Lauren finishing on the junior podium in the super-G at the 2013 U.S. Nationals at the former Squaw Valley, CA and wrapping up her season with an invite to join the U.S. Ski Team. Photo: Photo: Harry Caston “I DON’T THINK IT SHOULD BE DISREGARDED THAT GETTING MORE KIDS AND ATHLETES FROM ALL ASPECTS OF DIVERSITY WILL, ONE, EXPAND OUR TALENT POOL, AND TWO, MAKE IT STRONGER.”—LAUREN SAMUELS Of the 200 full-time employees of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, just two are people of color (not including Lauren, who holds a volunteer position). So the association hired an agency to conduct an internal audit to assess shortcomings with regard to diversity and inclusion. They’re now in the midst of finalizing a strategic plan to implement changes across everything from recruiting and hiring practices to training and education to working with a wider range of community partners. “It’s clear when you look at our public-facing content, we’re pretty limited in our representation. If someone can’t see themselves in that material, then how can they feel like they belong?” Adams says. “In a perfect world, if all of this is successful, the next generation will experience a more welcoming, accessible and diverse sport that more closely represents American demographics.” Rivers is also on the committee. “Skiing is the epitome of white privilege,” Rivers says. “You have to have money to do this sport. Can you imagine if we had a diverse, inclusive pool of talented athletes in skiing? The U.S. would destroy Norway at the Olympics. We could do that. We would also help expose so many more of our children to the outdoors.” Lauren thinks the committee’s efforts are just the begin-ning. “Are we making progress in terms of getting people in this organization and this sport to see that this matters and they have to do something? Yes, I think so,” Lauren says. “It’s important progress, but there’s so much more to do.” In a July 2021 virtual discussion hosted by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association about how to improve racial diversity in snowsports, Lauren was the youngest panelist. “I do believe there is some ingrained racism in our sport, and in some people in our sport,” she said in the call, later adding, “I don’t think it should be disregarded that getting more kids and athletes from all aspects of diversity will, one, expand our talent pool, and two, make it stronger.” Lauren would love to see ski resorts cater to a broader demographic of people with more inclusive marketing cam-paigns, a wider array of food and entertainment offerings and more inclusive pricing. She’d like to see outdoor companies not just market to more diverse consumers, but also design products for a diverse target customer. She’d like to see more ski companies partner with local organizations that help get new people into skiing—and keep them engaged in the sport. She understands the need for both bottom-up and top-down strategies for meaningful changes to occur. “Everyone deserves to have access, comfort and belonging in any sport and outdoor space, including skiing,” Lauren says. “We’re not there yet. Everyone deserves to be able to explore new places and themselves, and that’s my mission. I want the outdoors to not just be diverse, but to be welcoming, too.” Lauren Samuels 079
The Ski Journal Volume 15, Issue 2: Page 79
