Salty Girls with Autumn Kitchens & Farmata Dia
The Swell Season Podcast is recorded by the New Stand Studio at Rockefeller Center in the heart of Manhattan and is distributed by the Swell Season Surf Radio Network.
Hello and welcome to the Swell Season Surf Podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Brewer. Farmata Dia and Autumn Kitchens embody what New York surfing is today. Young, stylish, and committed to their community, actively involved in giving back and making their lineup a better place for everyone. Their positive energy.
Energy is reverberating throughout the community with their work with Larou Baya, a 5 0 1 C3 nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the historically excluded youth of the far Rockaways through surfing. Autumn Kitchens caught the surfing bug from a young age when she was given a surf lesson in New York for her birthday.
Her love for the sport has only grown and consumed her life as surfing tends to do. Autumn is a junior editor for World Bride magazine focusing on importance of wellness and travel. She's also a surf instructor at the New York Surf School and through surf and travel centered content she aims to continue creating representation And making the world of surf more accessible to women of color.
Our other guest is a very familiar face as she's been a recurring guest on swell season. Formata Dia is a surfer model and activist. She's been living in Rockaway beach since preschool and fell in love with surfing through Larabea Surf Collective. Today, she works with the organization to empower the historically excluded youth of the Far Rockaways through surfing, like we mentioned.
And La Rubea has their 5th annual TOTALLY GOOL SURFING COSTUME CONTEST on October 27th at Beach 67th Street. It's an amazing event for the family and the surf stoke. And I highly recommend you check it out. And uh, Farmata and Autumn, welcome to the show. Welcome to the newsstand studio here. Thank you.
How we doing?
Good. Silas. Oh, thank you. You like that intro? You know, I did my research. I did my research. Oh my god, how did he know that? How did he know that?
Is he stalking me? Where'd he get that from?
Um, do you guys have your costumes picked out for the comp?
Yes.
Yeah,
what are you gonna be? I'm gonna be a super saiyan a super what a super saiyan.
It's from an anime dragon ball z.
Oh Okay, I like that.
No, I have no idea what I'm gonna be
autumn You know what? You can do tell
me
go to comic con today and look for inspiration That's today Oh my god, should we, should we just go walk over after this to Lincoln Center and totally just like people watch?
Yeah, that's good. I
brought some gummies for it, so it'll be great. Have you ever been to one of those? Any sort of cons at all?
I'm gonna go to anime cons so bad. The cosplayers That's so cool.
It is awesome. They do the
hair and all the funky shapes and the colors and the, oh my god, it's great.
I really appreciate, like, the amount of energy people put into these things.
I think it'd be cool to create like a surf con.
Yes! I think so. And dress
up as your favorite surfer.
Okay, okay.
I'm just gonna be the chicken. Who would you be as your favorite surfer? Who would that be?
I'm stealing this from a friend, but the chicken from Surf's Up.
Yeah! The
chicken from Surf's Up. The
greatest Hollywood surf movie ever made, by the way.
The best! Or like, you know, I would be a Moana character, even though they don't really surf.
I was thinking like Moana or one of the penguins from Surf's Up. Yeah. Or the girl from Surf's Up. What's her name? Oh,
I forgot.
You talking about. I know who you're talking about. She moves, like, she's like Yes, yes. I like when she
moves.
I would, I would be very limited on the people I could be with my hair, my non hair, so it's like Kelly Slater, Shane Dorian. I feel like
you still have options, though. Yeah, you know, Taylor Jensen, you know, I could
be, or uh, You know, I really would love to be like Chandler from North Shore. Have you ever seen North Shore movie?
Okay.
You know, it's like the best. It's like awesome. That'd be great. Or, or Laird Hamilton from North Shore. He has like a big bullseye painted on him. So let's talk about the totally gruel contest, uh, quickly, because I want to promote this cause I think it's such an awesome event and it's a great way to bring our community together.
Unfortunately, I'm not going to be there this year. I'm really bummed. I'm going to be in China. Ooh. Yeah.
China. Oh,
no. China!
What's in China? Where are you going to China? Oh,
work. I got, uh
Secure the bag. I'm
going to go meet some factories and stuff. Oh, cool. Yeah. We could talk after the show about that. All right.
Got it. We don't want to bore our listeners with my, uh, my plans for taking over the world. Yeah. If there are any investors out there. Yeah. All right. Walk us through what this event is, how it got started, and like, what should people expect when going to it? Yeah!
Yeah,
we were all like, who's gonna answer that?
Farmi's like, I'll take it.
Was it like four years ago that it started? This is the fifth annual
Halloween contest.
Actually, I have no idea how it started. I feel like it was probably just like, an idea that popped into someone's head, and we were all
like, let's go! Let's go! And like, I don't know. It's all about community engagement, right?
Like, how do we bring the community together? How do we make I don't know, surfing fun and different, different, and also make the beach accessible, like showing people come out here. This is your space. Enjoy the ocean. And then it was an amazing event. And we just kept doing it, kept doing it. And every year it's gotten bigger and better.
People really prepare their costumes, like the mummies, like being taped up the ghosts, people like low key drowning in the lineup, during their lineup. Astronauts, like it's just become this huge thing. I don't think anyone planned for,
yeah,
it's awesome. It's
so cool. It
really is good.
I really like the fact that also like you get people from outside of the community who come like scoot and brought like a whole bunch of grams last year, which was like, it was awesome.
Like there, I think they were like, I don't know if they were twins or not, but like, it looked like it was like a whole group dress together ensemble.
Their kids love it. They were the green aliens. The kids love it. Yeah, the green aliens. They dominate each year. I'm not gonna lie. That's why they come.
They're like, we're gonna win. They come and I'm like, all right, just give up the, this one, this one. Well,
they got the Scoot and Kana DNA, surf DNA going through them, you know, a little bit of that competitiveness. And, uh, we
love it.
Yeah. But it's tough.
It's cool though cuz it's not like just about surfing so it's like you could be creative in it You could like match your costume in your surfing or just like have a good costume and it gives everybody an opportunity to win You don't even got to get in the water.
Yeah,
we have our onland portion and it's so cute We have like family daughter duos last year. Someone came out with his like Two year old daughter and they had a matching costume. The unicorns?
Yeah, it was so
sweet.
They had tutus on, it was adorable. It was so sweet!
Yeah, I love that that's like It's the best.
You need to, need to create like, need to get some stand up paddle boards and create a tandem, uh, division. We have
a tandem division, a tandem group division. One year we had like a group of four. They were the blue man group.
They were so good. Blue
wetsuits painted in blue, hair blue, everything. And a
handstand on every single week.
It was insane. All four of them were doing a handstand. Oh my gosh. On every single wave. No, people get competitive with it. No, it's serious. And it's the grown folk too that are like, get off my wave. Yeah.
It's always the grown folk who take it. Yeah. Absolutely. They're a little, a little intense. They need the kids to calm down a little bit, you know?
Yeah. Um. Um. How did you guys get involved with Larabea and like, how did it come to be? I know there's like, you both had different access points, like Autumn, you were surfing before Larabea, correct? I was, yes. And Farmi, you got introduced to surfing through Larabea. So I'm curious, like, first, Farmi, like, how did you, how did it come to you?
How did it present itself to you?
Uh, it's pretty funny actually, I was doing an internship with Rise, and they took us out to take a lesson with, I can't remember if it was Locals or New York Surf School. And I just loved it so much, I posted about it on social media, and a friend was just like, hey I surf with a bunch of black people, do you wanna come tomorrow?
And I was like, yeah! And then that was literally it. And I've been with them every single day since then. And then that first summer is just like Aiden sitting on the corner of 67th Street. And everybody knows like that old beat up van with one door that didn't work. And we would all come like climbing out like a clown car.
And it was just like the best ever. And he just made sure like we were kids having fun, safe. And he like took care of us. And then we just kept meeting people over and over and it was growing. And yeah, it was great.
And Autumn, you, you started surfing beforehand and you were, actually took a lesson with Frank at New York Surf School, which now you teach with.
