54 episodes

Denise Aquino and Patricia Destine are two women of color who are dedicated to promoting diversity within the sport of rowing. Both are former rowers turned coxswains turned coaches in the sport. Together they have almost 25 years of experience on the erg, at regattas, in the launch, or at the boathouse. No stranger to navigation or microphones, these former coxswains amplify what it’s like to navigate the topic of race within the white-dominated sport of rowing. Like most bodies of water, the tide is changing; there are more American rowers of color than there has ever been. You’ll hear from people who represented the U.S. in international races to folks who just started to row this year. Tune in to listen to a mix of interviews, special co-hosts, and tag-team shows from hosts, Denise and Patricia. Whether a rower or not, you’re not going to want to miss. Hit subscribe and enjoy.

Rowing in Color Denise Aquino & Patricia Destine

    • Sports
    • 5.0 • 48 Ratings

Denise Aquino and Patricia Destine are two women of color who are dedicated to promoting diversity within the sport of rowing. Both are former rowers turned coxswains turned coaches in the sport. Together they have almost 25 years of experience on the erg, at regattas, in the launch, or at the boathouse. No stranger to navigation or microphones, these former coxswains amplify what it’s like to navigate the topic of race within the white-dominated sport of rowing. Like most bodies of water, the tide is changing; there are more American rowers of color than there has ever been. You’ll hear from people who represented the U.S. in international races to folks who just started to row this year. Tune in to listen to a mix of interviews, special co-hosts, and tag-team shows from hosts, Denise and Patricia. Whether a rower or not, you’re not going to want to miss. Hit subscribe and enjoy.

    Happy New Year! 2023 and Aisyah Rafaee

    Happy New Year! 2023 and Aisyah Rafaee

    #052 - Aisyah Rafaee is interviewed by Rowing in Color host, Denise Aquino. They chat with them to share Olympic level goal setting practices for 2023.
    In this episode, we talked about:
    Looking back on 2022 [2:10]Who is Aisyah Rafaee? [5:53]Goal setting tips [8:45]How to get in touch with Aisyah [22:44]One thing to watch out for when making goals [23:22]… and much more.
      
     
     To get in touch with Aisyah Rafaee, please find her on Instagram at @ariesyah

    We hope that the conversation in this podcast helps us all in the rowing world -- no matter your race -- to unify the rowing sport through diversity.
      
     
    If you have a response to this or any episode, we want to hear it. Send us your voice message at www.speakpipe.com/rowingincolor or just check out our Linktree (linktr.ee/rowingincolor). If you don't follow us on IG already, find us @rowingincolor.
     
     
    Lastly, if you can, please hit "follow" or "subscribe" wherever you listen to podcasts. If you can, please leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcast -- it would really mean a lot.
     
     
    We hope you and yours are well. Stay safe.

    • 26 min
    Alia Komsany, Ph.D: Breaking Barriers for Muslim Women in Rowing, interviewed by Sadia Moumita

    Alia Komsany, Ph.D: Breaking Barriers for Muslim Women in Rowing, interviewed by Sadia Moumita

    #051 - Alia Komsany Ph.D is interviewed by Sadia Moumita. Rowing in Color host, Patricia Destine, chats with them to share Alia’s story.
    In this episode, we talked about:
    How Alia got into the sport [3:04]When Alia felt like she didn’t belong in the sport [4:36]The depth of Alia’s commitment to rowing, which is balanced with cancer research [8:00]Changing the narrative regarding stereotypical thinking with girls’ women’s participation in sport [12:07]What Alia’s visibility meant for Sadia [16:08]Alia’s message for girls wearing hijabs & how wearing a hijab has shaped how she is as an athlete [16:36]Alia’s long term goals in rowing [23:13]Talking about barriers to rowing [24:48]The push for women in sports in Saudi Arabia [26:22]How Sadia got into rowing [29:04]Advice for getting parents on board with rowing [33:20]Advice for coaches to build an inclusive environment for Muslim rowers [37:26]… and much more.
      
