Black History Month Film Screening & Panel Discussion: Wade in the Water: A Journey into Black Surfing and Aquatic Culture (2023)

Celebrate Black History Month with a screening of Wade in the Water (63 min.), a deep dive into the history of Black surfing. Braiding historical accounts with modern-day testimonials, the film dismantles the racial barriers of conventional surf culture, delves into the overlooked history of Black surfing's legacy, and honors its current movement. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with the film’s Director, David Mesfin; Sharon Schaffer, the first Black Pro Surfer; Greg Rachal of the Black Surfers Collective; Cristyne Lawson, fourth generation Black Santa Monica resident whose family moved to Santa Monica in 1908, and Historian Alison R. Jefferson.