The Vermont sailing camp aims to promote diversity and inclusivity in the historically white sport

BURLINGTON, Vt. (CBS) – When you think of summer camp, you probably think of sports like archery, swimming and sailing. But sailing can often feel out of reach for many families, especially in communities of color. This statistic may surprise you: only 1.1% of the country’s sailing population is diverse.

CBS news reporter Adriana Diaz took to the water to see how a sailing camp is trying to change that in a state that has one of the least diverse populations in the country — Vermont.

Siblings Robert and Mabel White are used to going their own way.

Robert White: People just seem surprised.

Adriana Diaz: Why do you think you’re surprised?

Robert White: Because I’m the only black guy who sails.

Mabel White: Um.

They are usually one of the few minorities to see them sailing the shimmering Lake Champlain between Vermont and New York.

Robert White: It’s a refreshing feeling to just be out on the lake and sailing.

Adriana Diaz: Does it help clear your head?

Robert and Mabel White: (together) Yes.

The teenagers have been sailing since they were 6 years old. Now they are in a camp trying to change the face of sailing, which is often seen as too white, too expensive, elitist and historically exclusive.

“We’re undoing the damage done to the sport by a ‘Whites Only’ sign on the front door of a yacht club,” said Owen Milne, executive director of the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center. “If ‘sailing’ is our middle name, ‘community’ is our first name.

To better live up to that first name, the center last year began offering a free sailing camp to children from all backgrounds, to better reflect this community rich in refugees and immigrants from countries like Nepal and Congo.

Adriana Diaz: What was the racial composition of the camp before this initiative?

Owen Milne: We might have had five or six kids for a whole summer.

Adriana Diaz: Colored kids?

Owen Milne: And that was out of 500. And now we’re…

Adriana Diaz: Wow.

Owen Milne: Right? Five or six out of 500 is not okay. We’re on track to hopefully reach 25% in the next few years and we believe we can achieve that.

To get there, the camp began advertising in seven different languages, including Arabic, Somali and Nepali, to find campers like Syrian-born Adam Alamatouri.

“We’re kayaking. We can sail for free and it’s a lot of fun just to get in the water. I used to be afraid of water, but now I could just jump in,” Alamaturi said with a smile.

The idea for the camp to address its diversity issue came after the national reckoning following the murder of George Floyd.

“It is unfortunate that it took an uprising for this to enter our consciousness. But the reality is we don’t want it to slip away from us. That’s why we made this promise to these families that will last for decades,” Milne said.

The goal is to reach as many children as possible, not only to get them navigating the water, but to give them the quick thinking that life requires.

Donations help various students like Finn Sonstrom, whose mother is Mexican and Native American, with a month of sailing camp for four years in a row. That usually costs almost $7,000.

Finn Shonstrom: When my mom said to me, “Four weeks, four years,” I said, “Wait, wait, wait, wait. You must be doing something wrong. That’s crazy.’ And how, and it’s free. Like, yes, of course I will.

Adriana Diaz: It sounded too good to be true?

Finn Schonstrom: Yes.

“We actually promise to make it free for life. And then when they’re 15, they can work here as junior coaches,” Milne said. “In the end there are great employees.”

…and the chance to help the sport spread its sails.

Mabel White: It’s nice to see other people getting involved.

Adriana Diaz: Other black people.

Mabel White: Yes. So more colored kids can experience it.

Adriana Diaz: The magic of being on the water?

Mabel White: Yes.

Adriana Diaz: It’s pretty magical, isn’t it?

Mabel White: Uh-huh.

Robert White: Uh-huh.

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