East Los Latina Surfers Start Courage Camps for Aspiring Latino Surfers

ABC Owned Television Stations and ABC's Localish present 50 inspiring stories from around the country for Fifty/50, as part of The Walt Disney Company's monumental initiative highlighting the 50th anniversary of the passing of Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any educational institution that receives federal funding, and gave women the equal opportunity to play. This story was originally published in December 2019.

Three surfers, with roots in East Los Angeles, created a surf camp to fill a gap in the surfing and local community. Giselle Carrillo, Vanessa Yeager, and Cassie Comley started Courage Camps to create a Latino surf community in Southern California and offer free lessons to break the stigma of surfing. Giselle Carrillo is the face behind the Courage Camps and wanted to share her experience with others like her. Courage camps not only to bridge the gap with the Latino community but also teach students about courage and conquering fears in the water, just like Carrillo learned through surfing.