Mission

Yemaya Surf’s mission is to provide Dominican women and girls with access to surfing for healing, empowerment, and climate justice. We emphasize Afro-Indigenous spiritual practices, environmental stewardship, and community building. Through Yemaya Surf, we are reintroducing the ocean as a space of joy, freedom, and belonging.

Vision

Yemaya Surf’s Vision is a Dominican Republic where women and girls are leaders in ocean sports, environmental stewardship, and local conversations about land development and human health—redefining surf culture as a space of healing and resistance that recognizes the importance of climate justice, land justice, and gender justice.

Target Population or Community Served

Yemaya Surf works with Dominican women and girls (ages 10–34) who live in Cabarete's low-income communities.

Core Programs

Yemaya Surf’s current core programs include:

• Surf Classes & Coaching for Local Girls & Women (Ages 10–34): Free surfing lessons & classes every Saturday for women and girls from marginalized Dominican communities. We also offer advanced surf coaching every Sunday for our girls who want to pursue surfing as a profession. 

• Mangrove Restoration for Climate Resilience: We lead reforestation projects that reduce hurricane damage and address rising sea levels; 

• Ridge to Reef (R2R) Climate Education: We host climate justice workshops once a month that trace the connections between mountain forests, rivers, and coral reefs—offering an ecosystem-wide view of environmental health and community well-being.

Along with our Core Programs, our planned & upcoming programs & events for 2026 include:

• Earth Day (April 22) Event: Yemaya Surf will host an Earth Day Sancocho & Surf, an event celebrating & raising awareness about the environmental challenges facing the Dominican Republic, while fundraising for our free surf & climate programs for local Dominican women & girls

• Mother’s Day Retreat: We will convene a Mother’s Day Surf & Climate Retreat in Cabarete that will be a transformative weekend for 10 local women and girls to reclaim joy, ocean access, and environmental leadership.

• Summer Camp in August:  We will host “Waves of Change,” a weeklong youth program and Summer camp for Dominican girls ages 10-17 that focuses on climate justice, intergenerational collective power, and surf therapy in Cabarete, Dominican Republic. 

Through these programs, we’re building a new generation of Dominican women and girls who see themselves as ocean protectors, climate leaders, and cultural stewards.