PARIS: WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK FOLKS AND WATER, IT IS COMPLICATED.

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH WATER STARTS IN WEST AFRICA WHERE MANY OF OUR ANCESTORS LIVED IN RODDICK CULTURES, FISHING, TRADING AND SWIMMING LIKE IT WAS SECOND NATURE.

WATER WAS NOT JUST A RESOURCE, IT WAS LIFE AND FREEDOM.

THEN CAME THE MIDDLE PASSAGE.

TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE SHIPS TURNED WATER INTO A WEAPON OF TERROR.

MILLIONS OF BLACK BODIES WERE CHAINED TOGETHER BELOW DECK.

THE OCEAN, WHICH WAS ONCE HOME, BECAME THE THING SEPARATING US FROM IT.

THE TRAUMA DID NOT VANISH.

IT RIPPLED THROUGH GENERATIONS.

YET EVEN IN THE DARKNESS, THERE ARE STORIES LIKE A LANDING IN 1803, A GROUP OF ENSLAVED IBO PEOPLE LOOKING AT THE WATER SAYING THE WATER SPIRIT WILL TAKE US HOME.

THEY CHANTED TOGETHER AS THEY WALKED INTO THE SEA, CHOOSING DEATH OF HER BONDAGE.

THAT IS NOT JUST HISTORY.

THAT IS A STORY THAT GOES TODAY.

-- TACOS TODAY.

-- ECHOES TODAY.

WE WENT FROM LIVING IN AQUATIC CULTURES TO BECOMING OLYMPIC SWIMMERS, FROM BEING THROWN OVERBOARD TO JOINING ROWING CREWS AT IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS, FROM BEING HOSED DOWN AND KEPT OUT OF SEGREGATED POOLS TO FIGHTING FOR CLEAN WATER IN FLINT AND JACKSON.

WATER HAS BEEN USED AGAINST US, DENIED US, AND YET WE KEEP RECLAIMING IT.

WATER IS STILL GUIDING US HOME.

IT IS PEOPLE LIKE TARA ROBERTS, AUTHOR OF "WRITTEN IN THE WATERS," SHOWING HOW A TEAM OF BLACK WOMEN DIVERS ARE RECLAIMING YOUR CONNECTION.

IT IS MARINE BIOLOGISTS AND SURFERS REWRITING THE NARRATIVE.

THIS OCEAN, RIVER, POOL BELONGS TO US.

WATER IS NOT JUST A BACKDROP TO OUR STRUGGLE.

IT IS A MIRROR OF IT, LIKE THE LIGHT THAT HITS ITS SURFACE.

IT REFLECTS SURVIVAL AND JOY.

HOW CAN WE DIVE IN?

WE KNOW THE PROBLEM.

LET’S GET TO THE ROOT OF IT.

THIS IS "ROOTED."

RIGHT NOW, THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE INVOLVED THOUSANDS OF SHIPS BUT FEWER THAN 20 HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER TARA ROBERTS DIVES IN, IN HER MEMOIR WRITTEN IN THE WATERS.

I SPOKE WITH HER ABOUT WHAT IT IS LIKE DISCOVERING THE STORIES BENEATH THE WAVES.

WE ARE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AT AN INTERESTING TIME BECAUSE THE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE TITAN SUBMERSIBLE THAT TRAGICALLY SANK, IS COMING OUT.

THIS HAPPENED IN 2023.

IT WAS STRIKING BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO EXPLORE THE TITANIC, SOMETHING PEOPLE HAVE BEEN OBSESSED WITH.

WHY DON’T THEY HAVE THE SAME ENERGY FOR SLAVE SHIPWRECKS?

TARA: THAT IS THE QUESTION.

I DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER BUT I KNOW THE HISTORY IS IMPORTANT AND IT IS BIG.

THERE IS A LOT TO DISCOVER AROUND IT.

CAN I GIVE YOU A STATISTIC?

PARIS: ABSOLUTELY.

TARA: THERE WERE 12,000 SHIPS THAT BROUGHT AFRICANS TO THE AMERICAS.

12,000 SHIPS.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP I COULDN’T TELL YOU THE NAME OF A SINGLE ONE.

I CAN TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THE TITANIC.

