Skiing in Color by Lamont Joseph White

I love skiing and snowboarding, but there’s no denying the whiteness of the sport. My goal with Mountain Mom and Tots is to help families explore outdoors, and that includes families of color. We desperately need more diversity on the ski slopes, which is why I was so excited to hear about a new fine art exhibit called Skiing in Color by artist Lamont Joseph White.

Lamont Joseph White is a black artist, snowboarder and advocate whose work is currently displayed (winter 2021) at Ski Utah headquarters in Park City, Utah. I reached out to him to ask for an exclusive interview about his Skiing in Color series. I hope you love his work and insights on inclusion as much as I do!

Skiing in Color

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Mountain Mom: Tell me about yourself. How did you get into snowboarding?

LJW: I grew up in NYC and New Jersey… then, I began skiing and snowboarding in my twenties with friends in that area.

Mountain Mom:  What about art? What’s your background there?

LJW: As a child I always drew and painted. I then went school for design and art in NYC and made a career of it.

Mountain Mom:  Your Skiing in Color series is currently on display at Ski Utah headquarters. What were your motivations for creating these pieces?

LJW: My Skiing in Colors series began out of my love for skiing and the mountains, combined with the awareness of the rarity of black and brown faces in those spaces. The paintings are simultaneously a celebration and a conversation of inclusion and diversity. I also hope kids of color can see my work and immediately know they can one day be on skis. I believe seeing is believing for us all.

Mountain Mom:  Do you have a favorite painting in the series?

LJW: It’s tough to say, but I have a special place in my heart for The Conductor (Underground Vision). It’s a tribute to Harriet Tubman from the legacy series. This series is my way of bringing black heroes, who struggled for freedom and justice, to the mountains through my art.

Mountain Mom:  Anyone who has ever skied or snowboarded at a major resort could tell you thereare mostly white people on the slopes. What would you like to see change when it comes to diversity in the slopes?

LJW: A deliberate effort by the resorts, resort towns and the ski/outdoor industry at large to make deliberate and long lasting efforts to help people of color feel included and invited going forward.

Mountain Mom:  How can white skiers and snowboarders help?

LJW: Don’t accept the lack of diversity. Think about what you can do within your social circles to elevate an inclusive culture and perhaps bring a person of color to the slopes. Often times, black and brown people assume that’s not a place for them.

Mountain Mom: What about the ski industry?

LJW: The industry and mountain towns have to want to change, of course. Through marketing, hiring and a presence of in-town and on-mountain visual representation, to start. There are some early steps taking place. But there is still a wide acceptance that the status quo can remain as is. These are the conversations taking place now, so I’m hopeful.

Mountain Mom:  Where is your favorite place to ride? Why?

LJW: Utah, for starters… at Snowbird, Park City and Snowbasin. They all have their own awesome features.

Mountain Mom:  Is there anything else you’d like to share?

LJW: I’m excited about the collaborations and conversations I’m involved in for with work and voice in the diversity and inclusion space. This is close to my heart, so I’m all in. Thank you so much for caring and being part of the conversation.

Thank you for this interview Lamont Joseph White! Your artwork is excellent, and I fully support the effort to make skiing and snowboarding a place of increased inclusivity. Check out Lamont Joseph White’s work for yourself at www.lamontjosephwhite.com.

Psst…In honor of Black History Month in February 2021, you can get 20% off a print of his Skiing in Color series with the code bhm2021. I am in no way an affiliate or financially connected with Lamont Joseph White, I just like what he’s doing and wanted you to hear about it too.

Be an Awkward Force for Good

There’s no question that skiing and snowboarding can benefit from the diverse experiences and viewpoints of people of color. But how can white skiers and snowboarders help the situation? I think Lamont Joseph White said it best when he said, “bring a person of color to the slopes.”

That’s it. Be a friend. Invite your friend to ski with you.

Sometimes I imagine my efforts to be a force for good change may accidentally offend which can lead me to take NO action out of fear. Have you ever felt that way?

For example, in the summer of 2020 was called out on social media for hosting a Monthly Outdoor Adventure book giveaway that featured a book about an African American girl’s first camp out that was written and illustrated by a white artist.

When my reader suggested that I should instead promote more books by people of color, I was annoyed at first. Isn’t promoting depictions of people of color enjoying the outdoors a good effort regardless of the color of the artist’s skin?

However, after giving the topic more thought, I could see my reader’s point. Supporting diversity includes learning from different points of view, not just from people imagining different points of view. So I went to the publisher sponsoring the giveaway and requested more titles specifically written by authors of color.

Above all, I want nature to be accessible to everyone, regardless of skin color. I want to help more families explore outdoors, especially those families who may have felt marginalized or left out in the past.

Sometimes when we try to do good, we do it awkwardly at first. That’s okay. Don’t let that fear of being awkward prevent you from trying.

PSST…I even feel awkward about writing this section of this post. I’m not sure I’m accurately communicating that my intentions are good, even if my actions are lacking. But I’m still going to post this. If there’s a way I could state my intentions better, let me know in the comments below.

So if you’re a white skier or snowboarder reading this, I echo the advice that Lamont Joseph White said above. “Bring a person of color to the slopes.”

Maybe together we can make skiing and snowboarding a place of inclusion for everyone.

See you in the outdoors,

~Mountain Mom