PSIA-AASI and NBS Partner to Help Make Snowsports More Inclusive
PSIA-AASI recently partnered with the National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS), the largest Black ski organization in the world, to help promote diversity on the slopes and to make snowsports more welcoming and inclusive.
The two-year partnership will provide NBS instructors with financial support to pursue their professional development and instructor education for Level I certification in any skiing or snowboard discipline (adaptive, alpine, cross country, snowboard, or telemark) of their choice.
“Partnering with NBS will help PSIA-AASI encourage and support Black skiers and to pursue opportunities to teach skiing and snowboarding,” said PSIA-AASI Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Herrin. “We’re excited for this opportunity to help more instructors obtain their PSIA-AAS certification.”
PSIA-AASI and NBS will also work together to develop education content and stories to share with each other’s organization. PSIA-AASI will share content on how to improve your skiing, riding, and teaching skills, and NBS will help educate PSIA-AASI members about diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.
“In March 2005, I decided to become a member of PSIA-AASI, which opened a door to a wealth of knowledge, fundamentals, and concepts. It was a side of skiing I was previously not privy to and it gave me a new opportunity to learn and improve,” said Henri Rivers, president of the National Brotherhood of Skiers. “As an enthusiast, instructor, and coach, I’m drawn to the exhilaration of sliding on snow. That feeling you get when you make awesome turns on a steep pitch, when you turn around and look up at a challenging trail and want to give it another try, or the look of indescribable joy and excitement on the face of a first-time snow slider.”
“The ultimate thrill of nature and the wide-open outdoors is appealing; it transcends every race, gender, and religion,” said Rivers. “The outdoors is the greatest attraction on earth.”