"Having these kinds of inclusive events ... is important because skateboarding is an intimidating sport. I would go to the skatepark as an 8 year old girl and get shoved off ... but when you know there's a sense of community wherever you are it's like, 'hell yeah, let's go and skate ... I just want to have fun'. "
-Alicia Baggieri, participant at Divine Grind.

All kinds of folx braved the risk of rain and arrived together at Blue Park to engage in New York's first all women and non-binary skateboarding competition led and hosted by Mariah Davenport of SPCC Project. Local artists and vendors were welcome to use the space as well during the competition featuring free recycled decks, clothing by Speakeasy Luxe, tattoos by Erin Olivia, and an art installation by Bree Person.

Two sessions were sectioned for beginners and advanced participants overall tallying up to 17 sessions throughout the day. The coveted best run cash prize of $750 was awarded to Mathilda Kosonis for her Switch Blunt, FS Disaster, Feeble, and BS 50-50. Amber Gedman followed up in 2nd place, and Ashley O'Gormam in 3rd.
Accessibility and inclusivity remain paramount within gender and identity, especially in the skateboarding community. We're looking forward to seeing more events like these.

ARTICLE BY NATALIE HARPER

With all the recent conversation in skating around mental health— whether that be with Pushing Borders, Vent City, Quell Party, Skateism, or the ongoing work of the Ben Raemers Foundation— there is a potential now to introduce a new topic to the mix. So far the discussion has centered largely around anxiety, depression, and suicide prevention; however, I believe you cannot talk about mental health without talking about neurodiversity. 

Neurodiversity is a term used to describe the natural variations that can exist in human brains. Someone can fit the label of neurodiverse if they are autistic, or have conditions such as dyslexia, ADHD, bipolar disorder, OCD, DID, as well as many others. However, it is entirely up to the person whether they choose to use this label or not. 

As a disclaimer before we begin, this will not be comprehensive for all neurodivergent people, or even those who share my neurotype. What is to come was not created out of expertise, but out of necessity. Neurodivergent people are already very much a part of this community and yet there is little to no discussion of our existence, much less our needs, in skateboarding. 

If there was more awareness of this and the lives of neurodivergent people then we as a community could spend less time managing symptoms and more time addressing possible causes and triggers. 

I am an autistic trans woman with ADHD and OSDD 1a. I also have an anxiety disorder and experience depressive episodes. Oftentimes, as was the case for me, what may look like anxiety or depression at first is just a small piece of something more complex. 

While changing a society will take time, the skate community can take a more active role in this change by making our spaces more welcoming for neurodivergent people. 

SAY WHOSE TURN IT IS IN A RUN/LINEUP. 

There is a great deal of nonverbal language that occurs at a skate spot. If someone is a newcomer, regardless of neurotype, they may not understand all the eye contact, head nods, and pointing that goes into figuring out who’s turn it is to skate an obstacle. 

Many autistic people, myself included, have difficulty processing body language and facial cues, so the message you are trying to send with eye contact and a head nod might go right by us. Instead, try communicating verbally (and politely) whose turn it is. 

PLEASE TURN DOWN THE MUSIC. 

What may seem like a normal volume to neurotypical people can go from distracting to debilitating for autistic people and others with a sensitivity to sound. One solution to this would be, as has been done already at many movie theatres and restaurants, to set aside time when the music will be set (or capped) at a lower volume, or to simply turn it down the whole time. 

“One thing I have done at skate events in the past is create a "quiet room," quiet being relative... but we set aside our back room for anyone who needs to step away from the bright lights and loud noises of the skatepark,” says AJ Waters, founder/owner of Stronger Skatepark. 

“We set it up with some bean bag chairs, and bottles of water back there for anyone who needs them. Skateboarding is a very loud sport and it's really hard to minimize the sound, so having headphones and ear plugs available is a nice option as well.”

DO NOT STARE AT PEOPLE WHEN THEY STIM.

Short for self-stimulatory behavior, a stim is any repetitive movement used by an autistic person to either calm themselves down, build up focus or energy for a particular task, or express a strong emotion such as excitement or distress. This can include things flapping hands, rocking back and forth, leg bouncing, or hair twirling. 

Many autistic people attempt to “mask,” or hide, their autsitic traits in order to blend in better with neurotypical society. I regularly limit my stims when I am out in public to what I feel will go unnoticed by most neurotypical people. 

Masking can have an adverse effect on the person’s mental health, especially when it comes to stimming. Not doing so when we need to can lead to dysregulation and a build up of stress in the body. Autistic people need to know that in any space, whether that be at the store or the skatepark, we can stim without fear of getting odd looks from strangers in order to function at our best and truly be ourselves.

BE MINDFUL.

“I think the biggest thing I would want skaters to be aware of is the way they are taking up space. So many people at the skatepark skate super aggressively, and honestly most of the time skating that way is fine, but the way they stand on the deck, the way they jump at every opening to take a run, the way they yell when they are upset, etc... all these behaviors make the skatepark a super unwelcoming place to all sorts of people including neurodiverse people, who are more likely to experience anxiety,” AJ informs.

“So many skaters (especially men who have been skating a long time) just have no idea how their behavior, body language, skating style, etc. affect everyone around them.” AJ makes an excellent point that “by making skateparks more inclusive to beginners, queer people, women, etc, we are also making the skatepark more welcoming to neurodiverse folks.” Some of the work has already begun but these more established practices can be expanded slightly to help make skate spaces more welcoming for neurodivergent people. 

