National Brotherhood of Snowsports holds summit in Colorado, reaches out to next generation
The National Brotherhood of Snowsports has a simple mission: "To identify, develop and support athletes of color who will win international and Olympic winter sports competitions representing the United States and to increase participation in winter sports."
There's a reason the group believes there needs to be support for athletes of color on the slopes.
"When I come out, when I'm not with the NBS, I don't see many people that look like me," David Butler, racing and competition chair for the 2025 NBS Summit, said Tuesday.
The organization has been working to create a more diverse landscape across snow sports and at ski resorts for 52 years now, and Butler said they've made great progress, but the group is starting to face a new problem.
"Our demographic of those that have been coming has been getting older and older over time," Butler said. "Our theme for this week is legacy, we talk about legacy and legends. Legends, the folks who've been doing it a while, the legacy, because we need to reach out to that next generation and make sure that we bringing them on board because they have to take the mantle and take this forward."
It's a goal snowboarder Amber Davis, who's currently ranked No. 1 in halfpipe with USASA, has taken up, too.
"I kid you not, I've been in the industry since 2018 and I didn't even know I could compete," Davis admitted. "Then I saw someone do it and I'm like, 'I guess I'm doing this.'"
She says leading by example is her strategy to help foster people of color on the mountain, and let others know there are barriers, but it's possible if you want to explore it.
"Exposure is a really important aspect of sports as well, just seeing someone that looks like you try it ... it makes you want to try it, too."
The organization spent time Tuesday rocking out at one of the bases of Keystone, hosting the first ever NBS Rail Jam. The group spends a week each February meeting and hoping to grow.
