Meet the Co-Founder: How Steph Found Surf
Stephanie's Surf Path
What's your story? Could you share a bit about your background and what drew you to the ocean?
My name is Stephanie Doshier. I am the Co-founder of Waves of Color. I grew up in northern California and we would spend summers at the coast. My grandma would get a campsite for the entire summer and we would just campout all summer. That's where my love for the ocean started. I would swim for hours every day in the ocean. No wetsuit! I don’t even know how that’s possible now.
Finding Surfing
How did you first get into surfing? What was it that sparked your love for the sport?
I rented a boogie board once long before I ever surfed. I caught a wave and was just like, "Yes! This is it." But surfing wasn't very accessible back then in Oregon, especially for a broke college student, so I kinda forgot about it for a long time. I first went surfing in 2021 when I went to visit my family in Kauai and I was just hooked. When I came home I started looking for surf clubs to join and found a great community of women and BIPOC surfers.
What challenges have you overcome in surfing? How did you work through those experiences?
I’m still new to surfing so I have a bit of imposter syndrome sometimes. I think a lot of women have the same tendency to not want to be in the way and to shrink yourself down a little. But I try to remind myself that having fun and being in a supportive community is what's important to me in surfing. Getting out in the waves been good practice to be bold and confident and I love sharing that with other women.
Connection to the Ocean
What keeps you drawn to the ocean? What does surfing mean to you on a deeper level?
The ocean just draws me in. I like to think it’s in my DNA being filipina. For me, surfing is a practice in working with the nature of life. If you fight the flow it just makes it harder.
Standing on the beach is like being on top of a mountain and looking out over everything and thinking of everything that lives there and who lives beyond the point you can see. It’s hypnotic. It reminds me how small we are in this big web of life and that I’m part of it all.
Giving Back to the Community
What is your role at Waves of Color?
I am Waves of Color's Co-Founder and Creative Director. My role is to support the creative direction, marketing, content creation, and product design for Waves of Color. I recently made a career change from graphic design to media production and I'm excited for some all the creative storytelling we will be doing.
How do you stay connected with your surf community?
I try to make as many Oregon surf meetups as I can in the summer. It’s special to be in the water with your friends. I see more surf trips an retreats in the future to be able to dedicate more time and grow in my own surf journey.
The Ripple Effect
Why is doing this type of work and running a surf organization important to you?
During Covid I developed a lot of anxiety and burnout and felt that I was living a life that wasn't aligning with my love of the outdoors. I got a certificate in Wilderness Leadership and Education and joined a few women's adventure groups so I could continue to improve. Finding community with other women and having a way to keep training led me to working as an outdoor guide. While outdoor recreation is still a male dominated industry, I've been lucky to find great women mentors. With Waves of Color, I hope that I can be part in training and supporting more women of color to become leaders.