BE INTENTIONAL WITH YOUR LANGUAGE

I often see posts for skate meetups that say something like “all abilities welcome.” However, for a long time this phrasing confused me. I couldn’t figure out if it means “all ability levels welcome,” as I have also seen it written, or if it is meant to imply that you are welcome whether you are able bodied or disabled.

If it is meant to also passively imply that disabled people are welcome, then why not instead take a more active approach and change it to something like “All Abilities and Disabilities Welcome”? 

Of course, when inviting disabled people to an event or space, it is important that their accommodations be met. It is my hope that this article can be a small piece in that larger conversation that includes the work already being done in adaptive skateboarding and the wider disability rights movement within our community. 

On the reverse side, be aware of harmful language being used by others. “There is also still a lot of homophobia and transphobia in the skate community, and there is a huge overlap between neurodiverse people and queer people.” says AJ, “So going to a skatepark and hearing gay used an insult can make many neurodiverse folks feel unsafe.”

NAME AND PRONOUN CIRCLES. 

This small activity that is being used more frequently in skating can go a long way in helping a community that has long been stigmatized by society. People who have dissociative identity disorder (formally known as multiple personality disorder), OSDD 1a, or OSDD 1b may have one or two alters that enjoy skating. 

It can help people with these disorders be their authentic selves and feel comfortable even entering a space if they are simply asked in the beginning their name and pronouns or the name and pronouns of someone else who may switch in later. It is completely understandable if someone doesn’t feel comfortable sharing that information, but if they do then the least we can do is use the right name and pronouns— just as we would for anyone else. 

What I often hear is how important that sense of belonging is to so many in the skate community; How important it is to their mental health. In the previous piece I wrote with Quell, I spoke about feeling a small portion of this through watching other queer and trans skaters online, yet I feel a barrier between myself and other skaters I meet in real life due of a lack of understanding about neurodiversity in skating. For myself and countless others, neurodiversity and mental health do not exist in separation, but rather they compound one another. Exponentially.

What I am suggesting here is more than just some recommendations for some events. Many neurodivergent people don’t have anywhere else to go— don’t want to be anywhere else— and if skateboarding claims to be for all of those that society rejects, then I say prove it. Prove it to us that we belong here too. 

If you've been even vaguely curious about NYC skate history, without a doubt Harold Hunter's name has come up. Harold was a staple in the community during the early 90's. Since his passing, his friends and family have organized Harold Hunter Foundation in his honor. We chatted with with Jessica Forsyth – Executive director of Harold Hunter Foundation in Issue 007 of our magazine. Read the interview below, and get a hard copy here.

Photos by Gunars Elmuts

What is Harold Hunter Foundation?
HHF is a grassroots nonprofit skate community-based organization whose goal is to provide a network of support, resources, and advocacy for skateboarders in NYC (and beyond), so they can achieve educational, occupational, and personal success. We advance our mission, “to use skateboarding as a vehicle to provide underserved youth with valuable life experiences that nurture individual creativity, resourcefulness, and the development of life skills” by leveraging our credibility within, and the unique assets of, the skateboarding culture/community to provide organic mentorship, support, guidance, and workforce readiness training to a population that is among those least likely to participate in organized adult-led activities, to help them successfully navigate the critical transition from adolescence to adulthood.

How did you get involved in the foundation?
We grew up in the Lower East Side and my sister was Harold’s best friend. I remember the day they met right in front of our house on St. Marks Place in the late ‘80s like it was yesterday – I was watching out our kitchen window. After that day, Harold pretty much adopted our family and became a fixture in our house. He kind of made our house a personal clubhouse for him and his crew of Skate NYC skaters who would hang out at our house most days when my sister got home from school. He would often happen by right at dinner time LOL.

There was one summer when my sister was away working at a sleep-away camp and Harold came by to eat dinner with my family many nights a week, usually with Steven Cales in tow, even though my sister wasn’t there. He celebrated pretty much all major holidays and special events with us, we even had a Christmas stocking for him. My sister and Harold had a really beautiful friendship and he would often introduce both of us to people as his sisters.

When Harold died, some friends of his who were organizing his funeral created a gmail account that we use to this day: haroldhunterfoundation@gmail.com and a PayPal account to raise funds. When the funeral was over they came to our family and said that they wanted the foundation to be a real thing and they trusted us to make it a reality. The names on the incorporation filing for HHF are my sister, Ronald Hunter (Harold’s older brother), and Jefferson Pang. We had board elections in January 2007 and sent our first 2 kids to camp in 2007. I’ve been involved since the very beginning, but took on the lead role in programming starting in 2010 and officially took on the title of Executive Director in 2013.

What was Harold Hunter to New York?
Harold was a truly iconic and legendary figure both to the local NYC downtown culture and in the global skateboarding community. He was the funniest person in the world, he absolutely loved people and made friends with anyone/everyone no matter what their background, age, race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status. He loved without limits and would give his friends the shirt off his back. People who hung out with Harold for a few days considered him their best friend because he was that charismatic and engaging and loving. But he was also a really complex and imperfect person who struggled with a lot of pain. There’s really no way for me to do justice to the brilliance of Harold and his impact on NYC skateboarding and NYC in general with mere words. There is and will never be anyone like Harold.

