Surfrider: Women Making Waves

On October 5th, the Surfrider Foundation hosted our most successful One Ocean event to date to support clean water and healthy beaches. Honoring 'Women Making Waves' and coastal activist, Kim Johnson, founder of the Kōkua Hawai'i Foundation and the Johnson Ohana Foundation, the One Ocean benefit was the second of two annual bicoastal fundraisers to protect the ocean, waves and beaches for the future.

More than 300 guests gathered at the sold-out event at the eco-friendly farm, the Ecology Center, to raise funds to amplify Surfrider’s coastal protection efforts. Attendees were invited to bid on specialty items at a silent auction and enjoy a cocktail hour, gourmet seated dinner curated by celebrity chef Ed Kenney, a lively auction and live performances by Lukas Nelson, Jack Johnson, Zach Gill and Adam Topol. Initiative updates were also shared by Surfrider’s CEO, Dr. Chad Nelsen, on the Surfrider network’s scalable impacts across the country. Notable guests included artists Ethan Estess and Wolfgang Bloch, surfer Alex Grey, brand founder Alex Faherty, film director Emmett Malloy and other leaders from the surf, fashion and music industries.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the prestigious 'Women Making Waves' award, designed by Blakeney Sanford, to Kim Johnson, for her dedication to environmental initiatives and plastic pollution solutions, which have impacted millions of people worldwide. A special guest appearance by Jack Johnson also ended with the auctioning off of a ukulele signed and played by the legendary musician.