Pro-surfer Hunter Jones Inspires Us to Unite

Pro-surfer Hunter Jones Inspires Us to Unite

Kind human Hunter Jones shares his stoke of paddling out at El Porto in Manhattan Beach, CA while reminding us that it’s all of our responsibility to be good examples for others. He’s a filmmaker and professional surfer, encouraging a movement of unity across race, gender and socioeconomic background through his project 1PlanetOnePeople—KH

 

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Hunter Jones, I’m a professional surfer, lover of the ocean and filmmaker from the South Bay in Los Angeles. From a young age, I have felt a natural connection with the ocean. Around age 10 I got pushed into my first wave at El Porto and that day changed the direction of my life. Surfing has given me so much and taught me so many life lessons. The ocean is always changing, and each wave you ride offers a completely different canvas, so I really enjoy the challenge of surfing every wave to the best of my ability and just enjoying the moment.

In addition to surfing, I love making and editing films. I’ve always enjoyed being creative, and I feel best when expressing my thoughts through video. I’ve made music videos, commercials, and actually just started my own YouTube vlog called “HJTV.”

A fun fact about me—I enjoy cutting hair! Ever since I was a teenager my friends and I would cut each other’s hair, and I guess I just took a liking to it and never stopped.

What is your definition of a kind human?

A kind human is someone who gives selflessly and thinks of others before themselves.

 

What inspires you to be kind and give back?

I was fortunate to grow up surrounded by good people who invested in me, and I’ve always wanted to be a good example for other humans. People aren’t going to remember what you say, but they do remember how you made them feel. So for me, with every interaction I have with people, I hope to leave them feeling happier and just all-around more stoked.

 

Name 3 kind humans who have positively affected you.

Ryan Harris; Ryan has made me a bunch of surfboards over the years and really invested a lot in me.

Jawad Chabib; Jawad is a local South Bay photographer who is always down to shoot. He is a giver by nature and always looking out for his friends.

Tim Greenberg; Tim was my boss while I worked at the World Surf League, and he shared a ton of his knowledge of the surf industry and social media strategy with me. He’s been a huge part of my career.

How have the events over the last year (either social, political, or otherwise) affected how you show up to the world?

What we saw go down back in May 2020 was just wrong. And all the hype created so much division. Like MLK said, “I don’t want people to be judged by the color of their skin. I want people to be judged by the content of their character.” That’s what I’ve tried to embody in my personal life and push out to the world. In the midst of the madness, we birthed 1PlanetOnePeople, a collective between myself, Ryan Harris, Selema Masekela and Danielle Black Lyons. I feel like I have a responsibility to be an example and grow the next generation of diverse surfers, and I see a future full of opportunities.