The snowsports industry has been enriched by the contributions of numerous individuals and organizations dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion. While skiing and snowboarding have historically been perceived as predominantly white sports, a new generation of talented African American athletes is changing the narrative and inspiring a more inclusive future. These snowboarders are not only excelling in their sport but also breaking down barriers and serving as role models for aspiring athletes from underrepresented communities.
In this article, we will explore the stories of some of the most famous African American snowboarders who are making a significant impact on the sport.
Pioneering Figures in Snowboarding
Latrice Pringle
Latrice Pringle, a Special Olympics snowboard athlete from South Carolina, made history as the first African American to compete in a Winter X Games Special Olympics Unified Snowboarding competition. The event took place on January 23, 2020, where Latrice was paired with Unified Snowboarding veteran Chris Klug.
Latrice's journey as a Special Olympics athlete has been transformative, demonstrating that she can achieve anything she sets her mind to. It has challenged her to do her best and allowed her to travel to new places, meet new people, make new friends, and try new sports, including basketball, softball, skiing, snowboarding, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. This journey has also opened doors for new experiences, such as becoming a Global Messenger.
One of the biggest challenges Latrice had to overcome was being the first female snowboarder around, without any females to compete against, pushing her to compete with male athletes. Her attraction to snowboarding stemmed from her enjoyment of skiing and a desire to challenge herself. She competed in Austria in March 2017 in snowboarding at the World Winter Games and trains in Vermont for World Games. She also competes in the Special Olympics Southeast Winter Games in Boone, N.C. each year. Latrice's favorite X Games athlete is Tommy Hawk because she likes his style.
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Latrice works at Palmetto Secure Document Destruction as a sorter for 6 years. She is a member of the Ladies Royals softball team in her community and attends different festivals in the area.
No one snowboards like Zeb Powell
Zeb Powell
Zeb Powell was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and raised in Waynesville, North Carolina, by adoptive parents Carl Powell and Valerie Powell. In 2020, Zeb Powell made history as the first Black snowboarder to win a gold medal at the Winter X Games. Zeb Powell stole the show at the 2020 X Games in Aspen, Colorado, jumping and flipping his way right into fans' hearts and a first-place win.
Initially, Powell didn't even like snowboarding the first time he tried it. He turned to skateboarding for a while, but his raw talent on the snow could not be ignored. He's always been flipping and turning, and he's always been on a board or something that will let him fly through the air. His parents started sending him from his North Carolina home to snowboarding camp in Colorado.
In a sport that traditionally is as white as the snow, Powell stood out. There might have been one other black person on the mountain. Luckily, he never felt unwelcome in this sport. His first appearance at the X Games changed everything. He gained a ton of new follows and support on social media. Fans who maybe, for the first time, saw themselves. He heard a lot of them say they didn't even know that black people snowboarded, which is crazy. Powell is still getting used to all the attention, and all the selfies.
Powell is using his new visibility to help make snowboarding much more diverse because the culture is just it's so fun to be around. He thinks a lot of people will love it. He is inviting as many as he can to a sport that historically hasn't been very inviting. Recreating and luxuriating in the outdoors was sort of the one of the last safe spaces that were built mostly specifically for white people on the back end of segregation in this country. And so, it's going to take a very long time for those things to change.
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Powell didn't place at this year's X Games, but his mom says what's important is that her son knows he has a gift. He is using it right and staying humble and giving back, and so far, that's what he's done. He has an opportunity to be so much bigger than snowboarding and to be like an icon for the sport in opening up accessibility and possibility to what the slopes can look like. In April 2025, Zeb Powell joined Michael Jordan's Brand as the first professional snowboarder.
The Next Generation of Snowboarders
Brian Rice
Brian Rice, a 16-year-old Olympic hopeful from Farmington, says big air is freeing. "It’s like you get a break," he said. "Even though you’re spinning as fast as possible or flipping, it’s nice to just be up there for that couple seconds and just have real time to think."
Brian has his eyes on the 2026 Olympics, which will primarily take place in Milan. He's making a huge push in his progression and making himself the best snowboarder he can be. He's taking risks other people aren’t willing to take. When he lands on Team USA, Brian will be the first Black American to compete in an Olympic snowboarding event. He primarily competes in slopestyle and big air events.
Brian's introduction to winter sports came in the form of skis when he was 4 years old. His family is filled with active, athletic people, and he spent many winter days outdoors as a child. But then Brian saw a snowboard. His parents bought him a starter board from a grocery store that he would take into the yard to slide down ditches and snow piles with. He competed in his first tournament at age 11, during which time he was still self-taught.
Out-of-state and eventually international competitions led to Brian finding a coach in Nichole Mason, a former Team USA coach. Brian, who's known as Flyin' Brian by his snowboarding peers, has spent his teen years competing, gaining sponsorships and improving. He recently stuck a Backside 1,440 Triple Cork and a Triple Cork 1,620, two Olympic-level tricks and became the first Black snowboarder sponsored by a ski resort when Copper Mountain in Colorado brought him on board in November.
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He's the only Black snowboarder competing at his level, and Brian thinks his race helps him stand out. He wants to be his own snowboarder, and his race is part of that. While he chases the 2026 Olympics, Brian plans to compete throughout Canada, establishing his name internationally.
Organizations Promoting Diversity in Snow Sports
Several organizations are dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in snow sports, providing access, mentorship, and education to underrepresented communities.
- National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS): Is a nonprofit ski club and one of the founding members of the NBS.
- Black Girls Snow & Snowboard (BGS&S): Affiliated with the NBS, BGS&S is dedicated to encouraging women and girls of color to participate in skiing and snowboarding.
- Share Winter Foundation: This organization empowers Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIWOC) in snow sports by offering scholarships for learn-to-ski and snowboard programs, avalanche education, and professional instructor certifications.
- Black Ski Week: is a network comprises individuals from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities who share a passion for snow sports and outdoor adventures.
These organizations play a crucial role in creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for people of color in snow sports.
