It was August 2024 with temps around 90 degrees Fahrenheit in Manhattan when I saw videographer Luis Medearis strutting across Greene Street toward the Burton New York City Flagship Store. The Big Apple’s buildings were steadily trapping heat. Nevertheless, Lu looked cooler than an ice cap. He wore a pair of shiny, black Doc Martens, blue with white-patterned Gucci jacquard jeans, an upscale undershirt from Amsterdam-based, African heritage-inspired fashion brand Daily Paper, dark sunglasses and—to top off his 6-foot-3-inch frame—a bleached-blonde-tipped afro. The former college hooper’s hair had me wondering if he might be giving a nod to the boundary-pushing, beloved baller that was, is and always will be Dennis “The Menace” Rodman.
Two gold chains dangled around Lu’s neck. One secured a square pendant, the other a three-letter piece spelling “TDI.” The latter is an acronym for Technically Doing It, the name of the snowboard film crew turned company comprised entirely of people of color, which Lu himself founded four years ago and spearheads to this day. They are a driving force in a worldwide melanic movement in the mountains, one that’s slowly but surely diversifying predominantly white snowboarding communities for the better. It’s a contemporary yet core collective that challenges perceptions of who fits the bill to become a boarder.
Egan Windt front boards during TDI’s Community Ride Day at Mt. Hood, OR. Photo: Hiro Sun
Lu was accompanied by the even taller, 6-foot-7 Rob Roethler, teen titan LJ Henriquez, Ontario street legend Kody Williams, as well as some other ripping riders who rep TDI to the fullest. That afternoon, they hosted a photo gallery and party at the Burton store in Soho. The following day, they went to nearby New Jersey to ride the indoor slope at Big Snow American Dream with members of the public and participants of Hoods to Woods Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization that provides snowboarding opportunities to kids in the city. TDI partnered with GoPro for the event and, in addition to crew riders ripping alongside the youngins, they held a media workshop to teach the kids a thing or two about filming snowboarding. At the end of the session, TDI gifted the kids the video cameras they’d used so that they could continue to film and improve their own riding for seasons to come. For Lu, events and partnerships like this help him with his desire to give back.
“I’m one of those kids,” Lu says, reflecting on his upbringing in southern California. “I grew up in L.A., in Crenshaw. Those people that come into your school, or those things you get to do after school, they really matter when it comes to what you can see and think that you can do.”
Crew love at Hood. From left to right: Luis ‘Cuban Lu’ Medearis, Irie Jefferson, LJ Henriquez, Egan Wint, Sebastian Diaz, Rob Roethler, Kiran Pershad, and a few friends. Photo: Hiro Sun
Representation matters and TDI has continued to put on for the people through events, meetups and ride days throughout the past year, all over the world—from Oakley Community Days at Laax, Switzerland, to the London Popout at The Snow Centre in England, the 6290 Show Up in Mayrhofen, Austria, the Unity Party at Palisades Tahoe, CA, and more. It’s common to catch them elevating other organizations and events, too, including Snowboy Productions’ Halo-Halo at Mt. Hood, OR, and The Nines at Schilthorn, Switzerland. TDI even had their name on the flyer for the official afterparty of the most recent DIYX STRT Jam in Stockholm, Sweden, because when TDI’s involved with the party, even if nobody knows what it means, it gets the people going. Their reception has been mostly positive, and Lu doesn’t seem to be losing sleep over any opposing tips.
Backside 180 from Diego Huarcaya-Pro in the streets of London, England. Photo: Isami Kiyooka
“Obviously, there’re those who are hating,” Lu says. “We’ve had a lot of different people going, ‘Why is TDI getting what they’re getting? They’re just Black snowboarders. They’re not doing anything special.’ And we’re like, that’s fair. We’re not saying that we’re anything. We’re just cool, and we just like to snowboard.
“But also, dude, a lot of people fuck with us. People love TDI. Irie [Jefferson] was in Copenhagen, and he went into this random skate shop to buy a hoodie and the guy there was like, ‘Oh my god, are you Irie from TDI?’ Shei [Mamona], who writes some of our stuff, on the train going from London to the snow dome like two hours away, someone saw her TDI patch and was like, ‘You know about TDI? I watch all their videos!’ Literally, globally, people know about Technically Doing It. Imagine that. It’s insane.”
Lu’s journey behind the lens started back in 2020. In just two years he became a full-time filmer and quickly began working on “The Onlyz,” a film showcasing the lives of people of color in the snowboarding industry. That evolved into the formation of TDI. Now, in addition to attending and hosting events, they’re feeding their YouTube channel. Rather than simply showcasing snowboarding scored to music, they put out edits that feel like mini documentaries.
Rob Roethler—stylish as ever—with a hand plant at Mt. Hood, OR. Photo: Madeline Dopplick
They depict a balanced blend of both progressive and more easygoing riding, boundless traveling and thoroughly enjoying life with friends, encapsulating the adventurous spirit of the crew that carries as much swagger off their boards as they do strapped in. The edits carry influences from outside of snowboarding (to me, they’re reminiscent of Black Hippy music videos from the 2010s like “Zip That Chop That” and “Say Wassup,” which would make sense given Lu’s roots in South Los Angeles), and they’re almost always scored to rap, R&B and hip-hop songs, with occasional funk tracks.
Inspired by Beyond Medals and similar crews that grew into companies that sell their own products, Lu and the TDI crew aim to do the same, in time. For now, to describe TDI as a labor of love would be a steep understatement. Aside from a bit of outside brand support for certain partnered events and riders’ individual travel budgets, almost everyone on the crew works to pay their way on team trips (except for maybe LJ, who gets a pass because he’s still in high school). Each member filming with TDI is putting their own money into the videos they produce and the events they host with no surefire guarantees of it ever paying off.
“Whatever you’re trying to achieve, at whatever level, you’re technically doing it.”
—Luis Medearis
“If you don’t work you can’t be in TDI, because then you can’t come on the trips, because we don’t have any money,” Lu says with a laugh. But on a more serious note, he’s all in. “That’s the beautiful part,” he continues. “When this turns into what we all believe it is, it’ll be like, everyone was actually in the mud, building something. Beyond Medals, Dustbox and some other crews really show you what you can do when you work together.”
Considering their motion, the idea that TDI can capitalize on their momentum isn’t far-fetched. A lot of longtime snowboarders love to be picking up a bit of the magic and power that TDI puts out into the world. Furthermore, they’re inspiring people of color who never imagined themselves snowboarding to come try it out themselves. But whether TDI becomes an industry altering brand or never makes another dollar doesn’t define their success.
“If you’re a painter and you make two dollars per painting, or you don’t make any money, or you make a lot of money, you’re still technically doing it,” Lu says. “It’s the affirmation for yourself; it always kind of lifts you up. Whatever you’re trying to achieve, at whatever level, you’re technically doing it. So, no matter what shape or form we’re doing this, or whatever we’re doing in life, we’re technically doing it.”
“Rob Roethler (riding), Luis ‘Cuban Lu’ Medearis and Diego Huarcaya-Pro (filming) showing us what it’s all about. If there’s anything I’ve learned from TDI, it’s this: go snowboard with friends and make damn sure you’re having fun.” Photo: Madeline Dopplick