Upcoming Events & Programs

Our events welcomes ALL WOMEN & non-binary people who are comfortable in a space centered on women's experiences. You must be 18 years or older to attend.

Please sign our 2026 Waiver Form and Photo & Video release here
*Form needs to be on file before attending events

Portland Chapter: Sat, Aug 22nd at 9am
Surf Meet-up at Short Sands hosted by Co-Founder, Steph & Events Lead, Mel
RSVP for Oregon Coast Meet-up

Portland Chapter: Thurs, Aug 27th at 6pm
Surf Chat & Social hosted by volunteer, Catie. Connect with local women surfers over the topic, "Overcoming fear in the water" at Up North Surf Club
RSVP for Surf Chat

San Diego Chapter: Fri, Aug 28th at 5:30pm Sunset Surf Session x In-Water Photography by @Velatura_Photography at Tourmaline
RSVP for Sunset Surf Session

Year 0 | 2025 - 2026

Funding & Development

  • Fundraising Campaign
  • Sponsorship Opportunities
  • Helen & Steph attend ISA surf coach training
  • Launch Waves of Color Shop
  • Host surf education meet-ups in California & Oregon
  • Launch surf coach scholarships
  • Collaborate with surf brands & organizations

During Year 0, Waves of Color will focus on organizational development and growth. We will also be filing for non-profit status and work with community sponsors & donors to help grow our programs and initiatives.

Founders, Helen and Stephanie will travel to the UK to attend surf coach training. They will obtain their ISA Level 1 surf coach certification to better support scholarship recipients.

Fill out our Volunteer & Scholarship Interest Form if you want to get involved!

  • Program 1

    Surf Coach Certification Scholarships

    Raise funding to send founders Helen & Steph to get International Surf Association (ISA) Level 1 surf coach training.

  • Program 2

    Launch Scholarships for Judging & Surf Competitions

    Fund judging course for women and entry fees for Women of Color (WOC) entering local surf competitions.

  • Program 3

    Surf Education

    Host in-person and virtual surf education sessions around surf etiquette, ocean safety, ocean conservation, and more!

  • Program 4

    Telling Stories of our Surf Sisters 

    Share stories of our community surf leaders through our blog, social media channels, and newsletter.

1 4

Year 1 | 2026 - 2027

Organizational Growth

  • Continuation of Year 0 activities
  • Sponsorship and collaboration growth
  • Launch surf competition scholarships
  • Host first surf retreat

Waves of Color will be building on Year 0 initiatives and expand during Year 1 to further support inclusivity and resources for Women in surfing. We want to build more capacity for in-person meet-ups and host our first retreat. We hope to create a team of riders and bring more organizations together to support one another.

  • Program 1

    Surf Coach Certification Scholarship 

    Raise funding to help women obtain their ISA Surf Level 1 Instructor Certification.

  • Program 2

    Judging & Surf Competitions Scholarships

    Provide judging courses for women and entry fees for Women of Color (WOC) entering local surf competitions.

  • Program 3

    Surf Meet-Ups & Retreats

    Host in-person surf meet-ups & retreats in California, Oregon, and beyond.

  • Program 4

    Bring Surf Organizations together

    Host surf safety courses and well-being events for surf community leaders and mentors.

  • Program 5

    Launch Team of Riders

    Find 1 to 2 leaders in the community to represent Waves of Color and to support them in their mentorship journey.

1 5

Our 2026 Partners & Gear Donors

  • We partnered with ISA to host the first North American ISA SurfSafe course. We brought together over 10 women from 7 surf organizations to learn about the ISA, surf etiquette and ocean safety, as well as surf rescue techniques.

    Learn more about ISA 

  • The first booties designed to help protect from stingrays. DragonSkin has kindly donated gear for our fundraising raffles. We also partnered with them for a virtual surf injury prevention talk and an in-person surf bootie demo event!

    Check out DragonSkin 

  • We are thankful that G&G Outfitters donated rashguards for Waves of Color's instructors and participants. These rashguards help identify our participants when we are training outdoors during our surf & ocean safety courses!

    Visit G&G 

We are grateful for the community's support as we continue to grow our non-profit. We love to work with aligned and mission-driven organizations and brands to help women feel more supported in coaching, mentoring, and leadership roles in surfing.

If you are interested in exploring a partnership with Waves of Color, please contact us info@wavesofcolor.org

Join us in making waves of change!

Support our mission to empower women in surfing by donating to Waves of Color. Every contribution helps fund scholarships, training, and community programs.

Donate Now