The Empowder Festival is the creation of first-year MS Design student Brigid White.
Learn more about how she created the festival and why she’s focused her work at the d.school on redesigning action sports to increase representation and access for underrepresented groups. Hear more from Brigid—in her own words—below.
Introduction
I identified as an athlete before I ever considered myself a designer. I played every sport I could and found I was most myself on a field and among teammates. After many years within traditional sport structures including at the Division 1 level, my retirement as a student-athlete marked a loss of identity.
In this time of searching, I found myself drawn toward action and outdoor sports. I began surfing, kiteboarding, trail running, triathlons, mountain biking, backcountry skiing… the list goes on. I enjoyed the struggle of learning, being immersed in nature, and the speed and intensity of action sports. I appreciated that many of these sports brought me into intergenerational communities that offered support in progression and friendship.
However, as time expanded away from my days of Division 1 athletics, I found a competitive itch return. Yet when I examined the opportunities to compete in these non-traditional sports, I discovered that many competitive arenas catered to youth or professionals with limited options in between. I also noticed that I was hesitant to sign up for amateur events, fearing I wouldn't be qualified enough and might embarrass myself.
When I joined the MS Design program at the d.school, it gave me a new outlet to explore these feelings. I looked critically at the historical design of sports - ultimately learning that almost all sports were invented by men and being surprised to discover the initial prototype of a sports bra, created in 1977, was two jock straps sewn together. These realizations sparked my curiosity about the ways women and other underrepresented groups in sports might be adapting to sports that were not designed with them in mind.
The Road to Empowder-ment
After competing at Sugar Bowl Resort's redesigned Silver Belt Qualifier event - where the innovative format of athlete-judging celebrated creativity and community spirit - I was inspired by its collaborative atmosphere and focus on personal expression rather than solely technical scoring. However, I also left with some questions: Why was there such a gender imbalance in the competitors, with just nine women among more than 40 men? And why did such a gap exist between the difficulty levels in men's and women's runs?
These questions sparked the vision for Empowder, an idea that was given space to grow through an independent study exploring how to boost women+ (including women, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals) in the sport of freeride. Freeride is a form of competitive skiing and snowboarding that emphasizes creativity on natural, off-piste terrain. Unlike racing, freeride values line choice, fluidity, and style over speed, allowing skiers and riders to interpret the mountain in their own unique way.
The d.school created a space for me to confidently imagine the essence, form, and design of Empowder Festival, but the idea truly came to life through the coming together of the Empowder Core Team (ECT), made up of Daphne James, Mariah Grover, Maia Bickert, Mariko Kelly, Amanda David, Danielle Green, and Adi Sadeh. Together, we built upon the concept of a non-traditional freeride event inspired by the Silver Belt's creative spirit. We wanted to create a space that fostered an environment that was inclusive, celebratory, and community-centered, all while maintaining room for progression and competition. A shared vision united the ECT, each member having independently recognized a gap in the snow sport industry. We shared a hunger for community both on and off the slopes, and opportunities to challenge ourselves alongside other women+ riders who understood our experience.
Empowder quickly became my design playground. I utilized the d.school's printshop, creating custom risograph prints of Sugar Bowl Resort emblazoned with "Freeride is for the girls" for each participant. I used the laser cutter to make wood stencils that served multiple purposes, from creating stencils to spray paint logos onto tote bags to crafting the competition day winner medals. I designed and refined a logo, then developed merchandise based on the brand identity. I taught myself to sew beanies, creating a collection of distinctive cow print beanies that served as a visual identifier of the ECT throughout the festival weekend. Working with Carissa Carter, I methodically planned every aspect of the weekend, intentionally structuring the participant experience from registration through departure, focusing on how an environment and culture could be designed for women+ feel a sense of belonging in the community while also being challenged to try something they might have previously thought they couldn’t do. The extensive project list and design considerations required for the festival enhanced my design capabilities through practical application.
Empowder Festival
The inaugural Empowder Festival was held over the weekend of March 22 - 23, 2025, at Sugar Bowl Resort in Tahoe. The weekend was intentionally designed to combine playful community-building with advancing the progression of women+ in freeride.
Day one focused on skill progression, for which women+ were split up into small groups led by accomplished freeride coaches. Coaches created an environment where everyone felt encouraged to push boundaries while keeping the atmosphere playful and supportive. Workshops focused on developing skiers' and riders' abilities in the areas of classic freeride judging criteria: line choice, control, technique, fluidity, and air and style.
Day two began with a classroom session led by accomplished freeride competitors turned judges, Kelsey Hyche and Kenzie Bathurst, who broke down judging criteria from both judge and athlete perspectives. Participants then moved to the mountain where each heat was assigned a coach who served as their guide—helping them navigate everything from course inspection to managing pre-drop nerves. The competition itself balanced intensity with joy as women+ pushed their limits across challenging terrain, with coaches and spectators witnessing the powerful sight of riders overcoming fears as they conquered difficult, unique lines.
The Empowder Effect
The impact of Empowder was immediate and profound. Women+ walked away from the weekend proud of pushing themselves on the slopes and grateful for the community we built together.
"I have never before felt such a jump in confidence after just one day of skiing," shared one participant, adding with some praise that "Saturday programming was fantastic, with a great balance between empowerment, skill building, and boundary pushing." Another celebrated the connections made: "The highlight for me was meeting new friends to ski with! I feel like I'm leaving the weekend with several new connections which is so exciting!" A third participant had a revelation: "I've been taking the smooth, easy line for so long—it was habit. Kelsey (and the other women in the group!) changed that in a single weekend. Big chutes and small air are in my future!
Special Thanks
Empowder Festival was made possible with the support of a village - from the hours and days put in by the ECT, to the ongoing support of Sugar Bowl Resort’s Bridget Legnavsky and Toby Arnott and Sugar Bowl Freeride Academy’s Sean Carey. We are profoundly grateful to the coaches, participants, and sponsors whose generous support made the inaugural Empowder event possible.
A special thanks to Carissa Carter who enthusiastically agreed to my independent study pitch and never wavered in her encouragement, belief, and guidance in making Empowder Festival come to life.
Sponsors: Blizzard Tecnica, Atomic, Jones Snowboards
What's Next?
Empowder Festival 2025 was just the start! The ECT is already cooking up new ideas for how we want Empowder to continue to redefine what it looks like to be a women+ in and beyond the world of snow sports. Personally, I am excited to see how we can make action sports more welcoming and community-centered while still providing spaces for competition and progression.
Be sure to follow Empowder Festival on Instagram or at empowderfestival.com
If you'd like to connect, please reach out via LinkedIn.
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