Congratulations are to ensure that Memphis native and scuba diver Corhonda “HOODA” Dawson, whose newest achievement has secured her a spot within the document books. In April 2025, the Whitehaven resident earned a spot within the Guinness World Information after finishing dives on all seven continents in simply 11 days, 19 hours and 23 minutes, a historic feat achieved in record-breaking time.
Corhonda “HOODA” Dawson was honored in her house state of Tennessee earlier this month
Her milestone didn’t go unnoticed at house. On Feb. 9, Dawson was formally honored by the Shelby County Fee. Nonetheless, as reported by Fox 13, the popularity surrounding her achievement has stretched effectively past county traces.
In reflecting on her accomplishment, Dawson expressed deep satisfaction in representing Memphis as a Black lady in a sport the place range stays restricted. There should not many Black feminine scuba divers from Memphis — or elsewhere. Rising entry and illustration in aquatic actions stays vital, notably in mild of a 2017 USA Swimming Basis research that discovered 70% of African People can not swim. That statistic is rooted in an extended historical past of segregation that restricted Black households’ entry to public swimming amenities all through a lot of the twentieth century.
Dawson, who as soon as by no means imagined attaining one thing of this magnitude, hopes her journey will encourage the subsequent era.
“It’s actually, actually necessary for me to make this a transferrable type of factor,” Dawson informed Fox 13, “within the sense that I need to present each little lady or each little boy it doesn’t matter what your surroundings says you are able to do or can’t do. There aren’t any oceans on the market, not even wherever near Memphis, proper? You possibly can nonetheless do and nonetheless make historical past.”
From scuba diver to history-maker
Her scuba journey started in 2010 as a strategy to heal and rediscover herself following a tough divorce. What began as a distraction quickly developed right into a ardour and in the end, a pursuit of excellence.
Dawson started coaching at The Dive Store in East Memphis, the place she discovered to swim and earned scuba certifications. Over time, her dedication propelled her from newbie to licensed dive grasp. In 2024, she made historical past as the primary Black lady to dive in all 5 of the world’s oceans. However that was simply the beginning of her adorned profession.
On April 1, 2025, Dawson launched her quest to change into the quickest individual to dive on each continent. To assert the document, she wanted to finish the dives in underneath 19 days. Whereas the dives themselves required ability and stamina, the higher hurdle proved to be logistics and compliance with strict Guinness tips. Among the many guidelines: she couldn’t journey greater than 31 miles in a personal automobile equivalent to a taxi or Uber, relying as an alternative on public transportation and industrial flights.
Her journey started April 1 in Antarctica, diving into the icy waters of Whalers Bay, and concluded April 13, close to Indian Rock off Catalina Island, California, the place she accomplished her ultimate dive alongside her two daughters — surpassing the earlier document by almost six days, in response to her Instagram.
“I set Black historical past as the primary African-American feminine to dive each ocean, after which I went, the identical yr, inside 320 days, I went again all over the world once more to be the quickest individual to dive from each continent,” Dawson stated proudly.
Those that have watched her evolution say the accomplishment isn’t any shock.
“She’s been related to this dive heart without end,” stated Kelly Inexperienced, a dive teacher at The Dive Store. “We’re the third oldest dive heart in america. She’s simply all the time been a fixture.”
Inexperienced added, “We’re proud to have her accomplish her objective and simply proud to have her as a part of our neighborhood within the diving heart right here.”
Dawson continues to have fun her Guinness World Information triumph. On Feb. 24, she shared her Fox 13 interview on Instagram, pairing it with an empowering message for supporters impressed by her path.
“What you dream is feasible. What you pursue along with your entire coronary heart can change into actual,” she penned. ”Black Historical past is right this moment, we proceed to form and contribute to this world in optimistic methods. Joyful Black Historical past Month.”
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