, risk management, and group leadership development under the framework of ACA’s new Community Paddlesports Leader (CPL) certification pathway. The CPL designation emphasizes safe, community-based leadership rather than formal instruction and technical skill demonstration. As Kelsey shared, “Not everyone wants to become an instructor, but many people want to lead groups, share paddling experiences, and create a safe environment on the water. The CPL program gives them that recognition.”
DD Johnice, Chief Program & Innovation Officer of Outdoor Afro highlighted how the Leader Pathway program aligns with Outdoor Afro’s mission: “Outdoor Afro’s Volunteer Leaders are already community leaders and trusted voices who lead nearly 1500 outdoor trips for thousands of people in over 60 markets across the US. We provide expertise, a sense of community and belonging, and of course, the service of planning and organizing the events and removing any barriers to access to nature. Our annual Capstone events provide opportunities for Volunteer Leaders to expand their skill sets and get inspired to create a greater variety of trips in order to reach a greater number of people and communities. The CPL program is a good match for us— opening the door to continued growth if they want to advance further in ACA’s pathway.”
Together, ACA, Sea Trek, and Outdoor Afro see CPL as both a bridge and a launching pad that provides immediate skills and recognition for community leaders, while also kickstarting the process for advancement into other leadership and mentorship roles. The Capstone experience affirmed that leadership in paddlesports is not just about technical skill — it’s about the confidence to guide others and the commitment to open doors for future paddlers.
The ACA Leader Pathway program underscores that leadership in paddlesports should be inclusive, adaptable, and rooted in community and that programs like LEAD are vital tools to make this vision real.
Together, ACA and partner organizations such as Sea Trek and Outdoor Afro are modeling what it looks like to build real pathways into leadership for historically underrepresented groups. This partnership demonstrates that with intentional support — from funding, to mentorship, to recognition — we can create a paddlesports community where everyone has the opportunity to lead, to grow, and to thrive.
As Laura summarized: “This course wasn’t the end point. It’s the beginning. Each new leader will ripple out to influence their community, inspire new paddlers, and grow a more inclusive paddling culture.”
Earlier this month another LEAD program was hosted at North Park Lake in Pittsburgh, PA in partnership with Venture Outdoors. ACA Instructor Trainer Trey Rouss worked with leaders from Venture Outdoors’ 2024 LEAD program to deliver the new Community Paddlesports Leader curriculum to a new cohort of BIPOC students. Participants from this event applauded the sense of community and support from the cohort and the instructors. According to one participant, a highlight of this program was performing rescues in a controlled environment which helped improve their confidence and comfort on the water.