What does the New York skate scene mean to you?
Although I am not a skater myself, I have been connected to the NYC skate community for over 30 years. I think the NYC skate community is the best in the world. It’s a diverse, beautiful, vibrant community of fearless, funny, brilliant, creative people from all around the world. Like Harold, it’s not perfect, of course. I have so much love and respect for this community.

How do women get involved with HHF on and off the board?
It’s been absolutely amazing watching the growth of the women/girls skate scene in NYC. Women and the Queer skaters are truly driving so much of the activism and community engagement that is happening in the NYC skate scene. In the last year, we went from me being the only woman on staff to have about a third of our staff being women, which is so exciting for us. We’re still a small, but growing, organization with a limited budget, so we don’t have a ton of jobs, but we’re always looking to connect with, support, and collaborate women in the scene who are making things happen as volunteers or in running their own collectives, initiatives, projects, and events. Women can reach out to us through our website if they want to volunteer, be a part of our programs, or get support from HHF for something they want to do for the skate community.

What’s the future of HHF?
We have a brilliant staff – each and every one of whom is a skateboarder (except for me, but I promised my 3-year-old son I’d learn to skate with him). Even our social worker and lawyer are skateboarders. We’re all working as hard as we can to grow and expand the organization and the support, resources, advocacy, and opportunity we can provide to the NYC skate community. The future of HHF will always be by skateboarders for skateboarders and I hope that in a few year’s time a skateboarder will be doing my job!

Article by Tyler Francischine | Photo Bryce Kanights

At an age when most kids are decapitating Barbies or chewing on Legos, Minna Stess was already competing at local skate competitions near her hometown of Petaluma, California, north of San Francisco. This May, the 15-year-old took home first place at the USA National Championships. If there’s one thing for certain, it’s that Minna’s star has only begun to rise. We asked Minna a few questions about what keeps her motivated through tough competitions and how she sees her place within the growing world of women in skateboarding.

Let’s start from the beginning. You started skating while still in diapers. Who encouraged you to get on a board for the very first time?

My brother who’s almost three years older than me started skating when he was four. I wanted to do whatever he was doing, so my parents got me a board and I started rolling around with him. I don't even remember learning how to drop in--I just remember knowing how to do it.

When did it become clear to you and everyone around you that this was where your passion and talent lied, and that you could pursue it as a full-time career? 

When I was around 12 or 13, I could see a career in skating for me, especially seeing other female skaters like Lizzie Armanto and Nora Vasconcellos coming up.

You’ve won several prestigious awards. Walk us through what goes on in your mind as you’re competing. Do you think about the judges, or do you go to more of an internal place within yourself?

I don't really think about the judges as much. I focus on wanting to land what I had planned and hopefully getting good results. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll be happy with myself knowing I did what I wanted to do.

To compete at your level must surely require a level of discipline. What’s your practice routine?

When I’m in Southern California with my coach, I'll spend 2-3 hours every other day practicing. When I’m home in Petaluma, I mostly have fun with my friends on my board. In 2012, we built a skatepark in my family’s backyard. It’s all concrete and still in really good condition. That’s where most of my friends come--we just skate my backyard.

"I don’t think it should be as big of a deal as it is to be a woman in skating, but I do think it is important to be a part of the progression of women in skating."

When you’re finding yourself hitting a wall, like perhaps trying out a new trick and finding it challenging or overwhelming, what do you tell yourself to push through?

I tell myself that if I commit, that will break the mental barrier. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t and I fall or bail.

It’s no secret that skateboarding is commonly thought of as a male-dominated world. What does it mean to you to be a young woman in skating?

I don’t think it should be as big of a deal as it is to be a woman in skating, but I do think it is important to be a part of the progression of women in skating. When I was younger, I would be the only girl at the park. Now, I see whole squads of girls at the park sometimes.

Are there any female skaters who came before you that you draw inspiration from?

Samarria Brevard is a really good street skater and she’s super nice. I admire Vanessa Torres. When I was younger and skating at KTR [Mesa in Mesa, Arizona,] Alana Smith was the only other girl skating. She was as good as the guys and I looked up to her then. I still do.

What would you tell other women and non-binary folks who want to get into skating but may feel intimidated by the lack of non-male representation?

Don’t worry about men. If they say anything to you, they’re just jealous, so it doesn’t matter anyway, right?

As more countries build skateparks and open skate shops ahead of the 2021 Olympics, we're seeing how skateboarding touches all communities differently. While skateboarding is just an activity for some, in other countries it opens up an entirely new way of life. For many girls in India, skating provides freedom from gender and class norms. Vandana K takes us through the experiences of different skaters and how skateboarding has changed their lives.

Article by Vandana K

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Skate culture began to emerge in India only a decade ago. In 2009, British skater Nick Smith built a skatepark in his backyard in the coastal state of Goa in western India but it was soon shut down. He then built the first commercial skatepark for the sports complex Play Arena in the city of Bangalore in 2011. After a glitchy start and a demolished skatepark, Holystoked, a collective and company of skateboarders built a free skatepark in suburban Bangalore in 2014. The skate scene which started off with a handful of people has expanded to include an estimated 5,000 people and seen the construction of over 17 skateparks across India.