Yes. But how did, how did that come about then, uh, with Larabea?
Right, so, I was teaching with New York Surf School, um, For years and years, but I was always like the only in the outdoor space, especially in the BIPOC community There's this thing called the only it's like I was the only black person the only person of color At New York Star School or in the lineup and I ended up having a couple of really horrible experiences one being Um, I was with a group of women, we were surfing, um, these guys on shoreboards, shoreboards, nothing against shoreboards.
The bros. Um, the bros. So aggro. So aggro on like a two foot day, no reason for it, um, but they were just harassing us and yeah, yelling and then they started going after everyone's waves and I was just like, am I doing anything wrong? Like, I always have this feeling of wanting to be perfect and just make sure I'm.
Not breaking any of the rules. And they got out of the water, started taking pictures of everyone. What? And then one guy posted the pictures on his social media, but covered everyone else's faces with clown emojis, but left my face, um, And like had these comments drawings. And they're like, these Karen's are like, Is this what the surf schools are producing now?
Like all of these crazy comments and then it got around. And I was still really young and feeling like, Whoa, I, this isn't what I had in mind. Like this isn't what I thought surfing was about. Um, and I like made a little post on Instagram, just talking about my feelings about the situation. And it went around.
I ended up talking to this journalist and photographer from the LA Times and New York Times, she was working on a project, and she just told me, like, she was like, I want to come out and talk to you and kind of feature you in this project I'm working on, and had mentioned La Rubea, she was just like, I think you, you know, people and be around these people who maybe have your experience in the water or who you can relate to and feel safe with.
There's no reason you should be experiencing this. And then I started volunteering with La Rubea and it completely changed the way I showed up. In the lineup and experience surfing.
Do you still see those clowns now?
I see some of them around. It was, it was awkward for a bit. Just because it, a lot of people started getting involved.
But now it's like it never happened.
So what are you going to do?
Some white privilege right there. Maybe. Like, do you still encounter that as you surf now? Do you, do you find, as you, as you both have been traveling more for surfing too, do you find that that attitude It's still out there in places you go and encounter that.
Definitely. I'd say like, uh, like if you go to Bali or South America, you're not gonna, I don't find that as much.
But if you're going to like the West Coast or even just different breaks out here on the East Coast, um, yeah. But it's just how you show up in the water. You can't really care. Or if you come in a pack, like, yeah. I don't know, I feel a lot better when I'm with other people. Yeah. Just like, we're here, what are you gonna do?
Yeah, I mean, what about you, Farmi?
Not really.
No?
I feel like, like, I got lucky, especially with La Rabea, cause I have, like, a base level of experiences, and, like, the most for me have been, like, microaggressions, or, like, just miscommunication between me and someone else. But, like, it's usually, like, shock.
People are just shocked to see, like, a black girl surfing. To see, like, that we can actually surf, and not just, like, pop up and go straight on a wave. So, like, sometimes it's, like, weird comments. Like, some man in Bali, like, he wasn't white. Yeah. He was, he was local, but he was just, like, What did he say? Why's your skin so white?
What? I said, why is your skin so white? I swear, and I asked him to say it again. Uh,
what? Uh, you colorblind? Like, I mean, hey, great, right? It's
like chalkboard. It's like, a black.
You mean black,
right? What? Those are usually just things like that where people are like, that. Yeah. What are you doing in the water?
That's usually black people. Really? They're just like,
be careful. But that is still encountering those things. Like even that comment, that's outrageous for someone to be like, what are you doing in the water? What is a black girl doing in the water? But
to me, it's so funny because it's just like, yeah.
It's
good for you, but I'm saying like, who in their right mind would feel comfortable saying something like that? Yeah, that's true. That's audacity. That's audacity. That's
audacity.
That's privilege. Right, exactly. That's feeling like you can say whatever. Yeah.
Yeah.
I imagine like it must be really difficult sometimes because there is this sometimes doesn't even have to do with the color of your skin even it's more about just not being a local to a surf break and being able to distinguish between that must be so maddening sometimes when you're just like.
Are they being a dick to me because I'm just not from here? Or are they being a dick to me because of how I look or how I am? You know, and that's like, that's where I think it really kind of makes me, like, frustrated with the old ways of surfing and how we approach people, and how we approach people from out of town.
People who aren't a local surfer, you know, in that type of unwelcoming attitude.
Yeah. It creates a lot of anxiety for me. For me now, especially because we've been traveling for so like together for a while, I have a whole protocol. Like I'll go out and I won't even catch a wave or like. 30, 30 minutes an hour and it's sometimes like I just want to make sure that I'm showing the locals like I want you to catch all your waves.
Don't worry about me. But also there's this feeling of like, I don't want to have a bad experience out here. Yeah. Like I'm scared. Like the wave looks so fun, but I don't want to experience conflict, confrontation. Like please do you.
He's kind of sound like me actually, I hate confrontation and whenever, when I was younger and I could travel more, I would always do that.
I would just sit out in the shoulder actually and wait my turn and, and be very deferential to the local surfers. Like I would. You're like, no, no, no. This is your wave. Or even if I was in position and I wasn't 100 percent sure I'd make it, I'd be like, you go, man. This is your wave. This is your spot. Like, I would try to do those things.
So it's, it's not a bad way to be necessarily, because it is showing respect to the locals, but yeah. It's also a shame that you feel that anxiety when surfing's supposed to be that release.
Right, exactly. Like, I don't catch as many waves, but also, I wish I was doing that without the anxiety and tension in my body.
I wish it was just more of like, okay, I'm doing this because, like, I, I just want people to surf and then I'll catch mine. But a lot of times what's fueling that is Is this feeling of like, I gotta stay small, you know?
And not take up space.
Exactly, which I don't even want, like, the kids that we teach, I don't want them to feel that way.
Yeah.
You know?
Funny, it's so different for me. I'm like the opposite of you guys. And this is why like, we'll go surf together and like, we'll spend entire sessions apart. She just goes! Yeah, but I think that's like my anxiety, cause for me I can't sit still. And it's like this thing that I've like, made myself do whenever I travel somewhere.
Like, I have to make my first wave good.
It
has to be good so that they know, A, like, I'm a black girl and I can surf. Yeah, I know what I'm doing and be you're gonna respect me and you're not gonna drop it on me But this is where I feel like Laura Bayard really comes into play because Aiden like ingrained that in us He'd be like don't let them drop in on you go for your waves do this do that fight for yourself And so like I really carried that mentality with me everywhere I'm just like I don't care if I'm not well not to say like I don't care if I'm not from here like always give respect to the people like that are from wherever you are, but at the end of the day like It, like, it feels worse to me to, like, just sit there and, like, watch myself miss so many rides and, like, mind surf more than actually surfing.
Yeah. And I feel like that way it's easier to, like, connect with people in the water also, cause then, like, you can talk with people, like, are you gonna go for this one? You want that one? I can have this. Thanks. Where are you from? Right.
I find engaging people really helps, uh, with that, like, it's, funny, funny enough, recently even, like.
I was, uh, surfing Rockaway and there was this guy I kept seeing in the lineup and we always had like, you know, nice, nice rapport, never any issue, I could see you could surf and he seemed like a nice guy and, uh, so the second time I saw him, I was just like, just being like, dude, go for this wave and encouraging and trying to engage.
And he, and we ended up becoming friends, you know, talking more and then we saw each other again. And then he messaged me on social and was like, Hey, I just wanted to say, I really appreciate. You're welcoming this in the lineup and spreading a positive vibe, and I think that's really, uh, a very difficult thing to do sometimes, especially, like, especially in a place that you're not from.
Yeah. But I do think when you talk to someone, you humanize yourself, and then you're, you're then able, it's harder for them to want to drop in on you. It's harder for them to do things because you've just now made your presence as a human. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Yeah. Finally, how Have you always been that way, where you're able to take up space, though?
Were you always like that, or had surfing kind of helped bring that out of you?
No, definitely surfing brought that out of me. I, like, wanted to take up as little space as possible. I like to, like, isolate myself. Really? And, like, stay away from people. Like, even to this day, I'm, like, trying to figure out who I am, because, like, I hid away from myself for so long.
