I spend a lot of my life moving, on and off my board.

Early mornings begin with getting to the mountain, being in the car with the TDI squad, and figuring things out as we go. Even in completely different places, those moments feel familiar, even with everything around us changing.

There have been countless flights, trains, mountains, countries, new faces, and new places I never thought I’d see. The lifestyle can look hectic from an outsider’s perspective, but over time, it starts to feel normal. There’s a rhythm to the mayhem that I’ve gotten used to, and honestly, living like this is how I feel the most like myself. Most of the time, I can’t even be home for a week without trying to get to the next place.


I didn’t really plan for my life to turn out like this, and I definitely didn’t expect to be spending most of my time above sea level. Snowboarding was something I fell in love with in 2020, and I still had a lot to learn.

Somewhere in all that movement, I started meeting my lifelong best friends, and eventually TDI emerged from that. TDI stands for Technically Doing It, which set out to build a crew of Black professional snowboarders from North America, Canada, and Europe. When it began, it was just us showing up, filming, riding, and building something as we went. We wanted to make a space for people who look like us to just enjoy themselves and feel at home here.

A lot of people only see the end result of our work, but the things that make it all worth it happen in between sends, when we gather as a community. The long days, last-minute plans, and random conversations that turn into something real have stuck with me the most. Sitting at the top of a run before dropping in, just taking a second and looking around. When I have good weather, good friends, and our boards, nothing else can really compete.

I’ve also learned to appreciate the smaller routines that come with it all. Even something simple, like grabbing a Yerba Madre and taking a second during the day, becomes part of how I reset. When everything is moving fast, those little pauses matter more than you think.


It’s not always easy to keep up with this kind of lifestyle; your relationships can strain, the pull of travel is always there, and trying to build something at the same time can get stressful. But I’ve realized that nothing will ever feel completely figured out. You just keep moving, adjust when you need to, and trust that you’re heading in the right direction.

For me, being grounded doesn’t come from staying in one place. It comes from doing what feels right, what I feel I’m meant to do with the people I am meant to be with, and continuing to build something that actually means something to me.

I’m still figuring it out as I go, but I think that’s part of it. The movement, the people, the process—it all keeps me locked in. If you’re new to snowboarding or just starting out on your own path, don’t be afraid to lean into the unknown. Trust yourself, enjoy every moment, and let your journey be your own. You might be surprised where it takes you.