Atita Verghese’s, journey began in 2012 at a skatepark in Bangalore. “In the beginning, I knew only two other girls who were skating but the number has grown since and now I can't keep track. A lot of young girls who are skateboarding in India are really good at it,” she said. Atita, now 27, a formerly sponsored skateboarder and surfer runs the Girl Skate India Instagram page to bring awareness to India's skate scene.

Nani Waii Sonam and Mopi Hailey are “skating friends” from the Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh located in north-east of India, a region that is characterized by its remote hilly terrain, largely indigenous population, a history of political instability and lack of development. Many youth from the north-east migrate to big cities in ‘mainland’ India for higher education and employment. They often face harassment because of race, gender and cultural differences.

Nani, 24 is from Papu Nalah, a village close to Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh. She belongs to the Nyishi tribe. She clearly remembers the day she took her younger brother’s unused skateboard and went to Benjiloma, a local skatepark she had seen on Instagram. 

“Everyone laughed at me because I had such a small skateboard but I was so excited,” she said. In March 2020, India went under lockdown and Nani who runs a small restaurant had plenty of time, so she “skated like hell, everyday from morning to evening - at the park, sports ground, the highway, whatever place I could find.”

Skateboarding opened new doors for Nani. She was featured in a music video in which she cruised down a hill. “I used to have a small circle. I met a lot of people because of skateboarding. Now I have a lot of friends,” she said. The first customer at Nani’s restaurant after the lockdown was a skateboarder.

Mopi considers herself a beginner skateboarder. The 24-year postgraduate student, who is from the Puroik tribe learnt skating from her boyfriend in 2019. “Skating with friends is very cool and I find it stress relieving,” she said. 

Although the number of skateparks in India is on the rise, finding a spot to skate can be a hurdle in a city, with skaters often using public spaces such as public parks, shopping complexes and metro station exteriors as their playground. Mopi recalls “fights with roller skaters” who didn't want to share the space with skateboarders at the public skating rink in Deer Park in Delhi.

Being a woman in India is tough. But being a woman who comes from a Dalit or indigenous community with a rural and impoverished background compounds the number of challenges one faces when taking up an unconventional sport.

When Shraddha Gaikwad used to sit in the back row of the classroom some years ago, she could not predict that she would be skateboarding one day. Born in the Mang community, the 15-year old was raised in the small town of Parli Vaijnath in Maharashtra, a state in western India. 

The Mang are Dalit, a term used for communities at the lowest rung of the archaic and brutal caste system that is still practiced in India. Shraddha recalls how she and other Dalit students in her school were subjected to a modern form of ‘untouchability’ - they could not stand next to children from upper castes, nor were they allowed to sit in the front of the classroom.

Three years ago, Shraddha and her family migrated to the city of Pune in search of a better life. Her father got a job as a security guard at Decathlon, a major sporting goods store. Shraddha would bring him lunch everyday after she finished school and that was when she first saw a young employee of the store skateboarding. 

“It looked like fun and I wanted to try it out but I was too afraid to ask for help. There was a trial skateboard in the store and I began to teach myself how to use it on the basketball court outside the store,” she said.  The employee saw her skating and realized she was good, so he began to give her free lessons. Today Shraddha is a sponsored skater who competes at events. She is one of the growing number of girls and women who are skateboarding in India.

Asha Gond, 21 is a skateboarder and aspiring rap artist from Janwaar, a village in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. She is from the Gond community. The Gonds are Adivasis, a term used by many indigenous and tribal communities to identify themselves in India. The adivasis have been traditionally relegated to the margins of the society like the Dalits. 

Asha dropped out of school in 9th grade because of her family’s financial difficulties. After Rural Changemakers built a skatepark in her village (Janwaar Castle) she began to skate there. She remembers the shaming she faced from people in her village when she began skateboarding as a teenager. People wrote obscene words about her on the walls of the skatepark. “My relatives would discourage my parents from allowing me to skate by saying things like I needed to learn household chores like other girls and stop hanging out with boys,” she said.  

“If I didn’t skate, I’d be married and have had kids by now. Whatever I am today is because of skateboarding.”
- Asha Gond

But Asha persisted and even convinced her parents to send her on a study abroad program in the UK sponsored by Rural Changemakers. “My mother began to trust me more after I went to London. Now she is the one who stands up to people.” Nowadays Asha studies over 6 hours daily online and with the help of tutors so that she can appear for her 10th grade exams. She is also a co-founder and volunteer at The Barefoot Skateboarders, a young non-profit that encourages kids in her village to skateboard and study. “If I didn’t skate, I’d be married and have had kids by now. Whatever I am today is because of skateboarding,” she said.

Asha is not the only one who managed to escape an early marriage. Shraddha’s voice was choked with emotion as she talked about her teenage girlfriends back in her village. “They have been married off by their parents and also have children,” she said. Shraddha also said that many have been sent to work on sugarcane plantations, known for their extremely exploitative work conditions. 

“I want to be very good at skateboarding so that I can tell the people back home that girls can do everything. Don't marry them so early. They have dreams too,” she said. 

