The AfroMermaid Summit - A Celebration of Cultures, Connection & Conservation

Becoming a mermaid is simple. All you have to figure out is what’s in it for you? An adventurous hobby that has you traveling? A watery escape from reality? A welcoming community to find a home in? A means to bring awareness to all bodies of water and conservation? To perform in a festival or aquarium? All of the above? Perfect answer.

For me, I took baby steps getting into the mermaid world and decided to attend the AfroMermaid Summit in 2023, and it changed my life. Let’s take a few steps back first:

From Mer-Guppy to Mermazing

The AfroMermaid Summit - A Place For Everyone!

Long story longer, I started mermaiding because I was absolutely amazed to see people on social media actually don tails and swim in springs, oceans, and aquariums.

When I got my first mermaid tail, I met up with a pod for a group swim, and it was instantly love at first splash. Being an introvert, I thought I’d have to earn respect or even the slightest acknowledgement upon arrival.

Boy, I was wrong! I was met with hugs, laughter, compliments, requests to swim with me, and brainstorming on content creation with influencer mermaids. I beg your finest pardon? Me. A newbie. A mer-guppy, in my opinion, being newly exposed to anything mermaid.

My MerMentor immediately told me to squash all of the self-deprecation and imposter syndrome, and told me to get my behind in the water and swim with her. She’s an effervescent spirit by the name of Chelsea who, as an extrovert, said I was going to be her friend when I reached out to her on Instagram one day for mermaid advice. For the years we’ve known each other since, she’s been a wealth of knowledge and an inviting soul that anyone would be blessed to know. I’ve followed her to several mermaid gatherings and I haven’t looked back since!

This was in 2020, the opportune time for anyone to find an escape from reality and dive, literally, into happier forever memories. During that time I’ve attended a variety of mermaid events where water and smiles were the key ingredients for a recipe of having a mermazing time.

Attending the Summit, I learned so much about mermaid history, culture, folklore, art, and conservation efforts. There were panels, workshops, and casual discussions on how we all can better the world. Individuals new to the mermaiding world meshed with world traveling mermaids. People who focus on creating mermaid merch had meetings with those who have mermaiding as their 24/7 lifestyle. We had those who didn’t know how to swim attend and get their first exposure to monofin swimming, certified swim instructors and decorated mermaids - all united, swimming, floating, treading water together no matter their experience level. Would you expect to get all of that at a mermaid gathering? Regardless of your answer, it was always the, “But wait! There’s more,” type of vibe. There was something for everyone. Even dancing!

As previously mentioned on being an introvert, my social battery can run low depending on the atmosphere. This event was large enough for me to be able to pick and choose where I was going to be, yet intimate enough for me to enjoy the space I was currently occupying at any moment - whether that was the Wet Gala, group photoshoot at the Secret Gardens, or the shooting documentary footage on South Beach. The usual sort of introverted nerd, black sheep, lost souls, and any other type of awesome weirdo would pass out from overstimulation. Not here. My social battery didn’t run dry because of the warm and vibrant spirited individuals that were around me. I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t an insipid wallflower. I wasn’t someone hoping someone would talk to me. The common denominator is that a lot of us attending are those types, and we found each other here. We became family. I have made connections with people I wouldn’t have met organically due to distance and timing. It’s an illuminating feeling to know that I am better as a mermaid, and as a person, because I stepped out of my comfort zone and found a space to be me.

If you’re wondering more about the AfroMermaid Summit and if you should go - I say hurry up and chop chop! Get your ticket, come solo, or bring anyone you like. It really is for everyone. Even humans.

It’s every year in Miami during Juneteenth weekend in Miami. You’ll meet mermaids whose day jobs are massage therapists, dog trainers, school teachers, go-go dancers, musicians, traveling minstrels, clothing designers, corporate trainers, blossoming brand ambassadors, account executives, correction officers, music artists, aviation pilots, floral arrangers, and librarians.

Why You Shouldn’t Miss the AfroMermaid Summit

Can’t swim? We gotchu.

No tail? We gotchu.

Social anxiety? We gotchu.

Don’t know anyone going? We gotchu.

Need to escape reality for a weekend? We gotchu.

Want to make memories and content? We gotchu.

Just want to make friends and gain a family? We gotchu.

The Schedule & Location

The baseline is that there’s going to be water involved. Yay! Swimming together at one of the host hotel’s pools, heading to the beach, and enjoying one of the oasis-style springs at the Secret Gardens that hosts AfroMermaid Summit each year.

The usual schedule:
Thursday: Meet up with friends and keeping it casual with a karaoke night.
Friday Day: Relax and enjoy a group meetup and swim at any of the host hotel pools.
Friday Night: Dress to Impress Wet Gala that includes dinner, DJ, live show performance.
Saturday Day: Fulfill your mermaid desires at the Secret Gardens with plenty of swimming, dancing, DJ, exploration of the grounds, and a group shoot.
Saturday Night: Bonfire with time to bond, share content, and relax together. More karaoke.
Sunday: Water Ceremony and beach day before bidding everyone adieu until next time.

I must also add that the Secret Gardens is unimaginably gorgeous boasting over half a dozen fresh water springs with fish and swans. Yes, swans! We respect the swans by keeping a distance from them as it is their home and we are mere visitors. The teeny-tiny fish do love swimming around us mermaids though. There are also cascading waterfalls to make your dreams come true of diving, basking, lounging, and everything in between under one

One last thing I will say is wherever you are in life, you are not alone. If you want to come to the AfroMermaid Summit, but have any misgivings, please reach out to me, or any of the other mermaids. We usually hashtag our content, so ask anyone. This truly is a safe space full of compassion and empathy…and beautiful mers!

Fast forward to June 2023 and 2024, where I attended the AfroMermaid Summit held during Juneteenth federal holiday weekend in Miami. Carrie Wata, the owner and fabulous organizer holds this yearly event as a space, refuge, home, and community gathering for all mermaids. By all, I do mean all. Even though the name might suggest otherwise, it’s NOT exclusive only to black merfolk. It’s a space to bring visibility to mers of color and accept any other race, age, size, orientation, background, demographic, identity, disability, and skill level. Carrie and her awesome partner are so approachable, professional, humorous, creative, and huggable. They were ever present and responsive during the entirety of the weekend for all things big and small. You can literally feel the love they pour into the AfroMermaid Summit for all of us.

About the Author: Rayne Dunbar (@virgo_rayne)

Everyone's pace is different on how they navigate the mermaid waters. Since 2021, I've traveled to perform in multiple tank performances. I've wanderlusted from coast to coast for the pursuit of dipping my fins in different oceans, as well as traveling to another continent to obtain my SSI, PADI SCUBA certifications. I've done several Live social media panels and chats to discuss all things mermaid, community, and the future.