Leah Dawson: Discovering Femininity

Leah Dawson: Discovering Femininity

Author: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich - surf stories & ocean adventures August 15, 2019 Duration: 37:03

Freesurfer Leah Dawson peels back the layers and dares to ask: "What makes me feel most like myself?" and "How is my surfing an extension of that self?"

There are many ways to be male, and many ways to be female. Though our culture is full of prescriptions for how to do it the “right” way. Leah Dawson thanks surfing for leading her along the path to honouring her femininity. Exploring retro-to-modern single fins, twin fins, finless boards, and shaping herself, Leah is among a small handful of surfers who seek to explore the spectrum of wave sizes and crafts.

Leah's is a story about asking the tough questions of ourselves, confronting societal expectations, the power of mentorship, and finding ourselves more fully within the context of a loving community. She also shares some of the wisdom from her daughterly experiences with legendary Gerry Lopez.

Leah Dawson is a professional surfer, filmmaker and co-founder of the Changing Tides Foundation, which empowers women and girls through travel and surfing.

changingtidesfoundation.org

@LeahLoves


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Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich 

Sound Engineer: Shannon Sol Carroll 

Join the conversation: Waterpeoplepodcast.com

@Waterpeoplepodcast 




Photo Credit: Paka Apparel 

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Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll

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There’s a particular kind of life shaped by time spent in and around the ocean, one that blends saltwater with a deeper perspective. Hosted by lifelong surfers and storytellers Lauren L. Hill and Dave Rastovich, the Waterpeople Podcast explores exactly that. Each conversation is less an interview and more a shared dive with guides who know the water intimately-from scientists and activists to adventurers and artists. You’ll hear firsthand accounts that stretch beyond simple adventure tales, touching on how a connection to the sea informs everything from ecological stewardship and community building to the pure, playful joy of a wave. This podcast serves as a meeting point for a far-flung tribe, weaving together themes of inclusivity, humour, and what it means to live thoughtfully along the coast. It’s about the stories that emerge when people are truly at home in the aquatic world, offering listeners a sense of place and connection within a global ocean community. Tune in for genuine, meandering talks that feel like sitting around after a long day in the swell, where the topics are as vast and shifting as the sea itself.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 133

Waterpeople Podcast
Podcast Episodes
How Water Shapes Us with Blue Mind author Dr. WALLACE 'J' NICHOLS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:10
Dr. Wallace 'J' Nichols is a marine biologist and author of Blue Mind, an interdisciplinary reimagining of the story of water and the vast cognitive, social, physical and spiritual benefits of being in, around, and under…
Gerry Lopez: A Sense of Stillness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:13
Legend of style, ease and ingenuity, Gerry Lopez, shares stories about growing up in Hawaii, the balance he found in the mountains, tube-riding mysticism, and one of the unsung sheros of surfing. Gerry pioneered deep tub…
Mitigating Micro-plastics with Marine Biologist ALICE FORREST [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:40
Freshly back from an expedition to Antarctica, Alice shares her experience of the frozen ocean and talks us through the complex conversation, but simple solutions, found in her new publication, Micro Plastics, Massive Pr…
Mobilizing the Coastal Constituency with SEAN DOHERTY [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:20
Deconstruct strategies from the successful Fight for the Bight campaign with one of the movement's central voices, Sean Doherty, one of surfing's most celebrated storytellers. The campaign was a win not only for Australi…
Watershed Chats: Introduction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:48
Welcome to our new series, Watershed Chats, conversational deep dives with experts and those having a go at building and dreaming new ways into fruition for a healthy and habitable future on Planet Ocean. We’ll pick up w…
Getting Solution-Centric with Filmmaker DAMON GAMEAU [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:57
Explore the cultivation of critical thinking, harnessing hope by localising climate change actionables, and the transformative power of the experiential with filmmaker Damon Gameau. Damon is an actor and filmmaker. He di…
Helena Norberg-Hodge: Our Local Futures [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:26
Helena Norberg-Hodge has experienced radical economic and cultural change before. In 1975, as a student of linguistics amongst the glacial melt of the Himalayas, Helena witnessed the rapid erosion of traditional culture…