Cori Schumacher
{{Short description|American surfer (born 1977)}}
{{COI|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox surfer
| name = Cori Schumacher
| image = Cori Schumacher Portrait.jpg
| caption = Schumacher in 2018
| birth_name = Corinne Schumacher
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|04|23}}
| birth_place = Huntington Beach, CA
| nickname = Cori
| major_achievements = World Longboard Champion 2000, 2001, 2010
| stance = Regular
| shapers = Donald Takayama
{{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes
| office = Carlsbad City Council Member
| term_start = 2016
| term_end = 2021
| predecessor = Lorraine Wood
| successor = Melanie Burkholder
| party = Democratic Party
}}
| website = {{URL|corischumacher.com}}
}}
Cori Schumacher (born April 23, 1977, Huntington Beach, California) is an American surfer, activist and former politician. She is a three-time Women's World Longboard Champion, earning the title in 2000, 2001 and 2010.
Early life
Schumacher is the older of two daughters. Her parents were avid surfers, with her mother having professionally competed in the sport. The family moved to San Diego, where Schumacher learned the practice. Her first competition was at age twelve.{{Cite web|url=https://www.liquidsaltmag.com/2009/11/cori-schumacher-the-deep-blue|title=Cori Schumacher Interview|website=Liquid Salt}}{{Cite news |date=1989-07-12 |title=Team Schumacher is riding high |pages=16 |work=North County Blade-Citizen |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-county-blade-citizen-team-schumach/131267262/ |access-date=2023-09-05}}
Surfing
Schumacher has won multiple national and international surfing titles being best known for women's longboarding. Early in her career, she was a top US female shortboarder on the 1994 and 1996 US Team for the International Surfing Association (ISA).{{Cite web |title=Women's Media Center |url=https://womensmediacenter.com/profile/cori-schumacher |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=womensmediacenter.com}} Her most notable international shortboard title was the winner of the 1995 Pan-American Championships.{{Cite news |date=1995-11-01 |title=Surfing:Pan-Am Championships |pages=13 |work=Times-Press-Recorder |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-press-recorder-surfingpan-am-cham/131268019/ |access-date=2023-09-05}} She turned to longboarding and became a three-time Women's World Longboard Champion, earning the title in 2000, 2001 and 2010.{{Cite book |last=Guisado |first=Raul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iA9xBAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Cori+Schumacher%22&pg=PA99 |title=Art of Surfing: A Training Manual for the Developing and Competitive Surfer |date=2011-11-08 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-0-7627-7572-9 |pages=99 |language=en}}
From late 2001 to 2008, Schumacher went on sabbatical from competition and came out as gay.{{Cite web |date=October 6, 2020 |title=The History of LGBTQ Surfing |url=https://www.surfer.com/features/history-lgbtq-surfing/}} She returned in 2008 to win the Linda Benson Roxy Jam at Cardiff, California,{{Cite book |last=Boal |first=Bruce |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WPOF9Z51oGkC&dq=%22Cori+Schumacher%22&pg=PA212 |title=The Surfing Yearbook |date=2009 |publisher=Gibbs Smith |isbn=978-1-4236-0558-4 |pages=212 |language=en}} the Women's Longboard Pipeline Pro Champion in 2009,{{Cite news |date=2009-04-10 |title=Longboard surfing |pages=38 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-honolulu-advertiser-longboard-surfin/131269182/ |access-date=2023-09-05}} and two-time Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) North American Champion winning in 2008 and 2009.{{Cite news |date=2008-09-22 |title=Janna Irons ousted |pages=31 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-honolulu-advertiser-janna-irons-oust/131269900/ |access-date=2023-09-05}}{{Cite news |date=2009-06-26 |title=Big Island's Snow wins longboard in California |pages=38 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-honolulu-advertiser-big-islands-sno/131270344/ |access-date=2023-09-05}}
While the world champion, in 2011 Schumacher boycotted the ASP Women's Longboard world tour because of an event hosted in Hainan Island, China. In an email to ASP administrators she stated, "I have deep political and personal reservations with being a part of any sort of benefit to a country that actively engages in human-rights violations, specifically those in violation of women."{{Cite news |last=Laderman |first=Scott |date=December 13, 2021 |title=Women's tennis is standing up to China. Doing so rides a wave of surfer activism. |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/12/13/womens-tennis-is-standing-up-china-doing-so-rides-wave-surfer-activism/}}{{Cite web |date=2011-03-18 |title=Reigning w's longboard champ to boycott tour |url=https://www.espn.com/action/surfing/news/story?id=6232805 |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} It was the first time since 1985 a professional surfer boycotted a major competition.{{Cite news |last=Weisberg |first=Zach |date=March 26, 2011 |title=For Female Surfers, Challenges Out of the Water |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/sports/27surfing.html}}
During her surfing career, Schumacher chose not to take sponsorships explaining "so I can say what I want to say and be who I want to be," and became known for her protests against the war in Iraq and advocacy for women's and gay rights.
