CBC members have been contributing to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the sport of rowing for many years. The work of individual contributors is an important element of the club’s culture and should serve as an example for others who want to help expand opportunities in rowing. The board encourages CBC members to engage with and support these programs and to team up with fellow club members to listen for opportunities to launch or support initiatives to advance diversity and inclusion in rowing.

Please note that any efforts put forth as a club-sponsored program must be coordinated with the board.

Click here for a pdf of these DEI initiatives.

Head Of The Charles
Founded in 1965 by CBC members, now the biggest fall rowing festival in the world, featuring junior to veteran, and recreational to elite rowers.

Member Contact: Fred Schoch, Blair Crawford

HOCR X Gold Cup Grant Fund
A joint effort between The Gold Cup and the Head Of The Charles to provide grants to under-resourced rowing programs nationwide.

Member Contact: Fred Schoch, Blair Crawford

Community Rowing, Inc.
Founded in 1985, CRI has grown to be one of the largest community rowing programs in the country. CRI invites “individuals of all backgrounds, abilities, and experience to grow through rowing.”

Member Contact: Jane Morse, Kurt Somerville

USRowing Board of Directors
USRowing is recognized by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the national governing body of rowing in the United States. In addition to selecting and training Olympians, USRowing serves and promotes rowing for people of all backgrounds and abilities.

Member Contact: Lisa Stone

US Para-Rowing and Para Rowing Foundation
Engaged in building and training the US Paralympic Rowing team, US Para-Rowing represents USRowing at the highest levels of national and international competition. The Para Rowing Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to facilitate opportunities for competition for para rowers worldwide.

Member Contact: Ellen Minzner, Marilyn Koblan, Tom Darling, Tom West

Head of the Quinobequin
Founded and run as a collaboration between CBC, RBC, CRI, and UBC, HOTQ is an annual 3k head race for junior 1x scullers ages 11-18 on the Charles River.

Member Contact: Greg Benning, Linda Muri, Katie Donnelly, Tracey Neret, Chuck Pieper, Lisa Stone

A Most Beautiful Thing
An award-winning film written, directed, and produced by CBC Member Mary Mazzio, chronicles the first African American public high school rowing team in this country. The film has had deep cultural traction and extraordinary press coverage and recognition, and developed into a scripted series with Amazon Studios. Based on the memoir by Arshay Cooper. Several of Mary’s other projects have grappled with systemic inequity as well.

Member Contact: Mary Mazzio

Watuppa Rowing Center (Fall River)
Founded in 2018, Watuppa Rowing Center provides rowing opportunities to the community of Greater Fall River, Mass., including programs for high school students, masters, para, and military vets.

Member Contact: Tom Darling, Peter Fenton

New Bedford Rowing Center
Located on Pope’s Island, NBRC provides recreational, competitive, and Learn-to-Row opportunities for youth and adults “at all levels of interest, experience, ability, and ambition.”

Member Contact: D’Arcy MacMahon

Additional Contributions by CBC Members

In October 2022, Barbara Elfman moderated this panel discussion, featuring Arshay Cooper, on the film A Most Beautiful Thing.

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee recognized Tom West with the 2022 Doc Counsilman Science & Technology Award for his pioneering work in creating specialized equipment for para rowers. Read more here.

What are we missing?

If you are aware of additional initiatives by CBC members that expand opportunities and further diversity, equity, and inclusion in rowing, or are considering launching one yourself, we’d love to hear about it. Please let us know by filling out this form.