PARIS: EXACTLY.

WE PUT A PREMIUM ON CERTAIN HISTORY IN THIS COUNTRY.

YOU ALSO HAVE CITED THAT OUT OF THOSE 12,000, FEWER THAN 20 HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED TO THIS DAY.

EVEN AS WE DO MORE EXPLORATION, THERE IS A DISPARITY.

YOU HAVE TAKEN IT UPON YOURSELF TO DIVE IN, PUN INTENDED, I CAN’T -- I CAN’T.

AND YOU HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT IT IN YOUR MEMOIR, "WRITTEN IN THE WATERS."

THIS STARTED WITH A PHOTO AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.

WHAT WAS IN THE PHOTO?

TARA: WHEN I REFLECT ON IT, IT WAS AMAZING.

IT WAS A PICTURE OF A GROUP OF PRIMARILY BLACK WOMEN IN WETSUITS ON A BOAT.

IT WAS JUST THAT PICTURE, BUT I HAD NEVER SEEN A PICTURE OF BLACK WOMEN IN WETSUITS ON A BOAT.

THEY LOOKED SO BEAUTIFUL TO ME, SO FREE AND JOYOUS.

I DON’T KNOW.

IT STOPPED ME AND MADE ME CURIOUS.

I WANTED TO FIND OUT WHO THEY WERE.

I FOUND OUT THEY WERE PART OF A GROUP CALLED DIVING WITH A PURPOSE, AND WHAT THEY DID WAS HELP SEARCH FOR AND DOCUMENT SLAVE SHIPWRECKS AROUND THE WORLD.

I WAS LIKE, WHAT?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

PARIS: YOU WANTED TO JOIN THEM.

TARA: I WANTED TO JOIN THEM.

THESE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME ARE HAVING ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD, AND HELPING BRING THIS HISTORY BACK INTO MEMORY.

IT FELT MAGICAL TO ME.

IT FELT INCREDIBLE.

PARIS: WHERE ARE YOU A DIVER PRIOR TO JOINING?

TARA: NO.

PARIS: I HAVE TO STATE SOMETHING OBVIOUS BECAUSE THERE IS A STEREOTYPE THAT WE DON’T LOVE THE WATER, BLACK PEOPLE, YOU HEAR BLACK PEOPLE CAN’T OR DON’T SWIM.

HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THAT AND GET MORE PEOPLE, BRING THEM INTO THE WATER WITH YOU?

TARA: I FIND THE MORE PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT THIS, THE MORE PEOPLE KNOW THAT OUR HISTORY IS IN THE WATERS, AND IT CAN BE RECOVERED.

I’M ASTONISHED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LIKE, THIS INSPIRES ME TO WANT TO SWIM.

IT INSPIRES ME TO WANT TO DIVE.

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE WORK THAT IS PULLING US BACK.

I THINK THE ANCESTORS ARE CALLING US BACK TO THE WATER.

IT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT, THAT ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

PARIS: LET’S TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT.

ONE THREAD THAT WAS POPULATING IN THE WAKE OF THE TITAN SUBMERSIBLE IMPLOSION WAS, AND THIS WAS A PIECE FROM THE WASHINGTON POST WHERE SHE TALKED ABOUT THE RELIGION WHERE THEY RULE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE EARTH.

ONE OF THEM RULES THE DEEP OCEAN.

IT IS VENGEFUL, BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE THERE ISN’T A LOT OF HUMAN REFERENCE.

HOW DO YOU RESPECT THE OCEAN IN YOUR WORK?

HOW DO THE ANCESTORS SPEAK TO YOU AS YOU DO THIS?

TARA: I WILL ANSWER THAT IN TWO WAYS.

I HAVE MADE A CONNECTION WITH, THAT IS HOW I PRONOUNCE THE NAME.

THAT WASN’T SOMETHING I EXPECTED.

INSIDE OF THAT WORK, I DON’T KNOW, SHE JUST SORT OF CAME TO ME.

AS I TRAVELED, WE HAVE BEEN DOING WORK ALL OVER THE WORLD IN MOZAMBIQUE, SOUTH AFRICA, SENEGAL, COSTA RICA, AROUND THE U.S.

