Becoming Ruby: Inclusion, Bikes and Hand-Drawn Heroes | Patagonia Films

[@patagonia]

Hi everyone! Thanks for joining us. We’re excited for the show tonight. The premiere will start at 6:00 PM, PDT and Brooklyn and director Dave Mayers will be here to answer questions throughout the film. Run time is about 18 minutes.

[@AlexanderCSvensson]

Incredible passion and perspectives. Just love how she challenge the norms, and how she just do her thing. MTB should be for everyone and we all share the same passion. Great production and feeling.😀

[@-ZELTHELD-]

Will a second video follow on the privileged black people in most running sports dominating the world, be it 100m track or the marathon? Just curious......

[@jacksonhodges942]

Alexander C. Svensson I agree. The the lack of diversity in Bellingham Washington and especially throughout MTB is disgusting.

[@Musicsson]

If those are still „the norms“ and they still have to be challenged, then I don’t know what to say... Maybe the US should realize that it’s not 1845 anymore!

[@Musicsson]

Dude, are you joking??? „Privileged“??? Being privileged by nature as a good athlete - vs. being privileged by being white and part of a certain financial group - I guess even a person of your IQ should see the difference.

[@luthermclain2959]

As a Native of this continent, an ice climber, occasional rock climber, mountain biker, and trail runner, it is pretty rare to see non-Europeans out there. And I've been doing this for thirty years. One of the great things I realized early on about the outdoor community versus general society, is that it is a fairly inclusive and open-minded group of people. It's much more about who you really are, what you're doing and how much you love it.

[@11vkr]

I`d say individual experiences vary from person to person. As a person of colour living in Germany, I can relate to the experience of inclusion but not acceptance.

[@Musicsson]

I live in Germany, too. People of „color“ and foreigners who immigrate to Germany are generally well treated. Racism is generally not accepted in this country and counted as a criminal act. When we moved to Germany 33 years ago, this was absolutely not the case yet. I got massively bullied at school because of not being German... despite of being European. Was a frickin hard time! But nowadays most Germans see people from other cultures as something very normal. Times have changed over here...

[@enial100]

Patagonia-amazing film! As a person of color, I wanted to see more of Her story. It would be great to see her featured in a catalog. I have so much patagonia clothing and it’s nice to see someone that looks like me being represented by your brand! Thank you

[@FinanceAristocracy]

Yes!

[@melissaevanson6040]

TOtally agree! I would love to see many OTHERS! Not just following Brooklyn Bell but profiling other POC so we see ourselves in this outdoor world we love!

[@jacksonhodges942]

She’s literally the bravest person alive. Much braver than MLK

[@Musicsson]

Come on... your exaggeration makes Mount Everest seem like an ant hill. That poor girl is fighting for her identity which is so sad to see... while she should feel as normal as anyone else (which she actually is). But I guess Meeerica is simply to great, too free and to full of opportunities for this most natural thing.

[@andrewmartinez5831]

This is dope! As a Native American mountain biker I feel this. Keep killing it Brooklyn.

[@Musicsson]

As an European I feel deeply disturbed and embarrassed to see that the most natural thing - namely to simply be a human without being labeled in any way - is still not possible in the US. Dunno how people can support this primitive attitude over there.

[@adrianwilson4260]

Patagonia showing black women with locs in the outdoors!!!! YESSS!!!! I was not expecting the ACV Rinse either!!!! I loved this!

[@sophietheyogi]

I'm 17 and female and white and I love biking. This film is AWESOME. Patagonia and North Face continue to put out excellent feature films about outdoorsmen and women, but only Patagonia addresses the lack of diversity head on. Someday, I want to work for a company like Patagonia- thanks for the incredible work guys!!

[@sethgilbertson2474]

I started watching this as an ad and decided to find the video. This woman is so impressive. Her commentary on identity is really powerful.

