Drexel rower Baylor Henry is on a mission to show the Black girl athlete that ‘they can do it too’

Baylor Henry never thought she’d make history as a Drexel sophomore — or perhaps she always hoped she would.

At the Head of the Charles Regatta last month in Boston, Henry was part of the first Black, all-female eight plus coxswain in a boat entered by Rowing in Color. Henry, who uses her Instagram account @blackgirlsrow to inspire and uplift other Black women in rowing, never expected to be a part of such history.

“I don’t even know if I have words to describe how it feels. I did not expect this ever in my lifetime, to be a part of this history,” Henry said. “We have inspired younger girls, like my sister and her friends, and even some of my old teammates from high school and my teammates now. It’s a beautiful, awesome feeling.”

Henry was approached with the opportunity by Rowing in Color, a podcast run by Denise Aquino and Patricia Destine. The podcast “amplifies what it’s like to navigate the topic of race within the white-dominated sport of rowing.” Henry has appeared on the podcast to talk about her Instagram page.

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Henry got to know Aquino and Destine through her Instagram account and was thrilled when they offered her the opportunity. Now, reflecting on the experience, Henry feels she can inspire other women and girls just like her.

“This shows that we can, too,” she said. “It doesn’t matter your age or skin color, we all have the opportunity to do something way bigger than ourselves.”

Henry had never been exposed to the sport until her father suggested she consider a rowing camp when she was in eighth grade in Alpharetta, Ga.

“Although it was strange at first, it was really different to me, I eventually fell in love with it,” Henry said. “After two weeks of training in the water, I signed up for my novice year.”

Today, she wants to increase the exposure of Black women in rowing, using her platform to show other girls that this is something that they can excel in as well.

“For younger girls to see representation like that is so transformative.”

“That is the whole point of my Instagram page, which is to increase the exposure of rowing,” Henry said. “In all sports, there are a lot of [people of color] out there, but it’s just not shown that way. I want to show people what this sport is and that Black women and men are doing exceptionally well. I want to highlight and uplift what is already happening but isn’t being shown.”

Henry credits her eventual recruitment and success at Drexel to associate head coach of rowing Asiya Mahmud.

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“I met Coach Asiya, who found me on my Instagram page,” Henry said. “She emailed me, and we got into it and had a phone call, and she made me feel like I was meant to be on a team, which was different from all the other schools. She’s the coach I never had in high school.”

Henry also expressed her respect for the women she was able to row alongside for a record-setting day at the Head of the Charles Regatta.

“They all rowed at really great schools, and it inspired me,” Henry said. “For younger girls to see representation like that is so transformative. It proves to us and to them that they can be part of this, too. We all can do it, and we will.”

As for her hopes for the future, Henry plans to continue using social media to showcase the success of Black women in rowing.

“I hope to increase the exposure of Black women in rowing,” she said, “and something that I’m still trying to do today is to show other girls that we need more, and this is something that you can do, too.”

Didn’t hear Baylor Henry on the Rowing in Color podcast? Here’s how to listen.