AND I FEEL LIKE SHE IS LOOKING OUT FOR ME AND CONNECTING WITH ME.

I THINK THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE EARLY IN THE JOURNEY, I GOT THE LAST -- BLESSED TO DO THIS WORK BY MY MOTHER’S PASTOR AND MY MOTHER’S PASTOR REQUESTED, HE REQUESTED AS I DO THIS JOURNEY, THAT I ASK PERMISSION OF THE ANCESTORS AND I ASKED THEM TO GUIDE MY WAY AND MAKE IT SMOOTH AND HARMONIOUS.

HE CHARGED ME WITH SPEAKING THEIR NAMES.

HE WAS LIKE, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO -- HE KEPT SAYING IT, SPEAK THEIR NAMES.

SPEAK THEIR NAMES.

PARIS: THESE ARE THE NAMES OF -- TARA: THE ANCESTORS, THE PEOPLE WHO DIED.

OF COURSE, WE WILL NEVER KNOW THE NAMES OF ALL THE PEOPLE.

IT WAS CLOSE TO 1.8 ONE MILLION PEOPLE WHO DIED IN THE CROSSING FROM AFRICA TO THE AMERICAS.

WE WILL NEVER KNOW THEIR FULL NAMES BUT WE CAN STILL SPEAK THEIR NAMES.

I CAN ALSO SPEAK THE NAMES OF MY DIRECT ANCESTORS, CALL ON THEM TO HELP GUIDE THE WAY.

THAT FEELS REALLY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.

PARIS: YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT NEARLY 2 MILLION PEOPLE WHO PERISHED IN THE MIDDLE PASSAGE.

WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE THEY ENTERED THE DOOR OF NO RETURN, TO GO ON THE TREACHEROUS JOURNEY.

WE TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THEY GOT THERE, ALL THE TORTUROUS THINGS THAT HAPPENED, IN THE MANY YEARS THAT ENSUED.

BUT WE DON’T TALK A LOT ABOUT THE MIDDLE PASSAGE.

TARA: I THINK OF THEM AS FORGOTTEN PEOPLE.

THEY DESERVE TO BE REMEMBERED.

THEY DESERVE TO BE HONORED.

THAT IS AN ENORMOUS LOSS OF LIFE.

ALMOST 2 MILLION PEOPLE, AS YOU SAID.

BUT ARE WE GRIEVING THEM, HONORING THEM?

NOT REALLY.

THERE ARE SMALL GROUPS THAT DO THAT, BUT FOR THIS SCALE OF THE LOSS OF LIFE, THERE SHOULD BE NATIONAL, GLOBAL RECOGNITION OF THIS.

PART OF THE WORK THAT DIVING WITH THE PURPOSE IS DOING, PART OF THE WORK I’M DOING IN ELEVATING THESE STORIES IS TO BRING THOSE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT JUST STATISTICS OR FACELESS VICTIMS.

THESE ARE MOTHERS, FATHERS, DAUGHTERS, SONS,, DREAMERS, POETS, MATHEMATICIANS, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE.

PARIS: WHY DO YOU THINK THEY WERE FORGOTTEN?

NOT GETTING THE RECOGNITION TODAY?

WE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.

TARA: LOOK AT THE EYEBROW.

THIS HISTORY IS NOT PRIORITIZED.

IT IS HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN DISTORTED, FORGOTTEN, CHANGED, FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

PARIS: YOU TALK ABOUT WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE.

EVEN IF WE DON’T KNOW THEIR NAMES, THE STORIES YOU ARE UNCOVERING ABOUT THEM.

WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STORIES TEACHING YOU?

TARA: THAT IT IS NOT JUST STORIES OF PAIN.

STORIES OF TRAUMA AND TRAGEDY.

THESE ARE ALSO STORIES OF RESILIENCE, RESISTANCE, SURVIVAL.

THERE IS ONE THING I LEARNED THAT I DIDN’T NOW, BUT THEY SAY THAT AT LEAST ONE IN EVERY THREE SHIPS HAD A REBELLION ON IT.

AND THOSE REBELLIONS WERE OFTEN LED BY WOMEN.

PARIS: REALLY?

TARA: RIGHT.

PARIS: THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT THE STORY.

