This episode I chat with Jordyn Romero, she is a award winning filmmaker from Santa Fe, NM. Her work aims to elevate the female narrative in the outdoor space. 

Story telling is what this podcast is all about, sharing my own, but also about creating space and place for others to tell theirs. This is what Jordyn Romero has done with the film WE ARE LIKE WAVES. 

In this episode I have the pleasure of hearing Jordyn's story, one that leads her to the Indian ocean to the island of Sri Lanka to explore and document the attitudes towards female’s surfing and one woman's journey.  

You will hear about Jordyn’s origins story for the film and her love for the ocean and surfing. We chat about what it means to make a film in a different country and language. 

Sri Lanka is a major surf destination for many around the world. But those people who have grown up and live on the island do not share the same opportunities, and women especially have been left out of the line up, but things are starting to change. Jordyn’s aim of the film was to support the wave of this change in the narrative and mindset. 

You will hear the story of Sanu, some of the sacrifices she overcame to get onto her board, paddling against the societal norms, expectations and the belief that the ocean is simply, just no place for women. 

We chat about unrealistic extreme beauty standards that have been around for too long, about how we both hope to see the tide of change and for us not be forever telling the story of ‘the first’.

This episode is also about my connection with my roots with my identity as a British Sri Lankan woman of colour and about my story around being split between two continents and belonging to neither. 

You can find out more about WE ARE WAVES by visiting their website at www.wearewaves.com, to check for film release and screenings. 

Thanks to the production team for the audio included in this episode and to @storiesbyleah for the beautiful photos used.