Marie Rogers never set out to be a trailblazer – but that’s exactly what she has become.
When Rogers first stepped into the world of sailing, it wasn’t because it was a lifelong dream. She was a newcomer, eager to learn but quickly realized that sailing had few spaces for people like her a Black woman. Most of the sailors around her didn’t look like her and the sport had not historically been open to people from her community. But that didn’t stop her.
Instead, Rogers dove in headfirst, gaining expertise and eventually launching her own program to bring people from underrepresented communities onto the water.
She became the first Black woman to hold the Commodoreship at Los Angeles Yacht Club (LAYC), became a 50-T Master Captain and a certified sailing instructor, participating in major regattas like the Transpac.
As the first Black member of LAYC – one of the oldest yacht clubs on the West Coast – Rogers saw an opportunity to create a space where everyone could feel welcome. When club members hesitated, fearing the inclusion of “undesirables,” Rogers didn’t back down.
“I knew we could offer more than just a spot in the club,” she says. “This was a chance to bring in a diverse group, make the club more vibrant, and even boost the bottom line.”
The result was a thriving community sailing program at LAYC, which offers a range of sailing courses, and bareboat cruising. The club’s fleet of Capri 22s plays a central role in the program, and members are encouraged to complete certification within their first year to access discounted initiation fees and dues.
“Community Sailors are at the heart of our club’s growth,” Rogers explains. “They become the most vibrant and diverse core of our membership.”
The program also includes monthly Social Sails, Women on Water events, and Community Sailing Workdays, where members learn boat maintenance and repairs. Those who pass the checkout test can take the boats out without an instructor, furthering their independence and confidence on the water.
The sailing school, which is open to the public, serves as a key avenue for recruiting new members to the club. Over time, many Community Sailors have gone on to purchase their own boats, become Regular Members, or even join the board.
“It’s been incredible to see so many people start their journey as Community Sailors and rise through the ranks,” says Rogers. “Some have even become flag officers—one of whom was once a Community Sailor.”
Rogers’ story also caught the attention of documentary filmmaker Inga Grimmett. Grimmett, who heard about Rogers’ groundbreaking work through the Black creators community, began filming her journey.
“There are so few Black professionals in entertainment, especially behind the camera, that we all tend to know each other,” says Rogers, who teaches academics to young performers as they work on set. “The Black creators community supports each other by attending one another’s shows, performances, and events. Inga is part of that world, and she’s just one of the many people I’ve connected with sailing.”
The ensuing documentary, “Black Aquatic: vol. one: Searching For Good Trouble,” now edited and ready for film festival submissions, is described by its GoFundMe page as “a celebration of the captivating world of offshore racing and the remarkable story of resilience embodied by Marie Rogers. As one of the few African American offshore racing sailors globally, and notably the first African American VP and board member of US Sailing, her story is not just inspiring—it’s groundbreaking and paves the way for a more inclusive future in the sport.”
In the documentary, Rogers discusses the importance of diversity in the sport while steering the groundbreaking crew of Good Trouble through the challenging 2023 Transpacific Race, which goes from Los Angeles to Honolulu, Hawaii and is held every two years.
“The race itself is grueling, but the preparation was the hardest part,” Rogers recalls. “We had less than two years to get everything together, and the boat wasn’t even ours until the last minute.”
Despite these challenges, the team forged ahead, with Rogers leading the way and proving that women of color can excel in professional sailing.
Today, Rogers is now an undisputed pillar of the sailing community. She is a member of the US Sailing Board of Directors. As a leader, a woman, and a person of color in a historically exclusive sport, she is inspiring a new generation of sailors to pursue their dreams and change the industry from within.
For a deeper dive into her story, read US Sailing’s 2022 feature, Marie Rogers: From Newcomer to Change Maker. And to learn more about the documentary, check out Ocean’s and Roads Films.