TARA: THAT IS NOT THE STORY.

YOU JUST HEAR THAT WE WERE PASSIVE AND WE ACCEPTED OUR DATES, BUT IT IS NOT TRUE.

WE WERE FIGHTING BACK.

WE WERE ACTIVELY RESISTING.

PARIS: IN SOME CASES THE REBELLIONS INCLUDED PEOPLE WHO CHOSE TO THROW THEMSELVES OVERBOARD.

TARA: YES.

AND STORIES OF SURVIVAL.

LIKE SOME PEOPLE GOT AWAY.

SOME PEOPLE CHANGED WHAT HAPPENED.

SO IT IS BIGGER STORIES.

IT IS COMPLEX, BIG HISTORY THAT WE DON’T TEACH IN ITS FULLNESS AND ITS COMPLEXITY IN OUR SCHOOLS.

SO PART OF THIS WORK IS TO MOVE OUTSIDE OF THAT AND HELP JUST BRING THIS HISTORY BACK INTO MEMORY.

PARIS: ONE WAY TO MEMORIALIZE IT IS MAKING A PERSONAL, WHICH IS WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN YOUR MEMOIR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

TARA: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

PARIS: BIG THANKS TO TARA ROBERTS FOR TAKING US DEEP BENEATH THE WAVES TO UNCOVER THE HISTORY OF THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE.

WE STAY CONNECTED TO WATER BUT THIS TIME IT IS ABOUT EMPOWERMENT AND OPPORTUNITY.

AUTHOR, ACTIVIST AND ROWER IS OUT WITH A NEW BOOK.

I CATCH UP WITH HIM AND HOW HE HAS DIVERSIFIED THE SPORT OF CREW.

YOU ARE THE AUTHOR OF "LET ME DEAL -- BE REAL WITH YOU."

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU, BEING REAL WITH SOMEBODY?

ARSHAY: IT IS ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO CONNECT.

TO BE VULNERABLE.

AND CAN I TALK ABOUT WHAT I’M GOING THROUGH, WHAT IS ON MY MIND AND IN MY HEART, WHERE I SUFFER, WITHOUT FEAR OF JUDGMENT.

THAT IS WHAT LET ME BE REAL WITH YOU MEANS.

PARIS: IN THE BOOK YOU TALK ABOUT IT TAKING A LONG TIME FOR YOU TO GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU WERE COMFORTABLE BEING REAL WITH PEOPLE.

ARSHAY: YES.

I GREW UP IN A PLACE WHERE YOU HAD TO BE TOUGH.

YOU HAD TO BE HARD AND PROTECT YOURSELF.

SO FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, TO COLLEGE, I HAVE SHELLED MYSELF AND I BECAME A MENTOR AND LEADER WITH KIDS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THINGS I’M GOING THROUGH AND I FELT LIKE IN ORDER TO CONNECT, I HAD TO LEARN TO UN-SHELL AND TALK ABOUT THINGS I HAVEN’T HEALED FROM.

THAT WAS TOUGH.

PARIS: SO MUCH OF THAT FOR YOU HAS BEEN THROUGH ROWING.

YOUR JOURNEY, PART OF YOUR JOURNEY TO ROWING WAS DOCUMENTED THROUGH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING.

NOW YOU ARE HERE, BEING REAL WITH FOLKS.

AND BEING VULNERABLE.

HOW HAS YOUR CONNECTION TO WATER BEEN PART OF THAT HEALING PROCESS FOR YOU?

ARSHAY: IT HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF IT.

GROWING UP I DIDN’T HAVE A LOT OF ACCESS TO WATER.

GROWING UP IN CHICAGO, THINKING ABOUT WHERE MY GRANDMOTHER GREW UP, MY MOTHER, THERE WAS NO ACCESS TO THE LAKE.

IT IS SO FAR AWAY.

WE WERE TAUGHT TO STAY AWAY FROM WATER.

YOU WILL DROWN.

DON’T GO NEAR THE WATER.

PARIS: BLACK PEOPLE HAVE A TRAUMATIC HISTORY WITH WATER.

ARSHAY: ONE DAY SOMEONE SAID WE WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE ROWING SQUAD.

I WAS LIKE, NO.

WE WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO SWIM.

