Keynote Speaker

Arshay Cooper

Rower, Award-Winning Author & Activist

Arshay Cooper is a rower, regional bestselling and award-winning author, a two-time Golden Oar recipient for his contributions to the sport of rowing, motivational speaker, activist, and the protagonist of the film A Most Beautiful Thing.

Arshay grew up on the West Side of Chicago. In 1997, he joined and later became captain of the first all-Black high school rowing team at Manley High School, an experience that changed his life. He then dedicated two years of his life to AmeriCorps, focusing on diversity and inclusion, and soon after that attended Le Cordon Bleu, becoming a personal chef for World Wrestling Entertainment, Warner Brothers film sets, and professional athletes.

After years of working in the foodservice industry, Arshay returned to his true passion: working with young people. He founded the East Side Rowing Club and worked as the youth program guidance counselor for the Victory Outreach’s Midwest/Gulf Coast region. Arshay has started several rowing programs for low-income youth across the country, anywhere a puddle of water exists, so that other young people can experience the profound change that can happen on the water. Arshay now leads the A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Fund, to provide access and resources to underserved communities nationally by getting more youth on the water who wouldn’t ordinarily have the opportunity to do so.