Oh. So I feel like it's literally all because of surfing that I'm able to just like, embrace the person that I am, like the places that I'm in, and like, I'll sometimes have to like gaslight myself like, you need to take up space or speak. But it's great because it just helps me continue to grow as a person, you know?
Do you mind if I ask why you felt like you couldn't take up space before surfing?
Yeah, because I literally felt like I had nothing before surfing. Like, I had my family, but like, I was a junior in high school when I started. My friends and I were just like, smoking pot. During school, after school, and like, I was just going to school, I was going to college, I didn't even care about college, like, and I liked my major, but I wasn't able to focus on it, because it didn't have, like, mean anything to me, like, and then surfing came, and it was the first thing I genuinely ever enjoyed, I got to share with my family, I got to build a community from it, and that community, like, cared about me, and that made me care about myself, you know, it's hard to treat yourself bad when other people treat you so good.
Yeah. Oh, I love that. Yeah. I like that saying. I, you know, it's interesting. I, and I, one of my questions I wanted to ask is like, what was life before surfing and now after? Like I always, cause I grew up surfing from a young age. I have no real full memory of like what I would daydream about before surfing, what I would think about.
Now, like when I have nothing to think about, I think about surfing, you know, like it's always there. And I'm curious, like what your. what your life was like before and do you remember like what you would think about or dream about before surfing?
Wow. No dreams. Get
deep here. Tell me what your dreams are.
Lay on the couch.
No
dreams.
My dream was to move out of Rockaway and get as far away as possible.
Wow.
Yeah.
Wow.
That literally was the dream.
And you Autumn?
Um, I thought I was gonna be a midwife.
Is that like your thing? You would think like, all right, I'm going to get married and I'm going to think like, where did your empty space, not empty space, but like when you weren't thinking about what's present in front of you, what would you be daydreaming about or thinking about?
Well, I was serving at 15, but because my experience was so Meh. Yeah. Like with the people and the feeling and the anxiety, all of that. Like, it wasn't this significant thing of like, this is my life. Like, it was more so a thing I did in the summer, you know? Um, so during that time it was just like, go to school, get a job.
Like maybe musical theater. Did musical theater growing up. Nice. And I thought I was gonna be a performer. Um, and then after that I was like, that's a dream. That doesn't make any money. Doesn't get me anywhere. Mm-Hmm. . So I'm gonna be a midwife. I had a. College boyfriend. We're like, we're gonna get married and then the pandemic happened and that's when I really got into surfing and started developing my own relationship with it.
And then I was like, wait, this is who I am. Like, I was finding more of myself through surfing and I think I'm now creating a life that's more aligned to that person.
I read this great quote, Autumn, from you that I really loved, and I was hoping I could share it and kind of expand on it even, because I think it kind of, this lends itself to it.
Uh, quote from you, I've been able to learn how we all mimic nature and we are reflections in the way energy moves through the water and the seasons change. This realization has allowed me to view the world with an overall lens of compassion. And we're all going through seasons, changes, and we all have energy moving throughout our bodies in different ways.
Overall, I realize I don't know much except my love for the ocean, which keeps me in a very exploratory mode. The world feels really big with so many people and waves I want to get to know. And I think before surf, it felt smaller, off limits. You're like, I said that? Oh
my God,
who is she?
Yeah.
I really love that. Um, What have, what have you been able to pull from surfing into your life on land? Like, what are the lessons that you're, you're finding?
So many, right? Oh my god. Um, I've dealt with depression and anxiety since I was really young. And sometimes, like, there's a lot of avoiding myself and feeling disconnected from myself.
And being out in the lineup. Surfing, but also just sitting, watching the horizon, waiting for the wave. There are moments where literally I'm like, I'm seeing myself in the movements and in my session and the way other people are moving and the way that I'm interacting with the other surfers and There's this level of like this feeling of acceptance and like the unknown where I'm like, I don't really know what's going on right now Like I don't know what I'm doing in my life, but I know that you know, I have access to this stillness I was talking to a painter yesterday and he was saying like the ocean gives him so much even like All of his paintings are inspired by a lot of the moments that he's had in the in the water and he can like see the monetary value that he gets from the ocean.
And so just having access to it. I'm like, okay, there's so we can get distracted by so many things. But at the end of the day, we just need stillness. We need access to nature. We need access to ourselves. And there's not much more than that.
What about you, Farmi? I don't know. Do you feel like, do you guys feel like surfing is almost like a bit of a philosophical lesson in that way?
A thousand percent. It's funny too, when I do surf lessons, I'm just like, and don't forget, If you miss a wave, just paddle for another one and then I'll be struggling with something and I'm just like, it's okay, just try again and you won't get it. It's like things like that or like if there's like a slow moment in my life, I know like sometimes winters feel like so much slower and I'm just like, this is just like a lull right now for the next set comes in and it's like trying to take like those ideas and putting it into my real life.
Cause then it just like puts things in perspective a little bit more and I feel like it like grounds me. It takes me out of my own thoughts where I'm just like. If I'm like, nothing is happening, all the work that I'm doing, or like, I'm feeling slow and I'm just like, no, it's just like, slow season right now, it's time to chill, or like, you know, like I said, miss another wave, just go for the next one, or like, patience is a big thing I've learned from the water, and I'm still like, in, in, Impatient person, but just like knowing that you have to wait for good things So it's like not going for the first wave in the set not going for every single opportunity that comes your way Because you could be blocking another one or just like longer intervals mean better waves Better things need more time to process so that could be as good as they need to be
in learning to read, you know Life, you know, it's like a wave, you know being able to read like people's lives No, like as you get older, you know, you, I think you start to see things, see patterns much like surfing and you were able to, you know, to decide, Oh, this is a closeout or this is this has a little bully section that can be fun or this has a little runner.
I could catch this, but I'm going to have to hustle. I'm going to have to pump down the line really fast because it's got a little bit of a stretch, you know? And like, learning that, to apply that into life is, is I think, I mean, it's an ongoing process. You know?
It's in everything. Like, the ocean is in everything.
It's so wild.
It's Thank goodness. I also find like, surfing gives a sense of confidence. Like, when you start to become proficient and you start to almost identify as a surfer, it's You carry that into land and like I don't know about you But for me and like maybe you Autumn like in in high school everyone had their cliques, you know, and there was like everyone kind of was looking for a personality to fit and I Was like I surf that's who I am.
That's all I don't need to be a hippie. I don't need to be a jock I can fit in with all of them because I surf I'm kind of able to kind of, uh, almost code switch in a sense, you know, you know, for different groups, because surfing gave this fluidity, you know, that you could kind of go in between it all.
Yeah. I remember at the beginning of every class, when you start doing your icebreakers and be like, Oh, I'm a surf instructor. And it just allowed me to be like, Oh, I see you, you might live in this town where you need it, like Fire You know, I serve so we're connected, you know, and it, it. It definitely was this through line for me.
A lot of other people. Yeah.
Farmi, do you still feel that urge to get away from Rockaway as far as possible now?
Sometimes. Now because it's just like Family is difficult sometimes, I guess, right? Yeah. Sometimes it's just like, it feels like really small. I've grown up in Rockaway my entire life. So it's like, I literally am suffocated.
Everywhere I go. I see people I know it sometimes that's like hard. I'm not gonna lie like some days I just want to walk out and be gloomy and have my head down and not have someone be like, hi, Farmie Did you surf? No, I did. I have work.
Good to know next time I see you. Just give me a sign like up, thumbs up, thumbs down.
Tyler, not today.
But yeah, I want to move I feel like Like, I love Rockaway so much, I've gotten so much from this community, this neighborhood, but it's like, time to spread my wings. I really want to move to California. It's been in my five year plan for the last five years, but yeah, that's like the overall goal.
But you're
making that happen. Like, it's Thousand percent. Process. You're really doing
it. Yeah. Making moves. Moved out of my own home. Whoa! Moved back into my parents place. Planning to go back to school, get my like, degree.
What do you want to get your degree in?