     
     To get in touch with Alia Komsany, please find her on Instagram at @aliakomsany

    We hope that the conversation in this podcast helps us all in the rowing world -- no matter your race -- to unify the rowing sport through diversity.
      
     
    If you have a response to this or any episode, we want to hear it. Send us your voice message at www.speakpipe.com/rowingincolor or just check out our Linktree (linktr.ee/rowingincolor). If you don't follow us on IG already, find us @rowingincolor.
     
     
    Lastly, if you can, please hit "follow" or "subscribe" wherever you listen to podcasts. If you can, please leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcast -- it would really mean a lot.
     
     
    We hope you and yours are well. Stay safe.

    • 54 min
    Chicago Training Center: Representation Matters, Representation Happens

    Chicago Training Center: Representation Matters, Representation Happens

    #050 - Chicago Training Center’s leadership team at all women: Staci Brown is the Executive Director, Rebekah Armstrong is the Program Director, and Sam Reyes is the Head Coach. Rowing in Color hosts, Denise Aquino and Patricia Destine, chat with them to share their story.



    In this episode, we talked about:


    Introductions & how Chicago Training Center achieved racial diversity at the highest staffing level [1:50]

    From alumna to head coach, Sam shares her experience [13:45]

    CTC goals for recruiting new rowers and effective methods you can use for diversifying your youth program [16:37]

    What challenges and value having a diverse staff has had [24:53]

    Challenges in diversifying their program & sharing really good advice on this process [34:53] 

    How to get in touch [40:54]

    … and much more.
      
     
     To get in touch with Chicago Training Center, please find the on Instagram at @ctc_rowing or visit their website at chicagotrainingcenter.org 

    We hope that the conversation in this podcast helps us all in the rowing world -- no matter your race -- to unify the rowing sport through diversity.
      
     
    If you have a response to this or any episode, we want to hear it. Send us your voice message at www.speakpipe.com/rowingincolor or just check out our Linktree (linktr.ee/rowingincolor). If you don't follow us on IG already, find us @rowingincolor.
     
     
    Lastly, if you can, please hit "follow" or "subscribe" wherever you listen to podcasts. If you can, please leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcast -- it would really mean a lot.
     
     
    We hope you and yours are well. Stay safe.

    • 45 min
    Baylor Henry, Founder of @BlackGirlsRow, Interviewed by Keira Gotrell & Sophia Gupta

    Baylor Henry, Founder of @BlackGirlsRow, Interviewed by Keira Gotrell & Sophia Gupta

    #049 - Baylor Henry, the founder of @blackgirlsrow, shared her story with us in December 2020. Tune in to listen to her conversation with then fellow high schoolers, Keira Gotrell and Sophia Gupta.

    In this episode, they talked about:
    Their reaction to the offensive rowing memes that we reposted on Instagram in December 2020 [1:15]Talking about how they processed the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement [9:30]“How have you felt the rowing community has changed since…?” [13:49]Talking about creating @blackgirlsrow [18:38]Advice for Juniors coaches [28:09]Did you ever feel like you didn’t belong? [33:11] The joy of proving them wrong and “working twice as hard” [44:10] Black and non-Black person of color perspectives on “working twice as hard” [45:28] Advice to young people of color [53:49] (Oops) Introductions? Outroductions [57:48]… and much more.
      

    To get in touch with Baylor Henry, please find her on Instagram at @blackgirlsrow

    We hope that the conversation in this podcast helps us all in the rowing world -- no matter your race -- to unify the rowing sport through diversity. 

    If you have a response to this or any episode, we want to hear it. Send us your voice message at www.speakpipe.com/rowingincolor or just check out our Linktree (linktr.ee/rowingincolor). If you don't follow us on IG already, find us @rowingincolor.

    Lastly, if you can, please hit "follow" or "subscribe" wherever you listen to podcasts. If you can, please leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcast -- it would really mean a lot.

    We hope you and yours are well. Stay safe.