I WAS LIKE OK, THEN I WAS LIKE NO ONE LOOKS LIKE ME.

THIS DOESN’T REFLECT THE WORLD I’M USED TO SO I SAID NO AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE YEAR -- THE FEAR.

THEY OFFERED PIZZA AND I SAID OK, I WILL TRY FOR THE PIZZA.

JUST TO GO FROM CONCRETE TO WATER AND GRASS AND GREENERY CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR ME MENTALLY.

AND WE ARE ALL MADE UP OF WATER, 60% WATER.

AND I FELT LIKE THE WAVES, THE CALM AND PEACE AND WATER RESONATED WITH THE WATER IN ME SO I FELT LIKE A RETURN.

IT FELT LIKE HOME WHEN I STARTED ROWING.

PARIS: THINK, WHEN YOU THINK OF OTHER BLACK BOYS IN INNER CITIES WHO HAVE SIMILAR EXPERIENCES, DO YOU THINK THEY NEED WATER AS MUCH AS YOU DID?

ARSHAY: I THINK SO.

I THINK A CUP OF TEA OR A SHOWER OR WHEN IT RAINS, THE PIECE THAT BRINGS TO YOU IS ALMOST LIKE YOU FINALLY HAVE TIME TO REFLECT.

IN THAT REFLECTION, YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT YOURSELF.

IT IS LIKE YOUR TIMEOUT, WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN THE GAME.

THAT IS WHERE YOU LEARN HOW TO PIVOT OR THINK ABOUT, THIS IS WHERE IT WENT WRONG.

ANYTHING THAT REPRESENTS WATER, BEING NEAR OR PART OF WATER OR DRINKING WATER OR A SHOWER, HIS REFLECTION TIME AND THAT IS IMPORTANT.

PARIS: I’M GLAD YOU MENTIONED ACCESSIBLE ENTRY POINTS TO WATER.

MAYBE THE LAKE IS NOT THE FIRST INTRODUCTION WE NEED.

WE CAN RELATE TO THE CLEANSING ESSENCE WHEN WE CONNECT WITH WATER.

TALK A LITTLE ABOUT HOW IT HAS BEEN BRINGING YOUNG PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH, TO WATER IN THIS WAY FOR THE FIRST TIME.

ARSHAY: IT IS TOUGH AT TIMES, YOU KNOW?

YOU GO INTO A SCHOOL, MAYBE 60, 70 SCHOOLS A YEAR AND KIDS WILL SAY HAVE YOU SEEN TITANIC?

PARIS: DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE TITAN SUBMERSIBLE?

ARSHAY: I KNOW.

IT IS LIKE, I’M NOT DOING THAT.

AND IT IS A HARD SELL.

I WAS ONE OF THEM.

WHEN YOU CAN TELL YOUR STORY OF WHAT WATER HAS DONE FOR YOU, IT HAS BEEN AMAZING.

I THINK WHEN YOU DO A FIELD TRIP TO THE WATER, YOU SEE DUCKS, KIDS SEE DUCKS OR GEESE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THEY ARE LIKE, WOW.

I WILL SAY TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND ENJOY.

NO TALKING, NO CHAOS, NO LAUGHING WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

YOU HEAR THE SOUND OF JUST -- SOMETIMES CHOPPY WATER, BOATS JUST FLYING THROUGH, AND KIDS GET ON THE BOAT AND EVEN IF THEY AREN’T MOVING THE BOAT, IT IS A MAGICAL RHYTHM THAT YOU DEVELOP IN THE SPORT OF ROWING, BUT ALSO, FOR ME, IT FELT LIKE IT REMINDS ME OF GRANDMA’S ROCKING CHAIR.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

AND THAT FELT LIKE HOME.

THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

I THINK THOSE KIDS FEEL THE SAME THING.

A SPORT THAT IS NON-CONFLICT, NON-COMBATIVE, JUST PEACE AND RHYTHM AND HARMONY.

IT IS NOT AN INTRODUCTION TO SPORTS, IT IS AN INTRODUCTION TO WELLNESS.

PARIS:PARIS: THERE IS A COMMUNITY ASPECT.

