Geraldine Duque learned to ski on Saturday at Cranmore Mountain Resort in Conway. Originally from Manizales, Colombia, she had never ventured into skiing before. She said she enjoyed the opportunity to enjoy an environment that's different from what she grew up with.
“In any part of the world, there are people looking for ways to connect with nature and have fun, because that’s what it’s there for,” she said in Spanish.
Duque participated in the final session of the season for SoulSlide, a program created by Ruth Castillo of Latino Outdoors and Mardi Fuller of Outdoor Afro. Now in its second year, organizers say these programs provide an opportunity for people from Latino and Black communities to learn winter sports in a welcoming atmosphere and at a more affordable price.
“It's just so important to have something to do in winter that brings me joy and gets me through the short days and the cold,” Fuller said. “It really is meaningful for us to bring people out to have fun and have some joy in their lives in these dark times.”
About 90% of people who participated in downhill winter sports last season were white, according to data from the National Ski Areas Association. By comparison, 5% of participants were Latino and 1% were Black.
Castillo said that part of this imbalance stems from high costs, no childhood lessons, and physical distance from ski sports. She said the work of volunteers and sponsors like Arc'teryx and Cranmore is essential for continuing the program and providing full scholarships.
“We really wanted to create an opportunity for people to come out that was low cost,” Castillo said. “The gear is expensive. Lift tickets are expensive—and the cost is just really high, on top of just our communities being historically excluded from sports like this.”
Participant Devon Cunningham, of Dover, said he had a great time even if he took a few tumbles.
“It feels great coming down—until you move a little too fast and you can't stop,” he said, laughing. “Am I going to go again? Of course. Am I afraid? Maybe. But I definitely want to keep on going, though.”
Throughout the year, Latino Outdoors and Outdoor Afro host various other programs, including hiking, bouldering, and film screenings.
