Ana Rahlves, amiga and surfer from Colombia, shares her experience of growing up in Colombia, relocating to California and learning to surf, and her experience involved in the Colombian surfing community. Ana talks about growing up in Colombia during the civil war and the impact it had on her perception of normalcy, as well as the current situation in Colombia and misperceptions regarding tourism. Ana supports local kids in a small surf town on the Pacific coast of Colombia, and is attempting to promote surfing in the country to provide new opportunity for residents. Ana also discusses her swi ..read more

Chloe Piester, the social media manager for Surf With Amigas, shares her journey from being an amiga on a retreat to becoming a surf instructor and later pioneering SWA's online marketing techniques. In this episode we chat about Chloe's recent trip to Indonesia and how it improved her surfing confidence, we reflect on her early days with Surf With Amigas and the sense of community she found living with other instructors, and also learn about her experience living in Nicaragua during COVID-19 and the strong surf culture in the area. This episode teaches us about grabbing life by the horns and ..read more

Lena, the founder of Coldwater Sirens, shares her experience of surfing in Denmark and creating inclusivity in the surf community. Coldwater Sirens is an organization that aims to create an inclusive and empowering surf community through surf camps and coaching. In this episode we chat about cold water surfing and its benefits, Lena's story and experiences within surf camps, and how to build resilience in surfing.  Connect with us at https://surfwithamigas.com/ or @surfwithamigas. Episodes produced and edited by Emma Roggenkamp ..read more

In this conversation, Holly and Danielle Zirk discuss motherhood, surfing, and the challenges faced by mothers in the surf industry. Danielle shares her journey of becoming a mother, how she managed without having had a mom herself, and her passion for art and what it represents. We also share advice for those with complicated relationships with their mothers, and emphasize the importance of connecting with oneself and trusting one's instincts. Connect with us at https://surfwithamigas.com/ or @surfwithamigas. Episodes produced and edited by Emma Roggenkamp ..read more

Serena Brooke, a former professional surfer, discusses her transition from pro surfer to mom life and reflects on the early days of women's pro surfing. She shares her journey of getting into surfing, becoming a pro surfer, and the camaraderie and adventures that she experienced on tour. We dive into the history of women's surfing and compare the tour now to how it was in the mid to late nineties, without the scrutiny of social media. We also chat about life transitions, being a mom and how it affects our priorities and perspective of surfing.  Connect with us at https://surfwithamigas.co ..read more

In today's conversation, Holly and former pro surfer Alana Brennan discuss their experiences as female surfers and the challenges they faced in the industry. They chat about femininity and sex appeal in surfing and how it affected their careers, as well as the changing landscape of the sport. Alana shares her journey from growing up in Hawaii to becoming sponsored by Billabong and the pressure to balance being an athlete and model while also navigating her personal relationships. Overall, the conversation highlights the evolution of women's surfing, the importance of acceptance, representation ..read more

Maddie Stone, a cybersecurity researcher and hacker, discusses her surf journey, her experience working in the tech industry,  and her recent decision to relocate to Central America. We chat about the culture in both tech and surfing, stereotypes, the challenges Maddie faced as someone who identifies as a plus-size female, and how she strived to embrace her own style and identity. Maddie's story emphasizes the importance of finding a supportive community, standing up for yourself, embracing your idiosyncrasies and working hard.  Connect with us at https://surfwithamigas.com/ or @sur ..read more

Chelsea, a single mom and avid traveler, shares her experiences of traveling with her kids and surfing around the world. She started documenting her family adventures after taking a trip to South Africa with her baby and toddler. Even after her divorce, Chelsea and her ex-husband continued to travel with their kids and found ways to make it work. Our chat emphasizes the importance of not letting the challenges of single parenthood stop you from living a life of adventure. We discuss the struggles of balancing surfing and parenting, travel stories with kids, and offer tips for other parents. Ab ..read more

Today's conversation with clinical social worker Karen Lane covers various topics including self-empathy, nonviolent communication, and how surfing can be a medium for understanding ourselves and our communication practices. Karen shares her surfing story and highlights the importance of understanding and meeting our own needs. We chat about various exercises used to explore different ways of thinking about triggering situations. Our reactions can often be compartmentalized into four categories: blaming others, blaming oneself, empathizing with others, and empathizing with oneself. By noticing ..read more

Today we chat with talk to Alex White, a skateboarder, brand consultant, media and content producer and global advocate for women’s/non-binary and queer folks. We chat about her story and how she got into the sport in the 90s, social differences between pro skateboarding and surfing, style changes throughout the years, how skating can help your surfing and visa versa, and finally the challenges faced by women and LGBTQ+ individuals in the sport. We also touch on reframing sponsorship and contests in the surf and skate worlds, and offer some tips for those interested in getting into skateboardi ..read more