[@Luckycat102]

this is great, i think its often the case that people of color are a minority in these kinds of activities, which sometimes leads to someone feeling like they might be judged by their own cultural community for trying to be 'white' or them feeling like an oddball. it should only come down to what the sport (climbing,mtb,cycling,hiking,running,etc.) means to you, all of these communities have alot of wonderful, welcoming people that do the sport not because of their skin color but because its satisfying, fun, and a challenge. everyone especially young people need to grow up watching videos like this that gives them the power to follow their passions and embrace their own individuality.

[@universalapple]

Brooklyn, thank you for sharing your story. I really appreciate having the opportunity to hear it. I’m going to go back and rewatch this video later because I noticed my attention was divided between hearing your words, looking at your amazing art, and feeling sad that the brand who made this video doesn’t include me because the brand doesn’t make products XXL (or larger) in women’s sizes. I’m fat, but I still love to be outdoors and want high performance gear when I’m skiing or cycling or paddling.

[@vinn84]

‘The difference between being included and being welcomed’. Wow that hit hard. So many well meaning people that don’t understand this. Hope to see more diversity being celebrated in these kinds of sports.

[@briikrii]

What a great film. I’m a female mountain biker and it takes guts for me just to show up at the trailhead by myself, not to mention a bike race! Brooklyn is one tough and inspiring lady, deserving of the spotlight.

[@killa44beast614]

As an african-american who loves the outdoors, this film means a lot to me! Thanks Patagonia!

[@derekmann4317]

Great film. As an African-American male mountain biker, I can relate to a lot of what's in this video. I thank you for this video and thank you, Brooklyn, for your courage.

[@iolanisjourney4828]

You look so happy and free when you ride. You being you and doing what you love inspires others to do the same while teaching young girls they have many different options. Thank you for sharing your story 💕

[@patagonia]

Thank you so much!!

[@Daniel-cq7dn]

Thank you for sharing your story Brooklyn! As a road bike enthusiast myself and a person of color from the eastern part of India you're amplifying our collective voices and similar lived personal experiences. More power to you!

[@jacksonhodges942]

It’s disgusting how racist the MTB crowd is. Especially the outdoor granola crowd. More diversity!

[@beastbaby4856]

As a POC, this video struck a cord with me. Very pleased to see somebody out there using their voice to tell their story in an inspiring way. Keep on keepin on, and stay riding!

[@30smsuperstrat]

Beautiful story of what is yet to come. Brooklyn your beauty shines brightly throughout your story. A fellow washingtonian we long to take our family away from the congestion of the Seattle suburbs. As a biracial family my heart aches with the thoughts of my children living in non diverse schools and communities. There has been this push to have densely populated areas and many industries have died in rural communities. What's crazy is with the connection of the internet today, and the rural industries of 50 years ago I think we could have diverse rural communities. My heart yearns for this.

[@bonjourks]

So awesome to see other women of color kicking ass in the mountains! I live in the area too and often long to meet people in outdoor sports who look like me - you are not alone. Fun/weird fact: My sister is up there in Bellingham and works with your dad :)

[@Musicsson]

I pray for the day when the term „people of color“ will not even exist. Honestly, I can’t hear it anymore... when the heck will we simply be humans and nothing more? I only learned that racism exists when my family moved from poor socialist Romania to the golden land of capitalist Germany. And I realized that economic prosperity of capitalism has nothing to do with certain social standards & values. I learned that capitalism and discrimination seem to have a common history.

[@rcaddict7638]

@@Musicsson lol tf people of color is a skin color just like white it will always be a thing

[@kenyanettingham1818]

My sista , you are brave and a bad ass. I mainly consume KZbin as main source of screen time and I'm very happy I came across this very professionally done film ( props to film crew). Can't wait to see and hear more about you. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@roblea3505]

So proud of you, Brooklyn! You should be so stoked on how this turned out. I hope we can ride together sometime soon!

[@brucedenis71]

This film is nicely timed. I was looking at an image of the pro line-up of a major mtn bike company and they were almost exclusively white males (one female, no visible minorities). I have been in the bike community in the Northwest for many years and we are open, friendly and definitely not racist but Brooklyn makes the distinction between friendly and 'inclusive' in this video which is really important. Take note, our culture, our events and our participants need to be more inclusive to have more visible minorities riding bikes.