Activism and political career
After boycotting the world surfing tour in 2011, Schumacher directed her focus to social justice work on gender equity and increasing LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation in surfing.{{Cite book |last=lisahunter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TpxYDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Cori+Schumacher%22&pg=PT173 |title=Surfing, Sex, Genders and Sexualities |date=2018-04-27 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-351-78138-1 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Thorpe |first1=Holly |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781137457967/page/210/mode/2up?q=%22Cori+Schumacher%22 |title=Women in action sport cultures: identity, politics and experience |last2=Olive |first2=Rebecca |date=2016 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-1-137-45797-4 |series=Global culture and sport series |location=London}} In 2013, she launched a viral online campaign demanding Roxy surf wear stop the sexualization of female professional surfers in their advertisements. The advertisement in question was made by Roxy as the main media for a world championship tour surfing contest in Biarritz, France—an event governed by the Association of Surfing Professionals, who up until the global push back had permitted contest sponsors to control media for professional surfing events.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-roxy-ads-20130913-story.html|title=Surfer calls on Roxy to change ads|website=Los Angeles Times}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/petition-roxy-video_n_3999783|title=21,000 People Sign Petition Against Roxy 'Surf' Video|date=September 27, 2013|website=HuffPost}}
In 2017, Schumacher published a chapter in the Critical Surf Studies Reader, a seminal anthology introducing the emerging academic field of critical surf studies. Her research focused on the gender pay gap, misogyny, and homophobia within the world of professional surfing.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dukeupress.edu/the-critical-surf-studies-reader|title=Duke University Press - The Critical Surf Studies Reader}}
In 2019, Schumacher worked with California Assembly member Tasha Boerner-Horvath on Assembly Bill 467, California's "Equal Pay for Equal Play" legislation which emerged from conversations between the two.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theinertia.com/news/california-equal-pay-bill-ab-467-tasha-boerner-horvath-politics-equality-equity/|title=CA to Consider 'Equal Pay for Equal Play' Bill|first=Dylan|last=Heyden}}{{Cite web |last=Lou |first=Michelle |date=2019-04-17 |title=California wants sports competitions to award equal prize money to men and women |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/17/us/california-gender-equity-pay-sports-trnd/index.html |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=CNN |language=en}} The bill was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2019 and went into effect January 1, 2020.{{Cite web |last=Heyden |first=Dylan |date=2019-09-12 |title=California Passes Equal Pay for Equal Play on State Lands |url=https://www.theinertia.com/surf/california-ab-467-equal-pay-equal-play-discrimination-equity/ |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=The Inertia |language=en-US}}
= Politics =
From 2016 to 2021 Schumacher, a Democrat, was an elected city council member for Carlsbad, California.{{Cite web |last=Puterski |first=Steve |date=January 9, 2018 |title=The Coast News Group |url=https://thecoastnews.com/schumacher-to-challenge-hall-in-carlsbad-mayoral-race/}}
In 2016, Schumacher was elected to as an at-large council member having received support for opposing a contentious mall development plan.{{Cite web |last=Puterski |first=Steve |date=February 3, 2016 |title=The Coast News Group |url=https://thecoastnews.com/alternative-plan-to-8515-emerges-from-carlsbad-activist/}} The community rejected the development plan in a special election in February 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sdbj.com/news/2016/feb/29/developer-concedes-defeat-carlsbad-special-electio/|title=Developer Concedes Defeat in Carlsbad Special Election|website=San Diego Business Journal|date=29 February 2016 }} Schumacher was the first LGBTQ+ elected official in Carlsbad's history.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVGgaOWsUus|title=LGBT Q&A with Carlsbad Council member Cori Schumacher|via=www.youtube.com}}{{Cite web |last=Hoang |first=Tony |date=2016-10-14 |title=Equality California Endorses Five LGBT Candidates in Local Races |url=https://www.eqca.org/oct-endorse-2/ |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=Equality California |language=en}}
