On the Oregon Coast, a pro surfer and tribal members connect through ocean waves

On an overcast day in late summer, Kelly Potts sits cross-legged on her surfboard talking to a group of people who are eager to surf for the first time. They listen intently as she explains what’s in store for their introductory lesson at a retreat intended for members of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.

“Not only are we gonna teach you how to get up to your feet, we’re gonna teach you how to get back down to your board,” Potts says. “I call it finishing like a pro.”

The group is situated on a sparsely populated section of Otter Rock Beach south of Depoe Bay. Through the misty air, surfers can be seen dotting the ocean, bobbing up and down and waiting to catch a wave.

People travel from far and wide to take advantage of the diverse surfing enclaves along the Oregon Coast. Unfortunately, there’s a noticeable lack of diversity in these surfing communities, which are often situated in and around Indigenous ancestral lands and coastlines. Potts, a professional surfer, is seeking to change that by offering free surfing retreats to tribal members through an organization she founded called All Are We Water Collective.

One of those members, Kimberly Lane, sits across from Potts as the group wraps up their beach lesson before heading into the ocean. Lane says the partnership brings a sense of kinship and connection to the tribe.