THROUGH THE WORK YOU DO WITH YOUNG PEOPLE YOU ARE BRINGING IN FORMERLY GANG INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS, POLICE OFFICERS, DIFFERENT PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY.

ONE OF THE MOST SURPRISING THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU BRING ALL OF THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER?

ARSHAY: I THINK I’M AND COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS -- UNCOMFORTABLE AND COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS THAT PROVOKED CHANGE, WHERE EVERYBODY IS READY TO TAKE ACTION.

WE INVITED COPS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO ROW.

AND TO LEARN HOW TO ROW, YOU HAVE TO STRUGGLE TOGETHER, LEARN AND LISTEN, AND IT IS NOT A ONE DAY THING.

YOU HAVE TO TRAIN EVERY DAY.

AND THEY DID THAT AND ONE THING I KNOW ABOUT THE GUYS I GREW UP WITH ON THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO, THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN BE NEAR THEM AND NOT BE MOVED BY THEM.

THESE GUYS SHOWED UP EVERY DAY.

THEY LEARNED ABOUT US.

MY FRIEND PRESTON WEARS A HOODIE BUT HE IS THE SMARTEST DUDE ON THE WEST SIDE.

THESE GUYS LOVE THEIR KIDS.

ONE MOMENT THAT REALLY HIT ME IN 2018, WE TAUGHT WHITE COPS TO ROW WITH US AND GEORGE BOYD WAS MURDERED.

-- GEORGE FLOYD WAS MURDERED.

ONE OF THE COPS SAID BRICKS WERE THROWN AT ME DURING A PROTEST AND I REALIZED, I CAN GO HOME AND TAKE MY UNIFORM OFF BUT YOU CAN’T TAKE YOUR BLACK SKIN OFF.

YOU GUYS SHOWED ME THAT.

I SAID, I’M SO GLAD YOU SAID THAT BUT I NEED YOU TO SHARE THAT WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES.

IT WAS A CALL TO MY BOAT INSTEAD OF A CALL OUT, SO THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT US AND THAT IS WHAT THE WATER DOES COME A RIGHT?

BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF FEAR AND VULNERABILITY AND THEN WE CAN HAVE CONVERSATION.

PARIS: YOU TALK ABOUT COACHING BEYOND.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

ARSHAY: I ASK ATHLETES, IN ONE WORD, WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU LEARN FROM YOUR COACH?

THEY ALWAYS SAY GREAT OR TRUST OR FAMILY OR BROTHERHOOD OR SISTERHOOD, OR CONNECTION OR PERSEVERANCE OR CONSISTENCY.

AND I SAID YOU GUYS SPEND HOURS AT YOUR CRAFT AND NOBODY SAYS DRIBBLING OR PITCHING OR KICKING.

WHY?

THERE IS SO MUCH MORE IN SPORTS.

I TALK ABOUT ROWING, IT IS AN INTRODUCTION TO COMMITMENT AND DISCIPLINE AND TRUST AND BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD AND FAMILY, AND EVERY YOUNG PERSON, NO MATTER WHERE THEY CAME FROM, THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THAT ONE WORD.

THE WORD WE RECEIVE WAS TRANSFORMED INTO THE ONE WORD, WE GIVE.

THE WORD, IT IS NEVER HOURS TO KEEP BUT HE DESIRES TO GIVE.

WE USE SPORTS TO CHANGE LIVES.

THAT IS THE WAY I SEE IT.

PARIS: DO YOU THINK THE DIFFERENT PACING OF ROWING VERSUS BASKETBALL OR FOOTBALL ALLOWS FOR MORE OF THAT?

ARSHAY:.

I DO.

ROWING, THERE ARE NO TIMEOUTS.

I DEFINITELY AGREE.

YOU ARE PRETTY TALL.

YOU WOULD BE A GREAT ROWER.

I WAS LIKE -- PARIS: YOU ARE TRYING TO RECRUIT ME.

ARSHAY: THE WAY YOU TALK ABOUT THE WATER, HE SAID, IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

I WAS LIKE CAN I TAKE YOU OUT?

AND HE SAID NO.

PARIS: I DO WATER.

I MUST -- NOT A STRONG -- SWIMMER BUT I DO WATER.