[@Topcreatoryeah]

This is a great example of combining visual arts and story telling with gravity/ adventure sports. The way they feed off each other provides balance. You are such a Shero!

[@ClaireSmallwood]

Brooklyn! This is so incredible. Thank you for having the courage to share your story. You are so courageous. For everyone who loved and appreciated this film, please share it! One of the best things people can do as allies of BiPOC individuals is to amplify their stories, which builds a greater understanding of the need for diversity and inclusion.

[@jacksonhodges942]

Agreed. She’s braver than MLK. Especially as minority in Bellingham Washington

[@TeddyParker]

Hearing 'i remember being 18 and scrolling through instagram' is a very strange phrase to me. Definitely a modern sentence lol

[@blynbb]

Teddy Parker lol I’m only 23 😂 still a youngin

[@TheApplePeople]

Brooklyn is the type of person that will help the sport of mountain biking grow. Her compassion and confidence is evident and is extremely contagious. SEven better that she rides a Kona😏😂

[@rickmortyson4861]

Wow this was beautiful. You touched my heart. One of the pretty things in our community is that every one can be a part of it.

[@chasingvenusfilmarts]

Such a great film (Ryan Van Duzer / "Pedal Through" brought me and my wife here) so very inspiring all around! Respect to all involved and go Brooklyn ...and Ruby...go! :-)

[@TopG1rlAdz]

Fantastic video! I really admire Brooklyn for being a trailblazer and honestly speaking up about the difficulties minorities face when taking part in these predominantly white sports. I thought her comments about the difference between being welcomed and being inclusive was very powerful!

[@tfish4493]

Im with you girl. WWU ALumni! You put my feelings into perfect words! Being a mixed man in this "Outdoor Space" does feel different and lonely, but through you and other strong POC we can create that " Safe Space" that we have always longed for! ONE LOVE!

[@hokipokist]

1) she's awesome 2) the colour grading is also awesome

[@s9523pink]

Absolutely, beautiful! Should be a full length movie, I'd go see it! The scenery, culture, subculture, dealing with being a woman of color in a predominantly white sport! Lots of cool compelling elements, tensions and resolutions. I would expand on this one, as a black male who raced on the roads of New England in the 80s, I know that sense of alienation but also inclusion! Beautiful filmography!

[@outerbike]

Great story Patagonia - Hopefully Brooklyn can help inspire more women and minorities to mountain bike and enjoy the out of doors in the future. We could all benefit from more inclusiveness and kindness -especially in these times.

[@lcurry3836]

Great story, hopefully she’ll inspire other young girls

[@mfreeman72]

Can't wait to watch this -- met Brooklyn on the chair at Mt. Baker just over a year ago as she was about to go into the backcountry. Zero attitude, and just gives off a genuine and authentic energy.

[@blynbb]

Mt.Baker is my happy place!

[@taylorlorenz5780]

I truly enjoyed this film. I personally relate to the story and find the film amazing. Brooklyn you are so amazing, rock on girl!!

[@jaioxung]

Shoutout Patagonia for featuring the brave, beautiful, and badass Brooklyn B! More people in the mountain biking and outdoor community need to be aware of how they inadvertently turn people of color off from outdoor pursuits without meaning to. Thank you for making this film.

[@radbikeadventure]

Loved this. Brooklyn, you ARE cool! Shredding beautiful lines on paper, dirt and snow and contributing so much to creating inclusiveness in outdoor sports. Would love to see the next installment from Patagonia with your badassery on the ski slopes and touching more on your awesome artwork too.

[@mollydavisyoga]

Thank you! Loved it so much. I have a 5 year old grandson that is mixed and I pray her has his own version of a Ruby to help me know that he deserves all the good things that life has to offer. Thank you, Brooklyn, for your story. Great job, Patagonia and crew!

[@cre8iveworks]

Wowwww. THIS film was so beautifully done and Brooklyn Bell's story is necessary to see. Representation is so important. So glad I found this!

[@marissapriestap6063]

So many amazing points, especially about inclusivity vs. welcoming. I particularly liked your thoughts about how including someone needs to be more than just allowing them to be there - it's about playing their music and welcoming who they ARE. Thank you for sharing of yourself.

