In this episode of What Shapes Us, Selema Masekela talks with photographer, journalist, and surfer Gabriella Angotti-Jones (@ga.briella) about carving space in the often-exclusive world of surf media and doing it with radical honesty. Gabriella opens up about growing up as a Black surfer in Southern California, breaking into legacy newsrooms, and why she left it all behind to tell stories on her own terms.

Her stunning photo memoir I Just Wanna Surf blends raw surf culture with intimate explorations of race, gender, joy, and burnout. In this conversation, Gabriella shares how the ocean became both refuge and rebellion, and why creative freedom especially for women of color is worth fighting for.

🎞️ Order Gabriella’s book: gabriellaangojo.rocks

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• Gabriella Angotti-Jones: @ga.briella

• Selema Masekela: @selema

• What Shapes Us Podcast: @whatshapesuspodcast