Shraddha’s father lost his job in the lockdown and now runs a coconut water cart. Every weekend, he wraps up his cart and takes her to a few spots in the city where spends afternoons skating with her local crew at Pune Skateboarding. It is far easier to buy a skateboard in India than it was a decade ago but access is still a barrier for those who would like to try out the sport. “Skateboards are expensive. I had to use all my pocketmoney to buy my first board,” said Mopi. A skateboard for adults costs anywhere between 5,000 ($68) to 15,000 rupees ($206). 

There are a few Indian skateboard brands but skate clothing and gear tailored for women’s needs remains missing. Atita recalls requesting the father of one of her students to get protective gear for herself from a trip to Singapore. “The need is there. As more girls skate, women-centric skateboarding brands will emerge in India in the future,” she said.

Buying your first setup is a huge milestone in your journey into skating. We often get asked what parts are required to set up a board and know how daunting it can be to step foot into uncharted territory. We put these thoughts into words to help expand your knowledge of the board. We'll be posting a follow up about setting up the board once you've acquired all the parts. 

Do you want to shred pools and parks– or just simply cruise around? Depending on how you answer those questions, figuring out the ideal set up can become a bit easier. 

By Johnna Artis

When shops sell “completes” they think of an overall six components for each deck: 

1. THE SKATEBOARD: The wooden deck

2. THE TRUCKS: Two needed

3. THE WHEELS: Come in a pack of 4

4. THE BEARINGS: Metal part that goes inside the wheels to have the spin on the trucks

5. THE HARDWARE: What attaches your trucks to the board

6. THE GRIPTAPE

1. THE DECK

When you are asked about size for a deck, you are being asked how WIDE would you like your board. The wider your board in comparison to the width of your feet, the more stable you will feel while skating. The range of sizes for skateboards is vast but generally an adult with a size 8 women's shoe would go with a 7.75–8.25. You can “size up” or “size down” at any time until you figure out what is best for you and your found style.

You may also be asked what style of deck you are looking for:

• Decks that are “Popsicle shape” have mirroring Nose and Tail

• “Pool” shapes tend to have a squarer almost flatter tail and a rounded nose

• Cruiser decks can be any shape essentially but is often a term for a shorter board (Think Penny or Zip Zinger) or rather wide decks. Most times, you can shift your standard shaped board to a cruiser by adding larger soft wheels (Oj’s or Ricta Clouds, or Slime balls).

Some board companies we love are: Proper Gnar, Housewife Skateboards and Meow Skateboards

Below we've curated a size chart for boards according to shoe size and deck size. 

Shoe sizeDeck range TrucksWheelsBelow 86in - 8 inKrux: Axle width 7.6- 8
Independent: 129- 13950mm-53mm8, 9 8in, 8.125, 8.25, 8.38

Krux: Axle widths 8, 8.25, 8.5

Independent: 139,149,

53mm-56mm9 and Above 8.5, 9.0, 9.38, 10 Krux: Axle width 9
Independent: 169, 21556mm- 70mm

2. THE TRUCKS

When purchasing trucks, the size should correspond with the width of the deck. No matter what brand or size board, each company has a guide that helps you make sure that your trucks “fit”. What fit means to us is: you want the outside edge of your wheels (when connected to the trucks) to be aligned underneath both sides of your board.

If your trucks are too small or too large for the deck turning may cause the wheels under you to get wheel bite. Wheel bite is when the edge of your board scrapes along the contact patch of your wheel causing you to stop abruptly. For a skateboard, when you assemble your trucks be sure that the kingpins are facing towards each other or inwards → ← . 

We’re huge fans of Krux Trucks. If you're going for a longboard/cruiser setup, check out Paris Truck Co.

3. THE WHEELS

One of my favorite things to pick out when I want to switch up my ride and unlock a new trick. Wheels vary in hardness but most skate wheels are made out of some formula of polyurethane. The soft - hard scale has to do with how much grip your wheels have to assist in the rotation ability on the surface you are traversing. The softer wheels are suggested for cruiser boards and can be great on rain decks, bombing hills, getting to places with a fast smooth pace. 

The harder wheels resist the surface you are skating on a bit more allowing for a faster understanding of how the areas you are skating are built and giving you a hand with manipulating your wheels, truck, and deck. Hard wheels are used mainly in skate parks and street skating as well as simple pushing.

For mid range setups (7.75 and on) you may see wheels around the sizes 53mm - 56mm; for cruisers and longboards you can find 56mm - 70mm. The larger the wheel number, the higher from the ground you will be.

We love Dial Tone Wheels and Spitfire Wheels SLAG collab!

4. THE BEARINGS

These are the metal inserts of your wheels. They are what allow the wheels you ride on to have the full equal rotations throughout your ride. There are a few things to think about with bearings, they are all very similar, they commonly have 8 ball bearings inside; some may have 6 “Big Balls” as some know them. There are 8 bearings sold in a pack one to be inserted with pressure or tools into either side of your wheel. Your wheels should have two bearings in each of them, one inside and one outside.

Check out Bones Bearings.

5. THE HARDWARE

To secure your truck to your deck you need to have eight bolts and nuts. Hardware is sold at different lengths mostly ⅞ of an inch, 1 inch, 1.5 of an inch. When choosing your bolts make sure the bolt can pass through the top holes of the deck, the truck, secure the nut on the end and have a little extra threads to extend beyond  and you are good.

The vibrations of riding a Skateboard can loosen your nuts and bolts to any degree; checking your setup before each session is a sure way to avoid losing any screws along the shred. 

