Woman looks to become first African American female to solo kayak the Mississippi River

One Minnesota woman will set out this month on a journey to become the first African American female to solo kayak the Mississippi from source to sea.

Devin Brown, 38, says she first felt a connection to the river after a visit to Minnesota in 2012.

While in the state, the East Coast native said her experience prompted her to later move to the Twin Cities with a goal of kayaking the entire length of the Mississippi, a trip finished by a select few.

“I learned about this epic feat called the source to sea on the Mississippi River,” Brown said. “I joined a Facebook group, and in a moment of dark depression, I decided that was going to be my beacon of light.”

She says her journey isn’t about breaking records, as she hopes this trip inspires other young black athletes to follow in her footsteps.

Brown said that through her journey, she wants to “inspire all the little girls of color to do things that they don’t see themselves or people that look like themselves doing and that it’s okay to step into that light.”

Brown also said she hopes to make her six-year-old son proud.

At the end of her source-to-sea journey, Brown will end up in Louisiana, and she says she can already taste the victory.

“When I make it down to New Orleans, I just can not wait for a fresh hot beignets,” she said. “I’m just going to lay on the ground for a while, I’m sure.”