[@Musicsson]

It’s funny how languages have different meanings for the same words... In German, being „included“ sounds much more negative than „being welcome“ în a group. :)

[@faithbriggsrose]

Love it Brooklyn!!!! Congrats you guys!!!!

[@craigmeisner3857]

@Catrockventures @NYCICO @DiscoveroutdoorsFoundation will be inviting all our students, staff and volunteers around NYC and beyond to join for the screening of this film. Thank you Patagonia for helping to bring the outdoors to all. Keep inspiring us and supporting our efforts to inspire the next generation of outdoor leaders from underserved communities.

[@joeyvalentic4439]

That quote about the music was so on point and was the best way to sum up the issue. Hell yea Brooklyn.

[@erineden8185]

This is so awesome! Thank you Brooklyn, the production team, and Patagonia for making and sharing this story!

[@tacconelli]

I've wrestled with these same concepts all my life, being mixed race. Thank you for the reminder that we all have to push to find our place or shape our own place in this world.

[@spiderpimp33]

I agree. I’m black. 99.9% of the time when I hit trails & bike parks, I am the only Brotha out there. However, I will say that thus far, all of the MTBers that I have encountered have been nice & polite. Being that I’m an only child, an introvert and the fact that none of my real friends want to MTB with me, I have to be solo most of the time, unless my wife comes. -Metro Atlanta Area

[@lindyf381]

Thank you Patagonia. This brings tears to my eyes. Lovely to see a young black woman into cycling. I only came to your site searching for a cycling jacket. This means the world to me. Thanks for sharing

[@H444-f2c]

Sweet Brooklyn, you are making beautiful changes to the community of mountain bikers, and will most certainly enhance/alter the minds and hearts of the people around you. Thank you for sharing with us. ❤️

[@reesek1083]

Thank you Brooklyn. the fight for inclusion in mountainbiking is an interesting one, with most of our demographic being uninformed of the issues and intersectionality at a base level.

[@lizbui8477]

Great to see more "diversity" in Patagonia :)

[@owenkennedy7854]

If u google “badass” a picture of her should just come up.

[@rebeccabelt7998]

An absolutely wonderful little film that touched me in a BIG way! Thanks Patagonia, thank you dear Brooklyn for stepping out for your community. Growing up queer, I didn’t find my community until I left out on my own. It was difficult in many ways because I wanted to open up about being queer but couldn’t for common day fears. This inspires me to explore that story and tell it! Thank you for sharing!

[@zamzam-br3fi]

There is so much to say about this, but I can't put it into words. All I know is that I loved this little video, almost teared up.

[@datguy2730]

Awesome film!! Thanks Patagonia for showcasing Brooklyn! Will definitely be purchasing some Patagonia gear to show support!

[@theadventurebiker]

I love this. This is awesome on so many levels. As a long time mountain biker, outdoor adventurer, and person of color, I can most definitely relate to many of the things touched on in this film.

[@sagan.]

More Content like this PLEASE!

[@gradywright]

Watching this gave me chills. So inspired by you Brooklyn Bell. Thank you for sharing your story.

[@nestorzabalamadariaga9575]

Great film!. Loved when a point is made to show the difference between welcoming and inclusion. By the way What Patagonia jacket is she wearing?

[@blynbb]

Thank you so much! I am wearing the Dirt Roamer Jacket.

[@0ptimusPrim3]

That's exactly how I feel when I join group rides or events. Sure, I am welcomed but there is still the awkwardness of trying to "fit in." But yeah, once on the bike, we're all just mountain bikers.

[@AdamGreen1]

I love the intersection of artistic and athletic creativity that Brooklyn explores and she's got so much talent on both fronts. I can't wait to see what this woman does and I hope to see more people of all stripes out in the woods making questionable decisions to send stuff. With a little luck and a lot of talent we'll be able to do it with as much style as Brooklyn.

[@L4UR3L]

being welcoming doesn't necessarily equate to being inclusionary is the biggest takeaway from this.