Two smaller brands we love: 88 Hardware or Hungrybear Hardware Co. 

6. THE GRIPTAPE

The Grip provides friction for your feet to grip and manipulate the wooden deck underneath. Grip tape is a vital component to your skate setup. They tend to have a measurement of 32 in-35 in in length to account for the length of the skate deck; the width tends to be somewhere between 9inches and 10inches. There is an adhesive side and a rough side; grip tape is like a gigantic sticker that you want to apply to the surface you will be standing on. Some grip tapes have technology to assist with creating no air bubbles. They come in different colors, patterns and transparent. 

We love Tomo Skate Co., Trophy Griptape and Cloud9

Here at Quell, we often talk about Liv Collins and her work with Sk8babes, but when putting together an issue about community there was no one who better defined building a safe and uplifting space in skateboarding. We sat down with Liv to really dive deeper into some of the areas in skateboarding she's most passionate about.

PHOTO BY JAILENE

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 How did you start skating, and where did you grow up?

I grew up in Milford Connecticut. When I was 18 or 19, my best friend Ang and I decided we really wanted to start skateboarding. In our town, there weren’t any other girls that were skating so it was a scary journey we were facing together. During it we started an Instagram account called Sk8babes and we were able to meet other girls all over the world. We used our page to connect to other skater girls. 

Eventually our followers asked us if we make merch and Ang is a graphic design major and then we made shirts. We used the money to have our first skate clinic to invite all the girls we met on Instagram to skate together. We then started to use the platform to continue that and give other people a platform to give other people recognition.

It’s interesting to hear that so many people start from an Instagram. Social media really changed the game. Quell is like the same way but it’s so crazy to see where you start shipping or who contacts you. How do they even know about this?

You talked about how everything was really organic. Was it your intention to start a business?

That wasn’t my intention at all. I was just posting videos on Instagram and I did not think people would like me like that. Ang and I are both art students and having our own aesthetic and creativity is so much fun.

How would you describe Sk8babes? What is your mission?

I guess Sk8Babes could be considered a “brand” now, but I see it as a platform that I use to encourage, empower, and continue to show the progress being made in not only my own skateboarding journey, but with everyone’s. From people who have just started to the ones skating their whole life. 

When you started meetups, when did that take shape into a place that you’d be teaching beginners?

It was a mix. We wanted to make sure we made it clear that it was all skill levels so I think we were trying to teach people. A lot of people were intimidated by skating at skate parks so we wanted to give them that chance. On the other hand we wanted to link with the other skater girls we met.

Ang and I made so many friends just through our Instagram and we all had something in common which was that we wanted to skate without feeling judged or like the outsider. By the time we threw our first clinic we had only met about a handful of other girl skaters in person, yet we had met thousands on Instagram. We decided it was time we brought everyone together and have a day where we can all be at the park feeling free and comfortable, finally getting to skate with people we relate to and not just the cis boys at the park.

I have no idea honestly why we went because I literally never leave my house as you know.

The first was mostly people from New York and Pennsylvania. 

Oh yeah we went to literally the first one. I’m so happy we went because it’s been like three years.

Right after that you had a sesh at 2nd Nature!

Right. That’s crazy that that was your first one. There were so many girls there in comparison to who was actually in your Connecticut skate scene. 

The first skate clinic was the first time I had been around that many skater girls...but the Quell one. So many ages just killing it and girls everywhere.

It’s interesting how many times like these themes of community and Instagram. I don’t know what compels me to go to Connecticut at 5am but I just did and I feel like so many girls will come up to you at your events and be like I’ve never skated in my life and now I’m at your event.

We’ve hosted many events together and you’re always so positive and uplifting.

What do you look to do when hosting skate events?

I just want everyone to have fun and leave feeling like they were at least a little bit better than when they came in. These events are the perfect opportunity to be yourself and try something new without the anxiety that comes from being at a crowded skatepark on an average day 

I wanted to talk to you as a NY resident how that’s shifted your mentality as a business and in skateboarding.

In 2018 I started coming to New York on the weekends. It’s so different but in NY every park I go to there are girls there. I have so many friends here now. It’s so much more of a progressive state. I don’t deal with as much bullshit or people don’t let things slide. I think Connecticut will always mean a lot but it was holding me back. 

To your point, people are so accepting and nont racist or homophobic.

I haven’t seen any trump stickers around here but in Connecticut even my neighbors have them.

I imagine the difference in being able to express yourself is so much better.

I don’t think I get harassed as much here. There are so many girls who have my back here. 

You do use your Instagram to call people out and speak out. I think it’s so important to hold people accountable.

I know I have a good sized platform. I know people see it. I’m so over just letting ignorance go at this point. I don’t want other people to experience the things I’ve experienced in my early days in skateboarding. Misogyny, harassment. If I can protect some girls, I would do it.

How do you translate that to like events or safe spaces?

No sus people are allowed. I have gone out of my way to make sure people do not show up. I want people to know that they’re safe there without judgement. 

I think that comes through. You can tell with Sk8babes stuff that we’re all here for each other. If I’m taking up space I get support and if someone else is taking up space, they get support.

Everyone’s struggle is different but we all have similarities in our struggles. 

It’s crazy that we’ve talked about so many things but the catalyst of every relationship is through skateboarding. You have a whole business that you don’t have to skate to support. Skateboarding builds friendships.