Professional communications. Professional communications.
I think you would be very good at that. You know, me too! You're a very good communicator. Yes. You know? Both, no, both audio and visually too. Yes. You know? I mean, you, you're, you designed this incredible bathing suit line recently too for Ricky, Ricky Beach Club. Ricky
Beach Club. Yeah. How did that
come about?
They like, just randomly DM'd me. No way. The power of Instagram. Yeah, we love your style. And like, I looked at it and I remember being like, Eh, that's not real. Yeah. And then I just left it in my request box. And then I went back and I like, went through all their followers and the people that followed them and I was like, Oh, we got some new tools.
So I responded. And we were planning it for over a year. Yeah, and like, that's hard for me, cause like, I was just like, take it forever! But the process was also so much fun, and I remember thinking like, a few years ago, like, I was sitting and talking to my agent, and I was just like, she was like, you could release a collection, and she was like, it's better to work with small brands, cause you could build with them.
Yeah. And she was like, these big brands are all cool and everything, but like, they already have their people that they want, and everyone else is kinda just like, filler for them, honestly. And so I remember keeping that in mind. And then when they reached out, I was just like, this is perfect. And you want it to be like about me, about my community.
It's like completely authentic. Mm
hmm. How is that process like? Because have you ever designed clothing before in the past?
No, I don't think of myself as an artistic person.
Really?
No. Like, surfing is my art.
I would have to agree.
Yeah, that's like, for me, that is art. Like, when I gotta draw or like, paint, it gives me anxiety, honestly.
So you don't go to, you know, Paul's drawing clubs? I
do. And, you know, sometimes they would clown me. But, I still always try. That's all that matters. But it was really fun, like, getting to pick out all the different cuts, the colors, the patterns, the fabric. Like, I never really saw myself doing anything like that.
So, getting to just like, Be in a random place and doing something I never expected which is a lot with surfing I've realized it was just like it was awesome, but I want to do it again. Definitely.
Yeah.
Yeah, like I have like no I have no complaints. I mean
Stuff. I mean from the catalog. It looked great I really nice good fit like great colors a lot of pop like
what colors pick those colors for the black girls
Yeah
And it looks good on everyone, but orange is a melanin color.
Come
on.
Yes. Yes.
That is so cool. I mean, and like, and you just, but you don't like, that's not something you want to pursue as much professionally.
No, professionally, like, I like a lot of the community organizing and things like that that I do. I would want to just like, Focus on that route even like the modeling and stuff.
It's fun. But for me, it's not like it's not really like fulfilling It's like very superficial to a certain degree
Yeah And
like it gives me a platform which I appreciate but at the end of the day like I don't know how I feel about Being known as a model like it's cool. Yeah offense to models I'm a model, you know, but like I'm more than that.
I'm not just like a pretty face. I actually have a brain Want to use it for good
Shishida in India
Maybe she's a surfer. Yeah. Yeah,
she's like that's I see a model to kind of go after where she is a model like Roxy sponsored her Red Bull all these things, but she has built this incredible community of surfers in India.
And
now they're like ripping like it's like really cool. And like she's built up like this whole thing and You know, and I think she's used the modeling as a platform to draw attention to also give back to her community by utilizing her exposure and her social media feed. She's able to say, Hey, sponsor this.
You'll get all this exposure. That's a means to an end, I guess.
Yeah, exactly.
Um, Have you ever read the book, The Alchemist?
Oh my god, I love that book. I've heard about it, I haven't read it yet. So good! You should read it,
because I think you would really enjoy it. It's basically about a young boy who goes on an adventure in search of treasure, um, spoiler alert, only to discover the treasure is at home.
But you needed to see everything in order to come home and realize it, and I think, you know, I don't know about you, but I apply narratives to my life. I think of my life as a, either a story or a sitcom, my wife likes to say. She's like, you think you're in a sitcom all the time, you know?
I am! Like,
family guy, Sophie, but, um, but it's like, uh, but it is, like, I went throughout my twenties, just spent, You know, 10 years just traveling mostly, like work, save, travel, long extended periods.
And I saw the world and then I realized like, yo, New York is very special and we have something very unique here. But you needed to see everything else in order to realize that,
you
know, and I think that's really important for people.
Yeah, I've been having this feeling of like, for the past five years, I've just been obsessed with traveling and surfing.
And there are moments where I'm home and I'm like, man, this is like, why am I not somewhere else? Why am I home? And now I'm kind of in this phase where I'm like, I want to love every aspect of my life. Like, I'm in New York. I love Manhattan. I love New York. There's so much to see here. Like, how can I appreciate the travel, but also appreciate the life I'm creating here just as much.
Like, I'm really trying to figure out how to love the whole picture and create. The whole life, you know, yeah,
I think it happens organically, you know, it's not it's good to have the intention Yeah, I think but also not the expectation
right
and I think it's really good to Do all these things to see the world to see things surfing.
I think I've always said is the gateway drug to travel Yes, you know, it's like a great way to see the world particularly if you are Properly traveling not tourist traveling. Yes Which
is
fine. Yeah, totally fine One of my favorite quotes is this guy, uh, Kevin Naughton, uh, he was a surf travelist journalist, traveling journalist in the 70s and, um, you know, he said, you know, the difference between a tourist and a traveler is the tourist goes on a trip and they come back the same.
The traveler goes on a trip, they come back changed from the place. And I think that's really important, uh, for surfers to realize because a lot of us now like we have, you could go somewhere. It's got the setup, you don't have to engage with people, just surf, eat, surf, eat, and sleep. And that's, that's fine for some people, especially if you're, you know, Middle aged and you just need a break.
But when you're want to experience something new and, and to kind of change, I think that's really important. And especially at a younger age.
Yeah. I liked even like, um, volunteering with an NGO, wherever you go, or just like knowing who's out there, seeing what you can do for them, like bringing things in your suitcase, things like that.
Travel with purpose. Yeah. Travel with
purpose. Um, it's one of my, uh, dating things too. I'm like, well, how do you travel? Are you, are you going to an all inclusive resort? Or like, are you down for an Airbnb? Like, are you down to explore? Some people, they don't want to leave the resort ever.
Yeah. I do want to try a resort.
It's fun. It is nice.
I can't. It makes me uncomfortable. It's weird. Yeah. Being in a resort is, um. I find sometimes like limiting.
Yeah,
you know, you're like limited to the food You're limited to the things and then when you leave the gates, everyone's like, oh, they're leaving, you know
It's like you could have just gone to florida.
Um, okay
Like it's nice to I loved Sleeping in shitty beds. I loved, you know eating street food and getting explosive diarrhea like all great experiences You
You just summed up our Bali jerk. Oh, is that your? Oh, you got Bali
belly, huh?
Yes, we got it. It's got stomach issues. Was it
the nasi goreng or the champur?
Might have been the satay. Oh, the satay. Or ceviche. Oh, ceviche, you gotta be careful. It was the ceviche. It's
not their specialty. They fry it and they cook it. That's like more of their, you know, thing. Ceviche is a South American thing.
Yeah, I shouldn't have done it. I'm glad I did not have less ceviche.
Mine was
from fruit juice. Fruit juice? What, like the
ice maybe? No,
something where it was like, and I was in the Paquismayo in Peru. Ooh. And, Yeah, and then like, uh, for like a week, I was, you know, and we had one of these toilets where like it didn't flush, you had to take a bucket of water and put it in, and then, but then like I felt like I was getting better, and the waves started pumping, and then we went to Chicama, and
it
was pumping, and I couldn't surf.
For a whole week I had to watch like
Did you cry? Yeah
Yeah, in between puking and all that Totally
Is that what your Bali experience was like?
Wow, Bali experience, um, We stayed in one room where it was like the bathroom was a wet room, But the water, the plumbing went off after sundown. Were they
squat toilets, or? No, it
was, it was a regular, but, It was disgusting though. It was disgusting. There was mold on the
walls, there was a puddle.