DON’T KNOW IF I WILL BE AT THE HEAD YET BUT WE WILL GET THERE.

THERE IS A BARRIER THAT EXISTS, NOT JUST BETWEEN BLACK FOLKS AND WATER, BUT FOR BLACK FOLKS WHO ARE IN MAJORITY WHITE SPACES, WHICH ROWING HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH TO GO INTO THAT ENVIRONMENT AND FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG?

ARSHAY: THE BEST WAY FOR US IS TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE.

WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PIONEERS IN THE SPORT WHO DIDN’T HAVE ANYONE, AND THEY TALK ABOUT, THEY DIDN’T HAVE ANYONE.

IF I COULD TELL MY 14-YEAR-OLD SELF ANYTHING, IT WOULD BE, YOU DON’T HAVE TO WRITE ALONE.

WE MEET WITH THEM AND WE HEAR THEIR STORIES.

WE LET THEM KNOW, LET ME BE REAL WITH YOU, SOMETIMES THEY ARE IN THOSE SPACES AND THEY OPERATE ALONE AND THEY WANT TO QUIT.

WE BRING THE FAMILY AROUND THEM TO SUPPORT THEM AND PROTECT THEM, TALK TO THEIR COACHES AND WE HELP THEIR TEAM UN-LEARN THINGS BY SHOWING UP.

IF THEY DECIDE TO WORK AND ONE DAY WORK AT J.P.

MORGAN OR DELTA AIRLINES, SOMETIMES YOU ARE STILL THE ONLY.

LET’S NOT QUIT.

LET’S BUILD A BLUEPRINT ON HOW TO BRING OTHERS WITH US AND STICK IT THROUGH BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE.

THAT IS HOW WE PREPARE THEM.

AND WE GIVE THEM ALL THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BE FAST.

AND BE THE BEST THEY CAN BE AT THE SPORT.

PARIS: BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, YOU WRITE HOW YOU RESPONDED WHEN SOMEBODY ASKED HOW YOU WERE DOING.

HE USED TO BE, IT IS ALL GOOD.

HOW WAS IT GOING FOR YOU RIGHT NOW?

ARSHAY: IS -- IT IS GOOD.

PARIS: BEING REAL WITH ME.

[LAUGHTER] ARSHAY: WHEN YOU WAKE UP AND YOU WATCH THE NEWS, SOMEONE SAID, I FEEL LIKE I’M LIVING IN A TIME WHEN SCAR AND THE HYENAS ARE RULING.

I FEEL THAT WAY SOMETIMES.

THE WORLD HAS LOST ITS COLOR.

AND EVERY PERSON, IN EVERY PERSON THERE IS A LITTLE BOY WHO EXPERIENCED TRAUMA AND LOSS.

BUT YOU ARE MEN, AND YOU WERE BORN TO BE A KING OR A QUEEN, TO DO SOMETHING GREAT.

I REALIZED AT SOME POINT I MADE IT MY MISSION TO SAVE EVERY CHILD I COULD, BUT I FORGOT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, THE CHILD WITHIN ME.

THE WAY I GREW UP, I’M STILL LEARNING TO INCLUDE MYSELF IN THE WORLD I’M GIVING TO.

I’M LEARNING TO CONTRIBUTE GOODNESS TO THE WORLD WITHOUT SACRIFICING MYSELF CARE.

THAT IS NOT EASY TO DO.

EVERY DAY, BECAUSE I TALK ABOUT IT AND I’M VOCAL ABOUT IT AND I AM BEING REAL, OTHERS ARE, TOO.

I CAN’T DO THE WORK OF EIGHT BUT IF I CAN FIND EIGHT TO DO THE WORK OF ONE, WE CAN GET IT DONE FASTER.

PARIS: THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.

I HOPE THE FEELING LASTS A LIFETIME FOR YOU.

ARSHAY: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

PARIS: BIG THANKS TO ARSHAY COOPER SHARING HIS STORY AND HIS TOOTH.

YOU CAN FIND "LET ME BE REAL WITH YOU" WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD.

TO KEEP UP WITH RICHARD, FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, SPOTIFY, YOUTUBE OR WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS.

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STAY ROOTED, STAY DEEP, AND AS ALWAYS, STAY TUNED.