    • 59 min
    The Black Coxswain Interviews Patricia Destine about Accessibility in Rowing

    The Black Coxswain Interviews Patricia Destine about Accessibility in Rowing

    #048 - Corin Wiggins aka @theblackcoxswain invited us for a chat on Instagram Live to discuss Accessibility in Rowing during Black History Month. Tune in to listen to her conversation with Patricia Destine.
    In this episode, we talked about:
    How Patricia got into the sport [2:30]Cost / Price as a barrier [6:19]How representation in coaching (or lack thereof) acts as a barrier [7:50]Solutions to increase more representation in coaching [11:47]Coaching education as a barrier and Patricia's personal experience [14:46]Gatekeeping in rowing [25:00]… and much more.
     
     
     To get in touch with Corin Wiggins aka @theblackcoxswain, please find her on Instagram at @theblackcoxswain

    We hope that the conversation in this podcast helps us all in the rowing world -- no matter your race -- to unify the rowing sport through diversity.
      
     
    If you have a response to this or any episode, we want to hear it. Send us your voice message at www.speakpipe.com/rowingincolor or just check out our Linktree (linktr.ee/rowingincolor). If you don't follow us on IG already, find us @rowingincolor.
     
     
    Lastly, if you can, please hit "follow" or "subscribe" wherever you listen to podcasts. If you can, please leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcast -- it would really mean a lot.
     
     
    We hope you and yours are well. Stay safe.

    • 30 min
    Team Antigua Island Girls, the first all Black team to row across the Atlantic Ocean

    Team Antigua Island Girls, the first all Black team to row across the Atlantic Ocean

     #047 - Team Antigua Island Girls represented Antigua and Barbuda for the Talisker Whisker Atlantic Campaign in 2019. They rowed 3000 miles from La Gomera to Antigua. They are the first all black and all female team to complete this challenge. 


    In this episode, we talked about:
    How did they get into rowing across the Atlantic [1:55] First impressions of rowing [4:26] Challenges of crossing the Atlantic [10:05]What impact did rowing the slave trade route have [ ]What advice do you have for others [ ]… and much more.
     
     
     To get in touch with Team Antigua Island Girls, please email them at teamantiguaislandgirls@gmail.com or check out their website: http://antiguabarbudaislandgirls.com/

    We hope that the conversation in this podcast helps us all in the rowing world -- no matter your race -- to unify the rowing sport through diversity.
     
     
    If you have a response to this or any episode, we want to hear it. Send us your voice message at www.speakpipe.com/rowingincolor or just check out our Linktree (linktr.ee/rowingincolor). If you don't follow us on IG already, find us @rowingincolor.
     
     
    Lastly, if you can, please hit "follow" or "subscribe" wherever you listen to podcasts. If you can, please leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcast -- it would really mean a lot.
     
     
    We hope you and yours are well. Stay safe.

    • 46 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
48 Ratings

48 Ratings

Longhrn ,

Stay Strong, keep up the great work!

This an awesome podcast for everyone to hear! The topics and people who have presented and shared are truly an inspiration and great reminders that there are people out there in the rowing community working to better amplify Diversity and Inclusion. My two young daughters are rowers and were so hyped to see the photos on social media and to listen to podcasts. We are Native American and appreciate the Rowing In Color podcast hosts greatly! Please keep up the great work, we love it!!

M.Nizz ,

A GIFT to the rowing world!

Two incredible members of the rowing community exposing issues of racism (among other isms) within the sport and elevating the voices and experiences of rowers of color. As a white rower, I wish this podcast had been around when I was in high school - it’s taught me so much on my journey of allyship with rowers of color. Thank you, Denise and Patricia, for all that you do!

Other Denise ,

What Rowing Needed

Ever since the launch of Rowing In Color I felt there was a significant positive shift in the rowing community! The impact is felt not from just what they are doing but what AND how they are doing it. (“It” being amplifying voices that might not usually be heard within the rowing community.) Keep listening if you aren’t already! Rowing in Color changed my life and brought comfort, relatability and hope for the future of generations to come in our sport!

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