In the corner, right in front of the toilet. Cockroaches. Yo, we couldn't shower at night. We had to jump in the pool. We walked in the pool. Every night. Until we had mental breakdowns. We literally were crying in the line up. Which
ward were you staying in? It was horrible. Stay away from there. We were like, do you see this?
Like, is this okay with you? And she was like, uh, it's fine.
I was like, let's just like try. We had just come from another place.
That place was nice. That place felt like home. It was
nice, but it was the wrong place. Yeah.
Yeah,
you know, you look back on that and fondness, you know,
I already do like this is a story.
We will never forget those moments. I want to go back to Bali. Same.
Yeah. Uh huh. Yeah. You should go back just to Indonesia in general. Right, exactly. I
want to go to Java. Oh yeah, Java and then um, the mental eyes. Yeah.
Or Aceh. Aceh. Yeah, northern Sumatra.
Ooh.
Uh, very interesting area. I mean, I think they're all like crowded now everywhere.
Yeah. But, you know, you can get lucky.
Yeah.
You know, but I mean, Yeah, it's like quite it's like almost a different country up there. You know that it's um, it's I believe they have Sharia law up there and it's like very Culturally different than other parts of Indonesia, but
see that
really interesting
Yeah So growing up in the Muslim law, you know, it'd be like, Salaam alaikum, and then they're like, Why are you in a bathing suit?
Oh,
yeah, that is true. Yeah. I think it's slightly different, though, up there, but I'm not a hundred percent. I think it's fine for travelers. It's just more for their community, you know, but yeah. I mean, that's, that's another thing is women in general. It must be a next level of, you have to have a next level awareness as you travel.
And how do you navigate that?
That's interesting. I, before, when I started traveling, it was like solo travel.
Yeah.
Which is my favorite thing to do. Same. Yeah, it's so nice. It like, allows me to have this experience of like, coming back to myself, learning more about myself, but it's very much being aware, like, I wouldn't go out after it got dark.
Yeah.
And just knowing who's working, like, all of these things, um, because things can happen. You can get picked up real quick.
Yeah. Yeah.
Scary.
Have you ever had any encounters like that at all?
I, no. Thank God. Oh, maybe in Mexico, but that was a group trip, where I thought we were gonna get arrested.
What? Or die in the break.
I thought we
were gonna get trafficked, but
Oh, gosh. Sorry.
Is was gonna happen? That's why I didn't leave you on the side of the road. Oh, yeah, there. Uh,
story, hello, we're on a podcast. I can't read your mind. I can't read your mind.
Mexico we were doing a trip a road trip up and down Baja and on our way out of Mexico the cops like Stopped us You know
Man and then my friend, and I had just rolled up the last of our weed
Out of the car because they found a old vape in the driver's and so yeah And then I got out the car, and you could see it, like, the shape of it in my shirt. He was like, what's that? He was like, what's that? I was like, what? And then I just pulled it out. And then he was like, license and registration. And then they tried to like, he was like, we're gonna arrest you guys, and you each have to pay 250.
No, it
was 800. And then we were like, no, no, no, no, no, no. And then they were like, fine, 250 each.
Yeah, to us, instead of going to the station and having to pay there.
I'd rather do that, though.
So then they took his license and registration and sent us to the closest ATM, but, uh, they had like, who was sitting there first?
Was it you by yourself? No, it was you. Was it me? Well, I feel like it was you and I was like, just go! No, she was, she was like,
yeah, she's like, you can't stay here. It's me. And then she sits on the side of the room. Because she wasn't even smoking. Because the guy was like, one of you has to stay. And then I look at Farmi on the just sitting on the street and I'm like, Oh my God, if we walk away right now.
She was so mad. She was like, No! I sat, I was like, I'm sitting right here on this dusty
ground. And then he let us all leave. And he kept the license and registration.
Did he keep the weed?
Yes, they kept the weed, and the ATM didn't work, and we found another one, and it didn't work, and so we started circling back, and we're all on our phones.
Like, is this real? Can they do this? Yes! Come to find out, no, it wasn't real, and the cops were playing a joke on us. No! Not a joke, but they were trying to extort us. Yes, see
what they can get out of you. Exactly,
and we called them on their, you know, their game. Wait, wait, before
that. What? We took a few wrong turns.
See, I'm always traveling with the wrong people. Ended up at like a locked gate. Opens the locked gate to the highway. The gate is right there to the road that we need. So I got out the car and I opened it. Oh. And so we drove off. Another cop! Security! What are you doing? We need money! He's like, I'm calling the cops!
And we're like, we're going to the cops.
Don't worry, we're ahead of you already. You don't have to call them. We're on this. We're already ahead of the cops. We got this. We paid
him off, we had to pay him off, and we get to the cops, and finally we called them out. And they were like, ah ha ha ha! They literally
gave
back the weed!
Our friend was like 50 bucks, and they were like 40, and then they gave us the joint back and we smoked it. Before we got to the border. That
is hilarious. I've had something that close, but like, just driving to Nova Scotia with my friend, and I had weed, and then we're like, he's like, yo, we're getting close to the border, and I was like, Oh fuck, I have this joint left and I don't want to get caught.
So I start smoking it. Oh my god. Like, we're like 10 minutes from the border and I just start smoking out the window like, I'm gonna finish this because I'm not gonna waste this weed, you know? We're the
same person Tyler. And
then we get there and I'm all paranoid and high and like, And they're like, give us your password.
I'm like, here.
Like I'm innocent. I I
swear.
Man. See,
that's what's so great about surfing. You have all these adventures that I think normally most people may not have.
Yeah. It's true. Yeah. I've almost died with this girl.
Oh, yeah?
We've gone through so much. So much. Yeah. Yeah. Do you,
like, and you guys didn't know each other before La Rubea then.
Nope. It's like, I'd love that. I love how surfing brings a lot of us together like that. Yeah. There's this. You have this common bond that you can always kind of lean back on, but then it, like, allows you to explore more, I guess, of each other.
Yeah.
So, like, are you guys besties now?
We're sisters. Yeah.
Sisters. So, past besties, you know, like, friends still have a certain level of decorum. Yeah. And, we don't have that.
Exactly. I was there for the Bali Bali. She
was! In the middle of the night.
Was she holding
your hair? Yeah. Was I? Yeah, when
you
needed it. She would like, wake up, Autumn, are you okay? Don't worry.
very sick. I was like, just go throw up! Yeah, I was like, I don't want to do it. Should I go throw up?
I don't want to. Now, Autumn, I read somewhere you wanted to create like a retreat eventually and do something with holistic healing. I was like curious, like how that came about and are you working towards that?
So I started going on surf trips, like through retreats and then finally like was like, Oh, I feel confident enough to travel on my own, but that changed my life. That changed my surfing. Like I felt I had such amazing experiences and I've always been involved with help. Just because I have a lot of, like, pain that I deal with, chronic pain.
Yeah,
could you discuss a little bit more if you're comfortable with that? Yeah, I
have a lot of stomach issues, like IBS, lactose intolerant, um, acid reflux, like all of these things I can't eat a lot of. Sleep
on your left side at night.
Yeah, exactly.
But then I
also have a chronic neck injury. Um, I used to competitively swim and during a backstroke start, I like had a hyper neck extension and then like in healing that same summer, like this guy on a 10 foot paddleboard surfboard, uh, just, you know, straight into my neck, like in the midst of my healing from that.
And ever since then, like there are moments where I wake up and I like can't even move.
Yeah.
It's really horrible. So I'm always tolerating some level of pain and that kind of put me into this world of like wellness and finding things that help you heal and just make you better. Um, and so, Merging those two things, surfing, like we went to the ISTO conference, the International Surf Therapy, uh, conference, and just realizing how surfing can be a part of that wellness, be a part of that healing is something I'm super passionate about, that the organization's passionate about, and that Farmi's passionate about.
So, in terms of the retreat, We're actually starting our meetups. We're starting monthly meetups geared towards women of color, but everyone's welcome and just being intentional about using surfing to bring communities together, but also exposing people to. It's power and healing.
When are, what are, like, when are these and where are these taking place?
Where can people, uh, find this stuff?