It’s the coolest thing in the world.

I wanted to talk to you about your list of Black skaters.

Since I started skating, I remember being a young skater girl on Instagram and there were a few girls skate accounts and some are really popular and a lot post these girls to capitalize off them to get their views and likes. One thing I have noticed is that there’s a lack of representation of Black girls on these skate accounts. It’s just crazy to me especially in NY that I know more women of color skating than white girls. So many Black girls are out here killing it and we’re not getting that representation. These accounts have such a huge platform and can make such a huge impact and they chose not too. So I made a list because people weren’t showing them and I wanted to use my platform to make sure they can also have a platform.

That really inspired me to check what we do here and make sure who we’re following. Are we just posting the same three people too? That’s not diversity either. That list really helped me to make sure as someone who runs these platforms that we don’t post the same things again and again. 

I’ve always felt this way about girls skater accounts. The lack of representation was not even there until recently like two months ago. I know there are some accounts that have always been diverse. We see you. 

I’m white, I have a lot to learn and we have to be accountable to not fall into patterns and these last two months or whatever it is so important as anyone who runs literally anything. Look around you. I am trying really hard not to move forward in life as someone who isn’t aware.

I don’t feel like these accounts were even aware of this situation. Just based off how society is, they may not have even realized they only pick people who look like them. It’s not that great when you have a big platform. 

If you don’t see something that looks like you, why would you pick it up. It takes a lot of internal power-which is why I admire you. You didn’t have people around you that did that.

I was definitely sad sometimes about the lack of feminine energy. I love skateboarding so much. There are no more excuses to have a lack of diversity. I know this community is insanely diverse.

To your point, so many people we’ve featured in this magazine aren’t in like New York or LA. They’re making it happen in these not “big skateboarding cities” so there’s no excuse.

I really wanted to empower others because I didn’t have such a welcome experience in skateboarding. There were some points in skateboarding that I was so sad and down on myself. 

As we keep talking about community it's just like friend groups. Not every time you skate is a skate meetup. It could discourage you from skateboarding unless you have friends or someone to skate with.

I love hyping people up. I think a lot of these skater boys forget that it took them a long time to get to the point they’re at now. A lot of them forget we weren’t encouraged to skate at a young age like they were. Skateboarding should be about having fun and every time you skate you’re better than the last time.

There’s so much that can stop you from skating ever again.

Can people stop acting like skateboarding is not hard? It obviously gets easier as time goes on and you progress but it’s not an easy thing to do.

You didn’t just wake up like you got this ollie today and this kickflip tomorrow.

People who are really good at skateboarding put in so much effort to be where they are now.

What do you feel like the future of Sk8babes is?

I want to continue to have meetups and put out merch. Ang and I have a lot of ideas with our next line. I want to keep using my platform for good. Keep skating and encouraging others to do their best.

What advice would you give to someone that wants to start skating?

Know that you probably will be intimidated. You might be scared because everyone has to start somewhere. 

Eunice Chang joins the party today for an especially giggly podcast episode. We talk about LA vs NY, imposter syndrome, pressures of social media – which all sound a bit serious but we swear it's a fun one.

Please subscribe to Quell Party wherever you listen to podcasts. Please rate us five stars on Apple Podcasts, leave a review, and most importantly– share us with a friend.

Theme song: Jupiter by The Marias
Photos by: Joel Verges

You can find anything Quell on quellskate.com or on all socials at quellskate

Illustration by Rachel Hess

Injuries in skateboarding are inevitable. The recovery process is one filled with anxiety and impatience because we all want to get back to what we truly love. But as we're sidelined from skating, we all deal with it in our own way. Hannah Lee discusses a different approach to curing the mental blocks of healing.

I’ve always found skateboarding to be a form of meditation. During the summer months of COVID-19, I’d ride my skateboard for long stretches of time, focusing only on my breath and the present moment to cope with stress. The more I moved the calmer my mind seemed to be. 

That is, until I fell.

I was speeding home to beat the rain when my skateboard came to a very sudden standstill and my body did what high school physics taught me as the only natural result – it went flying. After a trip to urgent care (where the doctor rather unprofessionally gasped with mortification at my wounds), I hobbled back home with bandaged legs and a recommendation that I see a plastic surgeon.

Over the next few days, I kept replaying the accident in my head, thinking of how I might have avoided it. I bounced between strategizing how I might heal faster and despairing at how permanent the damage could be. Illness, injuries, and other physical setbacks can force us to zoom in on the limitations of our health and the vulnerability of our wellbeing. When I realized that the state of my mind was contributing to the pain of my injury, I turned to my Buddhist practice to heal myself both physically and mentally. Here are some Buddhist principles that helped me cope.

BREATHE

Every time I had to clean and re-dress the raw skin on my knee and leg, I would swallow a scream and wince at the piercing pain. Control of my breath, a practice that is at the heart of meditation, helped me resist the urge to give that pain complete power over me. We may not have control over many different sufferings in our lives but we will always have control over our breath. 

Meditation and breath work also helped me process negative thoughts and feelings of disappointment, frustration, and sadness that came with my injury. By focusing on every conscious and intentional inhale and exhale, I was able to simply observe what I was going through and recognize there was room to be kind and patient with these emotions.

