West Philly's own rowing champion runs the only Black-owned rowing club in the US.

West Philadelphia's own Brannon Johnson is making waves with BLJ Community Rowing, the only Black-owned and -operated rowing club in America. She is using rowing to bridge the gap between the traditional rowing world and the diverse West Philly community, providing access and creating opportunities in the elite sport.

When Johnson spoke to 6ABC, she said, "I definitely stumbled into my mission, and I love that it's not about me. I love that it's about this community." Johnson is dedicated to holding each other accountable and pushing one another to do better and be better in the space she has created.

The rowing maven has used her sport to travel the world, meeting many different kinds of people. She said,"I had better options because rowing was available. I didn't see anyone that looked like me around the sport, so it's important to me that I give that option to as many people as possible in the Black and brown communities."

One of Johnson's students attested to the trainer's ability to help with overall confidence on and out of the water. High school rower Kaiya Johnson said, "It's definitely been nice having somebody to look up to and somebody that holds me accountable."

Rowing coaches Asiyah Harrison and Jaden Oates have both noticed the lack of Black presence in the sport. Harrison praised Johnson for her outstanding contributions and for showing her what it's like to be an entrepreneur and "a Black woman in such a white male-centered space." Oates said his high school rowing team, which is predominately Black and Hispanic, embraces other rowing teams of color whenever they cross paths. He commented, "It's not that many of us."

BLJ Community Rowing offers adult and youth programs, as well as corporate programs where employees can learn about and practice camaraderie, teamwork, health and wellness. The club is located at 2200 Kelly Drive in Philadelphia, in front of St. Joseph University's boathouse along Kelly Drive.

Brannon Johnson is making a huge difference in the rowing community by providing access to the sport to people of color. She is an inspiration to many and is setting an example for other Black entrepreneurs in the predominantly white sport.

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