You don’t hear about young girls like Senetneb Theba and Brionie Wakooli every day. These two Black girls from Minnesota are single-handedly diversifying the faces of winter sports. Both have qualified for the USASA Nationals Championships. Simply put, Theba and Wakooli are nationally ranked Black alpine snowboarders in their respective age groups.
Their presence on the slopes is significant. According to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), 60,000 people visited the mountains for skiing or snowboarding during the 2023/24 season. Another NSAA report revealed that only 1% of the mountain population identified as Black or African American. It’s not lost on either of these young women that they represent that 1%—or approximately 600.
“Personally, I have seen maybe two people of color at the North American races,” Wakooli tells Travel Noire.
“I’ve seen more people of color in Minnesota,” says Theba. “I traveled for a regional competition last year in Alpine Valley, and I was the only one.”
Theba and Wakooli are part of a growing community of people of color in Minneapolis that defies the perception that Black and Brown people do not participate in winter sports. The community, Melanin In Motion, was founded by Theba’s dad, Anthony Taylor. He organizes events year-round in Minnesota, but there’s a particular emphasis on helping communities of color in the Twin Cities find joy below 32 degrees.
Black Minnesotans represent approximately 8% of the population and are underrepresented in outdoor sports. Taylor is on a mission to change that through Melanin In Motion. The organization aims to build access, equity, and visibility in outdoor sports for communities historically underrepresented in snow sports.
“These young women are not only elite athletes—they are also leaders and changemakers,” said Taylor. “They embody the spirit of inclusion and representation in outdoor sports, and we are proud to support them as they compete on a national stage.”
Why Alpine Snowboarding
The main objective in alpine snowboarding is getting downhill as fast as possible and moving through gates, typically markers or poles with flags attached to identify the course. There are five main types of alpine snowboarding. Theba and Wakooli participate in either Slalom, when the gates are spaced close together, or Giant Slalom, when athletes race down a course marked by gates spaced farther apart. They also compete in boarder-cross disciplines, which usually involves four to six competitors racing down a course.
Before snowboarding, Theba was a skier. Her older brother, who was also successful in snowboarding at her age, introduced her to the sport.
“I did switch because of my brother, but he participated in a different discipline than I do,” says Theba, who adds that she didn’t feel pressure from her family to switch gears. “I do it because I enjoy it more than anything. It’s fun and gives me something that sticks out [in conversations].
Wakooli was introduced to alpine snowboarding when someone mentioned it could be used to cross-train for other disciplines. She realized shortly after that she enjoyed it.
“I put on hard boots for the first time, and I fell in love with a whole new sport and aspect,” says Wakooli, who has loved racing since she was a kid.
According to Taylor, participating in alpine and border cross racing immediately puts Theba and Wakooli on the international stage.
Diversifying The Faces Of Winter Sports
These two women are on different journeys. Wakooli, who is 17 and a senior, is already planning to train in Australia, Canada, or Europe.
“I want to be doing the world cup races in Europe and hopefully have some top 20 and 10 finishes,” says Wakooli.
Theba is only 14 and does not yet qualify for the Snowboard Alpine Junior World races. She wants to continue to make it to nationals and eventually junior worlds like Wakooli. According to Taylor, junior worlds are the first step to a world competition. Most young racers have to be 17 to qualify.
While on different paths, they are in one race together—inspiring future generations to participate and compete in winter sports. When Theba and Wakooli are not training for a competition, both are committed coaches and mentors in Melanin In Motion’s winter programming, which focuses on girls, girls of color, immigrant families, and low-to-moderate-income communities. A group of young girls between nine and 12 is ready to follow in their footsteps, which Theba and Wakooli are excited about.
“We need more people always in Alpine, especially people of color,” says Wakooli, who adds that the snowboarding community has welcomed her and her family. “It’s an amazing experience to be on a snowboard and race.”
“This gives you a chance to make a lot of really cool like connections,” Theba adds. “Alpine feels different than many other disciplines because you’re racing against the clock and yourself.”
