Good move Burton.
Burton has done a lot of things right in recent years. Between being the first snowboard company to become a certified B Corporation, starting industry-leading sustainability initiatives, and now welcoming Selema Masekela to its board of directors, Burton has proven itself to be a forward-thinking company. All from a family-run business founded out of an old barn in Vermont in the 1970s by Jake Burton Carpenter and Donna Carpenter. “For several decades, Jake and I have consulted a small group of trusted advisors to guide and challenge us as we led Burton through ups and downs,” said Donna in a release from the brand. Since Jake passed away in 2019, Donna has been running the company herself with the guidance of the Burton Board of Directors, which includes their three sons, George, Taylor, and Timi.
Now Selema Masekela, the beloved journalist, commentator, podcast host, Emmy-nominated producer, and activist has joined that list of advisers, bringing his wealth of experience and perspective to the table. “I fell in love with snowboarding on the first day I rode at Snow Summit in 1988,” says Selema. “I’ve continued to love snowboarding ever since, despite the weird looks and often snide remarks I endured in lift lines around the world where most of the people standing in them don’t look like me.”
The son of Hugh Masekela, an activist and legend in South-African jazz, Selema is no stranger to making himself heard. As one of few prominent black men in the white-dominated realm of action sports, Selema has been using his unique position to offer guidance, insight, and occasionally chastisement to the action sports community blacks and other minorities are so underrepresented in. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out his Instagram or give his What Shapes Us podcast a listen and you’ll soon understand, and likewise understand what a great addition he’ll make to the Burton board of directors.
“Selema is revered in the action sports community because his genuine love of snowboarding, surfing, and skateboarding shines through everything he does,” Carpenter continued. “At the same time, he speaks truthfully about where our industry falls short and uses his voice to advocate for those who are underrepresented. These are ideal qualities to have on the Burton Board of Directors since we look to all members for honest guidance on our overall vision and strategy. Selema’s experience in action sports will bring a unique perspective to the board as we work towards a new era of Burton that is more inclusive for all.”
