Breaking Down Barriers In Sports and Business

1 - Black Sand Surf

A trio of young Black creatives, Justin "Brick" Howze, Gage Crismond and Tre'lan Michael started this surf and arts collective amid the pandemic in August 2020 to spread awareness about being Black in a predominantly white sport. Then a racist attack on Howze and Crismond at the Manhattan Beach Pier in Los Angeles last February turned them from advocates to activists. The attack underscored the anti-Black history of both the seaside town and the greater California surf culture. But the trio used the moment to their advantage, organizing a “Peace Paddle” at the location of the incident and drawing the support of dozens of surfers from all walks of life.

2 - Gigi Lucas

If it’s tough being Black in surfing, it’s an even lonelier pursuit if you’re a woman of color. But Lucas, the daughter of a Gold Coast catamaran sailor, was “hooked” from the moment she tried surfing in Costa Rica while visiting for a friend’s wedding. Her father mentored her, and she’s now doing the same for a generation of female Black surfers through her nonprofit, SurfearNEGRA, which raises money to help them go to surf camp, and in the process diversify the sport.

3 - Nasima Akter

Only 67 percent of Bangladeshi girls attend high school and roughly two-thirds are married by the age of 18. Akter — whose family pressured her to take to prostitution at the age of 7 to support them — decided to chase a different future … by chasing the waves of the Bay of Bengal. Now in her early 20s, Akter has ignited a growing turn to surfing among teenage girls born into poverty. They’re challenging social norms and expectations each time they step into the water and onto their boards.

1 - Joseph Areruya

The Rwandan traversed Hell. In 2019, the then 23-year-old became the first Black African rider to start and finish the Paris-Roubaix, a one-day road race in France known as the “Hell of the North.” That year Areruya was named African Cyclist of the Year, thanks to victorious races in Gabon, Cameroon and his native Rwanda. His country has in recent years emerged as an unlikely hub for champion racers. Areruya is the tip of Rwanda’s cycling spear.

2 - Ayesha McGowan

She is the first female African American pro cyclist at the elite level, joining Liv Racing as a trainee on their UCI Women’s World Tour team in August 2020 — fulfilling a dream the 35-year-old chased for years, while also raising the names of others as an activist for greater equity in the sport. Her team, A Quick Brown Fox, which hosted “Thee Abundance Summit” for Black and brown cyclists last March (and will do so again this April), continues to pave the way for others following in her treadmarks.

3 - Josh Hartman

The American son of Guyanese immigrants fell short of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, but his time in the saddle has already been inspirational for many. Growing up next to Brownsville, the same gritty New York neighborhood that birthed Mike Tyson, Hartman almost died in a 2013 crash that left him in a coma for two weeks and later became the focus of an ESPN documentary. He still bears the scars of that fall on his face, yet has overcome obstacles both visible and invisible to become one of America’s best track sprinters.

Watch Matt James As He Goes Go Deep on Love and Race

1 - Li Ning

The legendary Chinese gymnast-turned-billionaire sportswear businessman turned his gaze last year to the big craze in the world of finance, planning a special purpose acquisition company. A $250 million IPO on the New York Stock Exchange might sound like a bold jump for most ... but the six-time medalist at the 1984 Olympics knows how to make difficult moves look easy.

2 - Fabiola Molina

A three-time Olympian, the Brazilian swimmer never liked the suits she had to wear during competitions. So Molina, who is also fond of fashion, decided to design her own swimsuits, developing the now-popular two-piece Brazilian “sunkini.” Today, she runs a popular swimwear brand with customers in 12 other countries across the world.

3 - Haile Gebrselassie

When he takes something on, you know he’s in it for the long run. The iconic Ethiopian long-distance runner with two Olympic golds and four World Championships has built a post-retirement business empire spanning hotels, coffee plantations, car dealerships and a cinema hall. But he still finds time for a run every morning at 5 a.m. He knows the key to success often lies in pacing oneself.