November. Next month? Yeah, next month. What day is it? We have a poster. We have a poster. We will be posting it, um, you can find it on our page and, or Larabea's page. And we'll also be filtering people from the event to Larabea's speech cleanup. Nice. Just because we're gonna be stewards of ourselves and our bodies, our minds, but also of the earth, you know?
Mm hmm. Yeah. That was great. Really exciting.
Does, did I read, like, your mom also has something to do with wellness as well or had encouraged it?
Yeah, my mom, like, always From the moment I was born, like, uh, Herbalism, Reiki, she, with my stomach issues, I didn't eat as a baby for like the first, uh, 15 months, so she had to keep a chart and eventually she found that I was, I would only eat the food she would make for me.
at home. And so a lot of my life I was dealing with like herbs and, and Ricky, she would like do energy work on my belly and my back. Um,
her mom's a witch. Yeah. Her,
my mom is a witch. I used to, when I would be mad and be like, witch, witch, you're a witch. Um,
no, no, no. I like,
thank God my mom's a witch. Right.
No, it's, there's so many powerful things. And like, I'm so happy that I was exposed to herbs and how they can heal us. You know, it's Outside and alongside Western medicine. It's been such a thing in my life and like just giving all of my friends Oregano oil and all of these things. Did you take your vitamin C today?
I I eat kiwis. Oh Sungold kiwis. Have you had those? They're
delicious.
Oh my god. It's like eating viagra
Ooh, I have some gift ideas for people. Oh my god.
You get two of those and a banana and that's a really nice gift right there.
Oh my god.
Sorry for being inappropriate. There you go guys. If anyone needed any.
Um, How did your families react to your surfing? I'm curious actually, um, because it's, it's not, uh, a common thing for people to do. And particularly in, in Rockaway, a lot of people, you know, uh, didn't do it, you know, and I'm curious like how your families have, have, uh, Uh, one accepted it, but also maybe encouraged it or discouraged it.
I'm curious, like how they've kind of responded to surfing in your life.
Yeah.
I mean, I was always in the water, like competitively swimming since I was like five. What was your stroke?
Backstroke. Was. Yeah. Love backstroke.
Um, but. At that point, my mom was like, you were swimming before you were walking. So anything that had to do with the water, my mom was pushing me in, into that thing.
So yeah, the lesson was a gift from my family. Now they're like, oh, you surf like surfer girl, but they never come to the beach ever.
Do you ever try to encourage them to like give them a lesson or anyone?
Oh, so I have family reunions with my extended family from the South. And this last family reunion was in Myrtle Beach.
And I, like, It's so southern. One of my great great uncle was like, Autumn, I don't even touch the bath water. I'm not touching the sand or the ocean. But I got some of them like three generations. I rented two boards and I got Like, a person from every generation on a Foamy, like, did a land lesson, and they were in a, like, a crowd just watching, like, it was, like, magic, like, they could have never thought that they would see something like that, see themselves on a board in the ocean.
And that was like, this is why I do what I do, because we're changing the way they think of themselves and the way they think of the ocean. You know, it was, it was wild. Healing trauma. Have you ever? Yes.
Have you ever shown them like the, the, um, the, uh, Mami Wata book and like, talk to them about like how it's part of African culture, actually, like they were surfing way before the colonists came over.
I've talked about that with some of them, but I think we underestimate the roots of this intentional disconnection of black people and the water. Yeah. Like the way. They, they're like, it doesn't even really register for them. They're like, yeah, yeah, okay, but their fear and their Their belief that they do not belong in that space is so powerful that it's like I'm speaking another language.
And so I think that, that's why Myrtle Beach was so impactful because I, I got them in the space, like I got them in the ocean rather than just saying these words to them.
It's crazy the history of Suppression. Yes. Uh, of, of, uh, black people in this country and the beaches and like be made to fear the ocean.
Like, uh, one of my best friends did this film, a documentary on the civil rights movement and its effects on, uh, town St. Augustine in Florida. Yeah. And he found archival footage of protests on the beach and bricks being thrown at them. Um, and. being abused by police officers just to have access to the water, you know, and it's like this whole reinforcement.
And, and of course, like, you know, it's just crazy, like how that's been over time. And now it's like, it becomes pervasive amongst people where they're afraid to go to the water.
So afraid, even it's built into our system, like, communities of color, they won't have access to pools or it's harder for them to get to the ocean.
So, like, not only do they have this fear of this belief, but they don't even have access to the space, you know?
Well, New York, you know, once they made them integrate pools, they shut down all the fucking pools. Right. You know? It's like,
it's so in our face. It used to be also
mandatory to learn to swim. in city schools, you know, and
it's crazy because that's what Larue Bay is fighting for, right?
And it's been so hard, like this needs to be mandatory, especially in Rockaway, like a place we are surrounded by water. It's so important that these kids know how to navigate the ocean, the water, and you got
the why right there. You got a pool there. Yes, you have scooting not far in Long Beach with their swim lesson
right there.
Uh, school as well. Like, there is. Access points to to teach. It's just so frustrating that the city doesn't encourage that And then we have a mayor who's like, defunding the lifeguards and everything, you know, the libraries, the pools and all that sort of stuff. But that's a, that's another, that's another podcast.
What about you, Farmana? Cause your, your family came from Senegal, correct? Like your, your parents. And so what was their relationship to water, uh, before you started surfing and how has it changed since you started?
Well, pre surfing, we would like, during the summertime, have family beach days. So we would all go out, like, pack a lunch and just like, play around in the water.
Me and my siblings didn't really know how to swim. And the African way of learning how to swim is to just go for it.
Yeah.
So our parents would just like, my dad would just grab us and toss us in the water. It's like
Hawaiians do that.
Yeah. Yeah. We learned to float and doggy paddle because you have to survive.
Yeah. But. Other than that, there wasn't really like much like beach time. And then my family, like you said, immigrated from Senegal. And I'm the first daughter and the first American child. So it was very interesting for all of us. It's not what they expected at all. They weren't expecting their daughter to be surfing at the beach, honestly, in swimsuits, especially like, you know, our family is very traditional, very Muslim, so it wasn't the best at first, but they like grew to understand and my siblings started doing it.
And so since all of us were at the beach together with Laura Rea, my mom would come down and she would like watch us surf sometimes, which was really cool. And. You know, now they're a lot more supportive. They see that it's not just like a waste of time. They still think it's like, what are you doing? Like get an actual job.
You're 23. All your cousins are married and have kids. You're drying up. No more proposals.
My wife had a similar growing up thing too with that. So I understand that. They'll, they'll ease up, you know?
And they did, thank God. And they still are to this day, like, I don't know how many videos of Mikey February and Sharif Fall I've forced my family to watch at this point.
I'm just like, look at him, he's African! I'm like, there's so many of us. So, you know, like, and I've gotten kinda like you, I've gotten a few family members to serve. So, like, I've gotten Three older siblings. No, two older siblings to surf and two younger siblings to surf. My dad said he'd be open to doing it in Senegal.
So for me, that's like an achievement. Can I get my dad in the water? That's
crazy. How did they respond to when you went back to Senegal and went surfing? Were they stoked on that as well? Like
Yes and no. Because in Senegal, like we travel for long term trips. So like the shortest trip I've ever done there was a month and a half.
And that was the trip that I surfed. I spent two weeks in Dakar at like one aunt's house and one uncle's house surfing every single day, taking the bus, throwing my board at like secret spot and my family hated it. Because It took so much time away from the time that I spend visiting family. Like, with the whole trip that I'm there, we are visiting family because we are all over the country.
Like, every time I go, I'm meeting another family member. Like, it never ends, actually. It's crazy. The oldest person is like, Like a hundred and something and every time I go back we go to visit her we pray with her like Offering everything like so it like takes away from that and they're just like what are you doing?
Like you're going to the beach you're surfing again. It's cool, though You know They're just like it's cool that you get to surf back home and like you're connecting with these people I took my aunt and some of my cousins to go see the beach. They would come with me,
but
you know At the end of the day they were just like, you're spending too much time surfing.
