BIPOC Curlers Changing the Face of Curling

Welcome to episode four of the Curling for Change Podcast! In this limited series, our host, 2023 All Heart Curling Award recipient Wil Robertson, will chat with folks from all corners of the curling community to hear their stories, their perspectives, and how we can change the face of curling and promote inclusion within our sport.

This discussion’s focus is: “BIPOC Curlers Changing the Face of Curling". Wil has a chat with Deb Martin, Kibo Mulima, Jaxon Hiebert, and Johnson Tao about their experiences in curling, and to share their lessons for how curling can be more inclusive and welcoming to the BIPOC community, and what they think the curling community ought to do to be more welcoming and inclusive for all.

If you enjoyed this discussion, and look forward to the episodes to come, please like or share this video. Anyone can tune in on Curling Canada +, YouTube, or wherever you find your podcasts!

Our guests: 

Deb Martin (She/Her) - Deb Martin curls out of the Plainfield Curling Club in New Jersey and the Bucks Country Curling Club in Pennsylvania, and has been an instrumental part of Goldline’s UnitedWeCurl initiative. Her message at the launch of the UnitedWeCurl program rings true today: “I’m not a Black Curler, or a Female Curler, or a Queer Curler. I am a Curler – who just happens to be all of those things are more. Personally, I look forward to a day when it’s not a unique and notable thing to see a face like mine and my wife’s out there throwing rocks, calling shots and brushing our guts out. A day when we are known for our gameface – not our face in the game.”

Kibo Mulima (He/Him) – Inverary, Ontario: Kibo is a junior competitive curler based in Ontario. Kibo is a 2022 For the Love of Curling Scholar, a 2022/23 Men's Curling U SPORTS Champion with Wilfrid Laurier University, a 2023 Canada Winter Games silver medalist, and an outspoken advocate for improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the sport of curling.

Johnson Tao (He/Him) – Richmond, British Columbia: Johnson is a member of the University of Alberta’s Men’s Curling team, the skip of the 2023 Canadian Junior Curling Champions, a silver medalist at the 2022 Canadian Junior Curling Championships, and was a 2021 recipient of the For the Love of Curling Scholarship, selected by Curling Canada.

Jaxon Hiebert (He/Him) – Sherwood Park, Alberta: Jaxon represented Alberta at this year’s U18 Canadian Junior Curling Championships, and is a member of one of two mixed doubles teams selected to playdown in a best of seven series to represent Canada at the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games. Jaxon is also a member of Curling Alberta’s  Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Task Force.