[@michaelcoxjr]

Thank you for making this awesome documentary, Patagonia.

[@djcrb9]

I love this so much. Brooklyn, you continue to astound me.

[@thesaltypoet616]

Very cool video. Those biking scenes were so much fun to watch, I could feel that energy. Being on a bike out in the wild takes you away.

[@Tri473]

Loved this. Can't imagine why someone would have clicked thumbs down.

[@JPRATT537]

People are miserable and some how find enjoyment in clicking the thumbs down button. So sad

[@alisonmyers8968]

Ruby, I applaud you for following your heart and sharing your story.

[@Sweetlines]

Fantastic movie! I can't wait to show it to the girls on my dh race team! Thanks Brooklyn for all that you do!

[@dannynemeth]

Lovely story! Amazing videography! and the color was amazing!

[@davidrickards4931]

"The difference between being included and being welcome" - This was a strong take away, thank you for that. I'll even accept the Drake example ;) (JK, I'm a little too old for Drake and prefer LL or Run DMC). Well done bringing this story forward.

[@camillahyllebergphotography]

Well done! What a great story - affirmative, honest and inspiring. I’ve been looking forward to watch it, since I saw the “premiere at...”, and as always Patagonia do not disappoint your viewers/fans ... a story of reflections.

[@wandererofthewasteland400]

Would be nice to see more films like this. Brooklyn goes hard, so do I. We'll still be around. Thanks patagonia.

[@stevenbrier5802]

I grew up in Colorado. I'm a "native Coloradoan." And despite the fact that I live the lifestyle, I'm not the image that anyone thinks of when they hear that term. I'm an African American male. This documentary encapsulates the way that I have felt at times when mountain biking, skiing, fly fishing. Thankfully, I believe it's changing and getting better thanks to brands like Patagonia.

[@RLICGNT]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Being black outdoors can feel lonely, but that's exactly what I like about it. Not having to care about all of the random everyday nonsense is exactly why I love being in nature. There are some douchebags out there, and some really nice people too, but I just go out for the connection with nature rather than the people.

[@sokuntayjus1]

Great job to all envolved on this one!!! So inspirational to people from all walks of life!

[@maieshamae7509]

Being included vs being welcome!!!!!! MASSIVE

[@compassionatepeercounseling]

Thank you for sharing your story Brooklyn, you are so brave and compassionate. You are making the sport a better place for all people.

[@ErikDouds]

Lead by example. Vote with your feet. Thanks Brooklyn for sharing your story through yourself & Ruby.

[@nickd901]

the ending.. Chills.. literal Chills. Good story and inspirational. as a person of stereotypical white male i really love these stories. It makes me feel like my generation actually is seeing the world with an open mind and open lens.

[@phoxrides]

Wow!! I look forward to these Patagonia videos more than any others!! This one may be my most favorite one yet. Maybe even more than the Pizza one!

[@jimjaxx]

Amazing work Patagonia! Brilliant story, Ruby is a badass! Hope this helps diversify the sport 🙌

[@triciaf2842]

So what is an amazing woman like Brooklyn doing to help break down these barriers and to educate and invite black friends into the outdoors? What I wish this would’ve focused more on, because Brooklyn only scratches the surface, are the challenges of biking/mountain biking, and overall being in the outdoors, for people of the African American culture. It’s unclear for anyone who doesn’t already have some understanding of this, and this story doesn’t do justice to that fight. There is history and a greater story behind why this culture does not always embrace the outdoors, and people need help understanding this. Those barriers need to be broken down, and blaming it on a lack of inclusion is not the way to do it. You can’t help people make a change unless you empower them with knowledge and understanding. It’s unfortunate that Patagonia painted this sad picture of the community in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. I'm not trying to detract from her feelings of loneliness, but if you take one look at the Instagram feed of Brooklyn Bell, it definitely says Brooklyn has been included. Brooklyn says, “I’m fighting for diversity in outdoor spaces because I want to be included, I want community, I want depth in community…” It’s clear that she doesn’t have a community of black riders in the PNW, but she certainly seems to have a LOT of (girl)friends on bikes and IS included, well-known and deeply admired, especially in her sports. So how do we help Brooklyn build her tribe? Instead of pointing fingers, why don’t you help us understand how to fix this. In my opinion, you lost a great opportunity in this video to actually make some change and instead, you might have turned people away from the sport. That’s not lifting anyone up.