Yeah, so two weeks and I was like, done. Like, and I did not go back to
the beach. Why should your parents
be like any other parents? Were you
like, out in the water and they'd be waving you in and you're just like, ignoring them?
Thank God, no.
That was my trick. I would, my dad would be like, we're going.
Oh, I'm looking
out here.
I'm not looking there. If
my mom pops up at the beach, Laura Bea is usually there. And if she needs me at the water, they will get me. We're like, get out. It's like, hello. But it's funny. She's come to the beach and like, gotten me a bottle. Like a big empty bottle. She's like, go get me some beach water. And she'll be like, doing her like, prayers or whatever she want to do with that.
Or like, I don't know. So it's cool.
It's, it, it must be interesting, you know, being a first generation. It's interesting. You know, over here and like having to balance. Modernity, I hate saying modernity even, but like Western culture and traditional, your family's more traditional culture and having to balance that must be
kind of Traumatizing.
Yeah, I wouldn't say that, but like,
you know, create like this, this disconnect sometimes.
Yeah. You know, it was really hard for me because growing up, like, I didn't know if I was black or if I was African. Like, I had the African side of me telling me I'm American all the time. And I had the Americans at school calling me an African booty scratcher and, like, pulling my hijab off my head.
And I grew up being a hijabi. It was the pandemic that I stopped because I shaved my head. So it was, like, the one time I was finally able to just, like, rock me. And that was also, like, a big changing point in my life, because I stopped wearing my hijab and everything. That's huge. Yeah, it was crazy. What
made you want to decide to do that?
Well, I don't know. I just was like transitioning as a person. I was trying to grow up. I didn't have like a healthy attachment to it. I think I don't, my family didn't force me to wear it. Like, I remember being super young at our big class, like literally preschool and being like, I want to do it. That's all.
That's all I said. I don't know what anyone said to me. The next day, the teacher comes in with the hijabs. And I'm so excited. I take it home and now I'm permanently wearing it. And like, it's like I'm going to school just randomly out of nowhere with a hijab on one day. So like, I hated it because it like, set this image of me that people didn't even like, like you didn't even get to know who I am.
Even in like high school, like I remember like, Going to the 9 11 memorial was the worst school trip ever because all my friends are online my friends They're just like oh you better watch out for me, and I'm just like I don't even want to be here right now Yeah, so like I just had to I think I really needed to let that go to like embrace myself Cuz for so long I was just like I don't know
it's hard with the Islamophobia out there Really is really and for you you're you're kind of Doing double duty almost or triple duty.
I'm a
black female Muslim. Yeah Generation
right like you're dealing with with also the biases from your family towards being In this Western world, too. Like, that's a lot.
So it's like, it's kind of never perfect for anyone. But I got to a point where I was just like, if I'm happy, then I don't really care what anybody else feels like.
I'm not going to, like, ruin anybody else's life. And like, I grew up and I finally realized, like, my parents aren't doing anything to harm me. Every single thing that they do in this world is to give me a better life. It's all out of love. And so, like, that changed, like, my outlook on a lot also, like, on the religion.
I'm trying to, like, find my own connection to God right now. I've been, like, reading the Quran, listening to the English version. I was raised, like, learning how to read Arabic. I can, like, still recite so many surahs. I can do all my du'as and everything. But it's, like, now I'm doing it in my own way. So that's nice, you know?
Even, like, the blackness in me, like, what is black to me? Like, black is not just like, what it's described to be ghetto, ratchet, loud, or whatever. There's no monolith.
Exactly. There's no, you know. It's so ridiculous to think like, Oh, they all think this way. And it's like, no, there's so much diversity within the community.
And sometimes like our politicians get it so wrong and just apply a generality to everything, you know, even people
in the community. I think we forget, like there's, there's not one thing, like we can be all things and we're still black, but it's just such a belief outside of the Our community and within, I think it makes it hard.
And then you gotta deal with the bias of being a longboarder. I was gonna You know, it's like, forget about it, you know? The
hard life. I'm sorry I'm catching all the waves on a one foot day. On
a one foot day. What were you gonna say, Farmi? I was gonna say,
it's crazy too, cause like, even on the blackness part, I was working at a school.
We were working at a school together, actually. And I would tell all my kids, like, this was in Far Rockaway. Uh, 43. It's a very, like, low income school, low budget. These kids don't even have, like, like, soccer teams. They have no track team, no soccer team, no basketball team, like, nothing. It's
crazy. The
water in the school is, like, shut down from lead poisoning.
So they're always, like, going to teachers and, like, asking for water. Like, it's wild. And then, like, I brought my surfboard one day and we all practiced pop ups. I should have brought a foamy. I brought a hardtop. Big mistake. Big mistake. Big mistake.
It happens.
But it was so cool, because I remember like the day before I brought it, they were like, You're white.
And I was like, Excuse me? I was like, Girl, I grew up going to school with your auntie, a block away from where you live. I see you every single day on my way home. Mary, what are you talking about? Mary?
Wow.
And so I was just like, take these pamphlets that I got from Aiden about like, it's like a black superhero and like, the history and the water and everything like that and like, just try to do a pop up.
And it took a little while for them to just get on the board even, because they're like kids, they're goofballs. But it was cool that they all were like, open to trying it. And some of them were even like, I would be down to try surfing maybe? Yeah. You know?
It's funny how the social constructs that are out there create these walls, this tunnel vision of what you can What you can be and what you, you know, what you want to, you know, it's like really limiting sometimes.
Yeah, but I think that's why La Rubea is so important because like no matter what at any stage of your life like I was in college and La Rubea, just the community and the access to people who are doing something that they love and that I loved, like it allowed me to dream big. It allowed, it allowed me to like see a different path that I could take and now I'm doing it.
It also empowered me to do that. I think that's the goal. Like everyone in the organization is like, I, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing if it weren't for La Rubea.
Yeah. It's, you know, and with surfing and, and in particular, I think it's like a great thing because it, opens your eyes to so many things.
You're like, I could be a marine biologist and still go surfing. I could be a school teacher and have summers off. I could be all these things because you're, your number one goal is to go surfing. So you're trying to think of any different way to be connected to it or have access to it. And so that becomes a driving factor as opposed to monetary or social status or whatever that We're all kind of trained to do, you know, uh, when we're in school and it's like, no, I want to pursue this and I'm going to try whatever way I can to pursue that.
Yeah. My favorite is when like people are like, yeah, I quit my job. Yeah. I'm just like, yeah. Yes. Yes.
Quit your job. I've downsized my life so I could surf more. And you're like. That's rich to me. That's wealthy, you know? Mm
hmm.
Um, can we just touch on what a legend Aiden is, and can we just talk a little bit about who he is as a person, and what role he's played in your life?
Because I think, I really was hoping he could join us too in this, but, you know, he's, he's got responsibilities. Uh, but, I want to pay tribute to what a freaking awesome guy he is. He's so warm, and I just think he's, Awesome. So I was hoping you guys can speak.
Love that name.
Yeah. Go ahead,
Autumn. I for the past year have seen Aiden basically every day. Just working, yeah, working with La Rubea on La Rubea, trying to just It has it's everything and Aiden created something that is changing everyone's life
Changing our whole community changing
our whole community like from when I first got into the water in Rockaway to now It's so different.
The lineup looks different and that's all because of what Aiden has started. Um, so I think, like, that's just enough, but also the role and the responsibilities that he takes on within the community. We call him Papa Surf because he actually does take on the responsibility of being a father figure in everyone's life.
Like, I have now been exposed to this dynamic of Aiden and Serafina not only as, like, like, Wife and husband, mother and, and father, like experiencing those dynamics just for myself in a different way. Like, Oh, like I didn't have a great relationship with my father. And so watching this man, like, be like, Oh, you have a doctor's appointment.
Let me take you here. Or like, what's going on? Like, are you okay? Checking in all of these different things. And then also just empowering me within my career and within surfing, I see it within my own life. Like, but like, how many people he's done that with is incredible. Insane.
And it's my dad. I try not to try not to make my like given family jealous because of how much time I spent with Aiden and Serafina.