Schumacher announced her campaign for mayor of Carlsbad in 2018 with a platform centered on creating a community choice energy program. She lost the election to incumbent mayor Matt Hall.{{Cite web|date=2018-11-07|title=Here's Your Election Results Roundup Of Six North County Mayoral Elections|url=https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2018/11/07/north-county-mayoral-race|access-date=2022-01-05|website=KPBS Public Media|language=en}}
In April 2020, Schumacher was elected to Carlsbad's District 1 council seat shortly before California went into lock-down due to COVID-19.{{Cite web|url=https://osidenews.com/2020/04/03/schumacher-wins-carlsbad-district-1-city-council-special-election/|title=Schumacher Wins Carlsbad District 1 City Council Special Election|date=April 3, 2020|website=OsideNews}} She initiated a special meeting in January 2021 where she proposed stricter enforcement for restaurants not following California COVID restrictions on indoor dining which failed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/news/how-carlsbad-restaurants-became-ground-zero-for-coronavirus-defiance/|title=How Carlsbad Restaurants Became Ground Zero for Coronavirus Protests|date=January 19, 2021|website=Voice of San Diego}} In April Schumacher faced a recall led by Republican Carl DeMaio.{{Cite web |last=Diehl |first=Phil |date=2021-04-05 |title=Talk-radio host announces Carlsbad recall effort |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/carlsbad/story/2021-04-05/talk-radio-host-announces-carlsbad-recall-effort |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}} According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, critics launched the recall effort in part due her to filing restraining orders against three Carlsbad residents which a judge dismissed and ordered her to pay the court costs.{{Cite web |last=Diehl |first=Phil |date=2021-07-09 |title=Carlsbad City Council member facing recall resigns |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/carlsbad/story/2021-07-09/carlsbad-city-council-member-facing-recall-resigns |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}} Critics also thought her efforts to enforce COVID restrictions hurt small businesses. In July, Schumacher announced her resignation from the council to pursue her education.{{Cite web |last=Sklar |first=Debbie L. |date=2021-07-10 |title=Carlsbad Council's Cori Schumacher Resigns as Conservative Recall Effort Heats Up |url=http://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2021/07/09/carlsbad-councilwoman-cori-schumacher-resigns-before-recall-effort-heats-up/ |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=Times of San Diego |language=en-US}}
In June 2023, Schumacher became the political director for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569.{{Cite web |date=June 7, 2023 |title=IBEW 569 CONGRATULATES GRETCHEN NEWSOM ON HER PROMOTION TO NINTH DISTRICT POLITICAL COORDINATOR AND ANNOUNCES CORI SCHUMACHER AS 569'S NEW POLITICAL DIRECTOR |url=https://www.ibew569.org/news/ibew-569-congratulates-gretchen-newsom-on-her-promotion-to-ninth-district-political-coordinator-and-announces-cori-schumacher-as-569s-new-political-director/ |access-date=July 21, 2023 |website=IBEW Local 569 |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Schumacher married Maria De Jesus Cerda in 2008. Schumacher uses they/them and she/her pronouns.{{Cite web |title=Cori Schumacher (they/she/sister) |url=https://twitter.com/corischumacher |access-date=July 21, 2023 |website=Twitter |language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://vimeo.com/537932294/ Waves of Disruption: The Cori Schumacher Story (Video)]
- [https://wearelookingsideways.com/podcasts/080-cori-schumacher/ Speaking Truth to Power (Podcast)]
- [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/apr/01/surfing-china-cori-schumacher The Guardian, "Surfers also must be sport ambassadors" by Cori Schumaker]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schumacher, Cori}}
Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people
Category:21st-century American sportswomen
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:American LGBTQ city council members
Category:American female surfers
Category:American non-binary sportspeople
Category:American non-binary politicians
Category:American lesbian sportswomen
Category:American lesbian politicians
Category:American athlete-politicians
Category:California city council members
Category:LGBTQ people from California
Category:Sportspeople from Huntington Beach, California
Category:Sportspeople from San Diego
Category:Surfers from California
Category:Women city councillors in California