Ann Gillard saw a gap in the paddling community and did what any good river person would do: she gathered her crew and got on the water to build a space where people can actually show up as themselves. Ann is an ACA Level 4 whitewater kayak instructor, NRS ambassador, and founder of Pride Day on the River — a volunteer-led event on the Deerfield River in Massachusetts dedicated to LGBTQ+ visibility and participation in paddle sports. It draws over 150 people for a community paddle, beginner clinics, affinity group paddling, and one of the most joyful after-parties on the river. In this episode, Anna and Ann explore:

• The discomfort zone continuum — how Ann uses body cues to distinguish her comfort zone, panic zone, and the growth space in between
• The 51% rule — Ann’s personal metric for deciding when a rapid is worth running, and why purpose matters more than peer pressure
• Ego and the river — when ego is a useful push, when it gets in the way, and how to tell the difference
• Building genuinely inclusive spaces — what it actually looks like to create a container where people can show up as themselves, not as who the sport expects them to be
• Ann’s favorite river metaphor — she shares one in rapid fire that will make you see rivers and community completely differently
• Cleaning up your mistakes — the courage it takes to own an error in front of a group, and why that moment of accountability can build more trust than getting it right the first time