[@darktwin4558]

Absolutely inspiring. Thank you for sharing part of your story!

[@mtbst]

Fantastic profile of a bad ass rider, well done!

[@sandiegomountainbikingasso5066]

ride on, brooklyn. so awesome. Thanks for sharing your story! Thanks to Patagonia for providing this. We can all work together to do better.

[@adinbaird2076]

Beautiful story and cinematography to match!! Inspiring.

[@JPRATT537]

Great video! Amazing story. Will definitely show my daughters this feature. My 12 year old wants to get into mountain bike riding. Actually took her out on the trails for the first time yesterday. Hopefully this will inspire her even more 🤙🏽

[@elizabethdevries7691]

Wonderful film and message. Thank you

[@alexgrytsenko85]

Great movie. Liked it. Still can't get use hearing "im black" , "he's white"... We are all humans. Respect each other and love each other. It doesn't matter what color your skin is.

[@NWforager]

related with Brooklyn's story . She Rocks 🖤

[@oriol_fp]

Good job Patagonia! Every company should give voice to minorities.

[@jasper_of_puppets]

15:45 I kinda take issue with the idea that an event needs to pander to what some people perceive as "black culture" and music. I understand where she's coming from and can sympathize, but in my opinion, it wouldn't be any better for an event organizer or DJ to be like, " _hey, we have a black guest here with us, let's play some 'black people music' for her!_ " Why should they assume that just because a person is black, they would prefer hip-hop music over rock? Shouldn't we be avoiding making assumptions about a person based on their skin color? On a side note: I've been to plenty of gatherings where the vast majority of attendees are white people, and they are playing nothing but hip-hop, lol.

[@0ptimusPrim3]

Valid observation. Fortunately for me, I've learned to appreciate a wide variety of music - except metal. I can't do metal.

[@lorenzonelson6611]

Your Awesome Brooklyn. Keep up the good work. Black girls rocks!👏🏿👏🏿❤️🌹

[@duzer]

Loved this so much!!

[@TonyMannyGallo]

17:29 That is the face of maximum stoke. Stay awesome Brooklyn, Ruby, & Luna.

[@kennethpbowen]

who doesn't like this? It's so good.

[@timothyinman5494]

Wow paraphrase " dosent matter who I am what matters is being connected to the dirt." thats the best mtb theory Ive ever heard. What matters is being connected to the dirt brilliant.

[@benjello811]

excited to see!!!...would love to show this to our two daughters - kid friendly, yes?

[@jacksonhodges942]

Not kid friendly. The racism towards this brave individual is sickening. Be warned

[@connor_does_stuff]

+patagonia - Part 1 was great, i think there is a much greater story to tell - looking forward to parts 2-5!!!

[@PesCazaMan]

Que gran trabajo ! muchas gracias por estos proyectos.

[@alexandergarland77]

My partners name is "Dene" she's my mountain bike and let me tell you the passion and love I have for riding is something crazy real, I'm a 19-year dialysis patient I don't get to do a lot of things in life because of these limitations due to my condition but the one thing that I do better than anything on this planet.... I'm a Mountainbiker!!! Most people hear where I'm from don't understand my passion for riding , I've yet to meet another person of color here where I'm from who shares the same passion for mountainbiking , I truly appreciate coming across this episode because I am also a Creator on the KZbin platform bringing awareness to those who look down on people with disabilities like myself and inspiring and changing minds and empowering greatness is my goal with my rides !!!!! Thank you for this you have inspired me greatly maybe one day I hope to be able to ride with you #AL2SmoothTheMountainbiker

[@wash948]

Dope… Just dope. Black MTBer from NH.. Just to know you are not alone is motivation. I will admit I pull up bumping Wu-Tang and Gangstar and honestly do not care. This sista is a real one.. ✊🏾