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The Rich Roll Podcast

Selema Masekela Is The Action Sports Evangelist

The Rich Roll Podcast

Rich Roll

Health & Fitness, Education, Self-improvement, Society & Culture

4.812.9K Ratings

🗓️ 12 April 2021

⏱️ 161 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How do you find life purpose? How do you challenge self-limiting beliefs about identity and potential? Before you can answer these questions, you must first find your tribe. Our instrument for this inward voyage is the voice and prophet of all things action sports, Selema Masekela. For the uninitiated, Selema cannot be defined as any one thing. He’s a badass surfer, snowboarder and skater. He’s a beloved television commentator and journalist, best known as the face and voice of ESPN’s X-Games, a show he hosted for thirteen years. He’s a filmmaker and Emmy-nominated producer who has collaborated with many a media outlet, including E!, NBC, ABC, NatGeo, RedBull Media and VICE. And he’s a social activist, passionate philanthropist and accomplished musician. But more than anything, Selema is a truly gifted storyteller. An extraordinary human with a truly unique and compelling backstory. And a relentlessly curious narrator of the human experience. Today we break bread. And let’s just say you’re in for a ride. This conversation recounts an extraordinary life well-lived. It’s about the confluence and influence of music, art, water, creativity, and storytelling. It’s about race and athletics. The progress many industries need to make to truly be accessible and equal to all. And how sport holds the power to break outdated paradigms. It’s also about giving voice to passion. Amplifying narratives less well told. And a love affair that spans a diversity of interests—from late night Birdland jazz session to dawn patrol barrels. But more than anything, this exchange is about carving out a life that aligns with your passion. It’s about community and the experiences shape who we become. And it’s about connection and the things that make us uniquely human. FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll594 YouTube: bit.ly/selemamasekela594 Warning: Selema’s story is one for the ages. Peace + Plants, Rich Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0

The first time for me was a piece that I did with the inertia.

0:06.9

That was the first time that I just like really talked about what it's like to be a black

0:11.8

surfer in this world.

0:14.2

And that was the first time that I got people being like, what are you talking about, bro?

0:17.9

Like we've always been cool.

0:19.2

We don't see color.

0:20.2

I'm like, yeah, that's actually the problem.

0:22.5

You don't know what it's been like for me and you've never asked and you don't care.

0:26.6

You know, I got let go from a surf shop that I always wanted to work at as a kid, notion

0:32.4

side because they owners literally told the managers like, he doesn't fit the image of

0:37.8

the shop and it's going to be bad for business.

0:39.6

So tell him that it's slow and we had to let him go.

0:43.8

And people many times feeling uninhabited to tell me that I shouldn't be out there and

0:48.5

using the N word, et cetera, et cetera.

0:51.6

Getting people to understand that like, it's uncomfortable.

0:55.9

And being uncomfortable is a good thing.

0:58.8

You know, be okay with the fact that this is uncomfortable because if we can be all

1:03.1

up being uncomfortable together, then we actually get to move forward.

1:07.6

You know, you got to be willing to do the work and also realize like, this isn't a box

1:12.2

that you're checking.

1:13.8

It's not like if you could do this, this, this, and this, you're good.

1:18.1

Do you as a person want to live in an energy that is anti-racist?

...

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