TEAM BLACKSTAR

Don’t wait for the conditions to be right. If you see something you want to try, go for it. You may even inspire someone else along the way!

Creating balance in your life can be tricky. Here are some reflections on my experience creating an amazing balance in my own life—one that takes into consideration work, play, and especially rest—as well as the work it took to get there.

Nicholas Walker is an African American competitive skydiver with ten years in the sport and over 1,050 jumps. He’s also a 3rd generation military veteran who first learned how to survive, adapt and thrive through a childhood that spanned two continents, six schools and almost losing a parent—twice.

Kyra Poh's distinct style of indoor skydiving is the product of immense dedication and over 300 hours of body flight in wind tunnels across the world. In between busy training and competition schedules, Kyra graciously spent some time sharing her thoughts about her journey thus far—her recent projects, sources of inspiration, and creative process.

"No, but where are you really from?" is just part of the lived experience of Women of Color in outdoor adventure sports. We're a minority within minority that enjoys both the best, worst and weirdest aspects of giving your heart to the outdoors. Today we're talking to four Women of Color who spend their weekends in free fall from 13,000 ft to hear their perspectives on balancing multiple hyphenated identities in the skies. 

We're back with five Women of Color speaking about our experiences within the skydiving community.

The process that happens right before one makes a skydive is quite marvelous. You draw up a plan for the dive (or in some cases there is no plan at all). Safety check and don your gear before boarding the plane. The plane ride up is a different experience for different people but it oscillates between, napping/ taking in the nice views/ actually thinking of the jump/ or wondering what I'm going to have for dinner later.

I'm most acutely aware of how much I stand out whenever I travel to a new drop-zone. I usually groan inwardly while well meaning staff ask me if I'm here for a tandem or try repeatedly to steer me towards the tandem classroom despite the gear bag, helmet bag and logbook in hand which typically signal "experienced jumper." Later, if a staff member wants to know "did you enjoy your skydive" in the overly saccharine tone reserved for the recently converted, I nod and play along.