Who We Are

Brown Girls Do Gymnastics (BGDG) is an advocacy organization helping to guide Brown Girls through their acrobatic careers. We are striving for more diversity and inclusion in gymnastics and circus arts. Founded by Derrin Moore in 2015, BGDG provides access, coaching, training, and other forms of support to athletes from underrepresented and marginalized groups.

Our Mission

As the world evolves, so then does our understanding of identity categories. The sports world must evolve along with the real world.

Thus, BGDG’s mission is to increase access and expand outreach in the sport of gymnastics. We hope our efforts will help align gymnastics and other acrobatic sports with the growing diversity in society.

Our Vision

BGDG envisions a world where persons from all identity groups have the support, freedom, and access they need to participate and compete in the sport of their choice.

Goals

BGDG hopes to to make positive change in the lives of individuals, in the sport of gymnastics, and in the practice of circus arts.

Below are our primary goals:

BGDG Annual Conference

We have hosted 7 Annual BGDG Conferences; 3 in Atlanta, GA, 1 Virtually (due to covid) and Grambling State University in 2021. Our 6th Annual Conference was hosted by Fisk University (the first HBCU Gymnastics Team) and held on their campus in Nashville, TN! This past Summer, we held our 7th. Annual Conference on the campus of Clark Atlanta University. We have grown exponentially in participation since our Inaugural year and hope that it continues to grow. We have had 400+ families from 26 states and 3 countries attend along with National Judges, Elite Coaches, Physical Therapists, and College Recruiters lead workshops for our gymnasts and parents.

Our Annual Conferences are the first of its kind, bringing together gymnasts and their parents/adult figures to learn the ins and outs of gymnastics. So while the gymnasts train with other Brown Girls, the parents/adult figures are in workshops with industry experts learning about our beloved sport! The Conference is geared towards gymnasts ages 6-18 and competitive Levels 3-10 or Xcel Silver and up.

Conference Goals:

• To host conferences in major cities in the US and incorporate Isla Invitationals (gymnastics competition) across the nation.

• Partner with HBCUs to host camps, clinics, invitationals and exhibitions

Conference Objectives:

• To have a representation of brown girls who are the same age/levels (Gymnasts to see peers who look like them)

• Expose Brown Girls to gymnastics

• To have high level gymnasts (as role models) attend conferences

• To have resources/information for parents of Brown Girls who participate in gymnastics/acrobatics

Camp Isla™

Camp Isla™ was sparked at the 2021 BGDG Annual Conference at Grambling State University. There were several parents who asked if we could have a longer conference. Some of the gymnasts asked if they could train more. We saw the gymnasts, year after year, gaining confidence training with other gymnasts and coaches who look like them.

Spirits were high and inspiration was in the air on the historic campus of GSU! Thoughts like:

What if we host a camp prior to the conference?

• Camp Isla™ will give the upper level girls a chance to really train upgrades and perfect skills for college recruitment.

• Camp Isla™ can be a place where club gymnasts and collegiate coaches/gymnasts can see each other and interact!

• Camp Isla™ can be the groundwork of connecting HBCUs to gymnastics on a broader scale!

So guess what we did? We started planning and made it happen!!! Our first Camp Isla™ season included NC A&T and Fisk University, the very first HBCU Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Team!

Through our donors, we gave 10 Scholarships to the first season (2022) of Camp Isla™! With your help, we are hoping to provide even more.

Who can attend Camp Isla™:

• Gymnasts Ages 6 & up (Ages 13-18 will lodge on HBCU Campuses)

• Levels 6-10 and Xcel Platinum and up