And like just how much I do with them. But he literally is like, like, he's proper surf. He adopts every single person that comes through that program is adopted by Aiden and Serafina. It's kind of like initiation. Like, if they don't vibe with you, you know,
Yes, our parents. Yeah, those are our parents. Yeah, they feed us.
Like,
they, they like, do everything, so. I don't know, like, they literally changed my life. Like, I would not be who I am today without Aiden and Serafina. They're the reason I was able to surf, cause they advocated for me. Aiden would literally show up at my door. Or like, my mom would be calling him and Serafina all the time to make sure I was actually going surfing.
And like, he was always there. So, he, like, he literally is the reason I'm here. Have you
ever had any, like, Adam might kind of be also discipline you in some ways, also. All the time.
Girls, stop fighting! Oh yeah, we do have those moments. Girls, stop fighting! Or like, deadlines, like,
Autumn, are you, like, hello?
Are you gonna do this? And you're like, that's already done. Yeah,
or even like serious moments, like, if we're having like, a tough time, like, I've had Aiden sit me down and be like, you need to get a therapist. He's just like, Like life is hard and there's certain things that we can't control But this is just something that will help you and it'll make things just a little more easy for you And he'll like I've cried to Aiden before, you know, like and I'm just like you really Thank you Aiden, you don't know how amazing you are Waking my snot and tears and he's just like I don't know what to do with you girls.
I'm just a man
I got those moments like I tend to be someone who goes non stop and I like run myself. I like to feel busy I like to feel productive like yes And there are moments where Aiden is just like, No, you need to stop. Like, I can't watch you get sick. And it happened. Like, I was sick for six weeks this summer.
And like, or in September. And I'm like, slowly coming back from that. But there was a moment where Aiden was like, I watched you do this to yourself. Like, enough is enough, you know?
I, I think he is a surfer I strive, would like to be, you know, he's a really good goal to kind of be, you know, he may not physically surf really as much.
We're changing that.
Oh, excellent.
Well, we have to use Slack.
Yes.
I hate Slack, um, but yes. I love Slack. You don't like
Slack?
No. Do a little
jiffy, you know, random gifs just pop up and it's inappropriate and you're like, whoops. Thanks.
Maybe I'm not using it in the way that Aiden just needs to get an
iPhone.
That's the truth. And everything will be so much easier.
Yeah. There's a reason probably for that, right? That he doesn't. But I, I don't know. Like, I think you don't have to be a surfer.
No.
To, like, physically surfing to be a surfer. You know? Like, and I think he embodies that. Like, that's what That's what surfing should be.
He, he reminds me of some of the older guys that I grew up surfing with who took me under the wing and were there for me for a lot of, a lot of things during my teenage years. You know, we used to have this guy. In Long Beach, Big Ed. And just this big old bald guy who was just like, Tyler, my boy! You know?
And it was always just so warm in the lineup. And then we would talk and like, you know, I would give him advice because he was going through a divorce and I was trying to help him with his kids. And you'd give me advice and it was like, these were the people who mentored many of us and were, were great.
And I think he's, you know, Aiden is just in that same mold, you know? He's grown. You don't have to surf to be a surfer, I think.
No. There's not many people like Aiden in this world.
No.
It's like, they're like, I've traveled to so many corners of the world at this point. And like, there's only Maybe one other person that reminds me of Aiden, but like Aiden is just like a special.
Yeah,
I love that I
wish there were more of him. I know the world would be a better. Well, well, it's
a ripple effect you guys are embodying that as well and everyone who goes through Larabea is Experiencing that and whether they take all of it or bits of it. That's all sometimes you need, you know, and it's like it's like Surf style, you know Like, you see someone you like, you copy a little bit of it, but you make your own as well.
That's how I see it. You know, Aiden has his own style, and everyone's pulling from that influence. You know, it's like, Wayne Rabbit Bartholomew influenced Tom Kern, who influenced Kelly Slater and John John, and it all, you know, everyone takes a little bit and then makes it their own. And I think that's important.
Yeah, absolutely. So
guys, here's the time to shamelessly plug everything.
Wonderful.
Where can people find you? And where can they find La Rubea? And how can they sign up for this, uh, the totally ghoulish costume surf contest?
You want to plug Giving Tuesday? Yes. So, Larabea, yes, we have our Halloween contest that we want you all to come out to, but also we are coming into our Giving Tuesday campaign, one of our annual campaigns, and, you know, Larabea does so much for the community, but we're moving into a phase where we're trying to create sustainability, right?
And we can only do that through finances as an org, and so we're just really trying to move forward. Engage the community, but also build the sustainability. So Giving Tuesday, if you can, you know, just stay on, like, tuned in to our page. Come out for the events. We're doing online events, in person events, trying to spread the word.
Um, that would be really awesome.
Armada, where can people find you and your Ricky Beach Club line and other stuff we need to, to maybe promote?
Um, you can find me on Instagram at barbie underscore. Underscore Autumn Kitchens.
Oh, I see what you guys did there.
Or on the Larabea page, honestly. I'm always at the beach.
Um, working with, can I? Can I speak about the Surfers in Solidarity? Yes, let's
do that, please.
Yeah, so also on the 20th, Surfers in Solidarity and Rockaway for Ceasefire is going to be having their second paddle out for Gaza Beach Club.
Yes.
Uh, so we're going to be fundraising, we're going to be doing surf lessons for Gaza.
Rachel, my new board sponsor, is going to be doing a custom board. Rachel Lord, our lord and savior. Our lord and savior, join the cult. It's a vibe, it really is. But yeah, you can win a custom board for like 20 bucks to 50 bucks and you are helping to make the world a better place You're helping people that are going through it right now And you're just making a change in your own way.
And if you need to find me anywhere else, you know, just hit me up
I just want to touch on that a little bit more like listeners like this is you know, the money is going to help people who are just barely surviving in Gaza who need access to food money and which is Not getting in in any way, but there's still like a black market economy happening over there Mm hmm, and it's really really bad and these the Palestinian community is being decimated and it's it's absolutely heartbreaking to watch every day on social media and I I Absolutely want this ceasefire and this is just not Just heartbreaking to see.
I, I, I mean, I wish I could talk more. It's just so painful to kind of discuss. So these events I think are really important. One, to give back, but also for all of us to come together as a community to support each other. Because I know, I think all of us are going through something who are, are clued into this and are, you know, paying attention to it.
And we are, you know, we need to support each other. And I think many of us have isolated ourselves because of this, because we're afraid to speak up about it. We're afraid of interacting with people that may not agree with us on this. And I know a lot of us have stayed indoors or are protesting, but many of us are scared to be social about it.
And this is really good to come out and just, you know, Connect with other people, you know, so I'm really glad that you guys are doing this and I'll be there for sure. Yes Yeah, absolutely. And then on that note, there might be some waves too. Yeah this weekend And And I just want to thank everyone for listening here and please go support La Rubea, particularly because it's an amazing organization.
Um, please come out for the solidarity and surf event on the 20th. And, um, listeners just want to thank you all for coming on and listening to us here. Got to thank Joe, our engineer. Yeah. And Newsstands Studio in Rockefeller Center in the heart of Manhattan. Keep making us sound good and watching all these tourists walk by us is hilarious.
I don't know about you guys, but I feel like we're on the Today Show a little
bit. Someone dropped! That was taking pictures of you! Oh my god, yes!
Hi! You should have started posing! We're having a lot of fun here!
Check out my next shoot! She's like, wait, let me put my lips close.
Yeah, I know. Wait, let me do my hair.
Hold on a sec. Hello!
Good
night! But,
uh, yeah. Yeah. And, uh, listeners don't forget to check out Swell Season Surf Radio at swellseasonsurfradio. com or at swellseasonsurfradio and, um, yeah. And, uh, guys, thank you so much for coming on and getting up early to come down here. It was just such a fun conversation and like autumn.
So like farming, we've talked a lot, but farming, uh, autumn, we haven't as much and it's been really enjoyable getting to, to know you more here. Um, and, uh, yeah, we'll check you all down the line soon.