REDISCOVER YOUR COMMUNITY

In the days following my accident, I found myself obsessed with doing everything in my control to heal faster and get back to skateboarding as soon as possible. I’d stay up late searching Youtube for videos on –

“How to heal scars quickly”

“How to dress deep abrasions” 

“How to avoid infection from open wounds”

The videos were helpful but it was the comment section of each video that lifted my spirits. 

“Completely scraped my back from a motorbike accident! Thank you for the helpful tips.”

“I got road rash from falling off my skateboard. The pain is a real bitch!” 

“So scared that I’ll have scarring from my bike accident :( Thank you for sharing this video.”

I had turned to Youtube for hacks on how to undo the damage of my accident. Instead the comments helped me grow more comfortable with the prospect that my body could sustain permanent damage, and knowing that others are going through similar experiences. Buddhism reminds us that we are never alone in our sufferings. Our pains are never unique and we can take comfort in knowing that we can turn to a community of people who have experienced the same thing. 

REMEMBER THAT CHANGE IS CONSTANT

In Buddhism, we are continually reminded that change is constant. While we may be suffering in the present, that state of suffering will change. As it relates to injuries, our relationship with our physical pain will not be the same months or years into the future. Our attitudes will change. Our lifestyles may change. Even our injuries may change as a result of time. In short, nothing is forever. 

Three months later, when I got back into the rhythm of skateboarding again I found that I was much braver than I had been before. I was a lot more conscious of my surroundings, my body, and my mind. My injury taught me to trust myself again and I found a new desire to skateboard more consistently and confidently. 

Like Buddhism, skateboarding is a practice. The more you do, the more you learn and grow. In the act of practicing, you can face challenges and setbacks but it is important to remember that these contribute to a renewed appreciation of the process and a better understanding of your own self. Don’t get me wrong, injuries suck. However, in skateboarding – they’re inevitable. And yet, we can shift our perceptions so that they don’t define our experience or impede our joy. 

This entry was submitted to Quell by Hannah Lee

Want to write for Quell? Email us at submit@quellskate.com

Beatrice Domond joins us to talk pandemic worries, twitter, horoscopes and zinemaking. We also chat Supreme, FA and her skate setups.

If you like listening to our podcast please rate us five stars, leave a review, and subscribe wherever you’re listening. If you want us to talk to your favorite skaters, shoot us a message on instagram or via email. Find everything and anything about Quell on quellskate.com or on Instagram @quellskate. As always, thanks for joining the party.

Kickflip by Josh Katz

Sam really embodies the hometown hero. When we first met her at 2nd Nature, we were instantly in awe of her skate style and incredibly kind personality. Sam is supportive and determined in and out of skateboarding. Whether it’s stacking clips for her sponsors, or painting beautiful portraits of her friends on old decks – we’re always excited to see what’s next for Sam.

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How did you start skateboarding?

I got into skateboarding through my older sister. I basically used to copy everything she did. I first picked up a skateboard maybe 13 years ago, but I’ve been actually skating and learning tricks since I was nine (so that makes 11 years!) I grew up mostly in Plainfield, New Jersey but moved to Elizabeth, NJ when I turned nine. Elizabeth is where I really started learning how to skate.

What made you want to pick up the skateboard? What inspired you to keep skating?

Seeing my sister skate really made me want to do the same. We did everything together when we were little. I stuck with it because I found skating to be really fun and sort of a sense of freedom. There are no rules to skateboarding so I really get to be creative with it.

When we first met you, you came to our mini competition with Trophy Griptape.
How did you get connected to them?

Wade, the owner of Trophy, reached out to me through instagram. My friend Nico had put in a good word to him. Wade seemed to like my skating and asked me to be a part of the team.

What is your relationship with sponsorship in skateboarding?

I do have a few sponsors. I’m flow for Fortune skateboards, and also ride for New Balance Numeric, Trophy Griptape, Rockstar Bearings, Travel Skateshop, and Hilyfe Shades.

Do you feel pressure to get sponsors in skateboarding or maintain these relationships?

Before having sponsors, I’ve never really felt pressure to get them, but now that I do have a few, I always have that feeling in the back of my mind that I’m not doing enough for them. I know this feeling is probably irrational, but it’s hard to shake the feeling. I don’t have someone to film me at all times so it’s hard to stack clips when I find the time.

Fakie Flip by Erin Patrice O'Brien at Barclay's Center

What do you see/wish for your future in skateboarding? 

What I see and wish for my future in skateboarding is progression. I have a list of a few tricks that I want to learn and goals I have for myself to achieve, and once I reach those goals I’ll make even more for myself. I just want to work on getting better, and whatever comes along with that is icing on the cake!

You paint these beautiful portraits on old skateboard decks. How did you start doing that?

I came up with the idea to paint these portraits with my girlfriend as a Christmas present for some of our closest friends. I thought it would be cool for them to have a picture of them skateboarding on a skateboard. It took a really long time but I love how they came out and hope that everyone who got one feels the same. 

Do you feel like there’s a connection to artists and skateboarding?

Yeah I think skateboarding and art go hand-in-hand. In a lot of ways, skateboarding is art. Like I said, there are so many ways to get creative on a skateboard. You can practice to learn all these very technical tricks or just mess around and do something that no one else has done. There really aren’t any boundaries. And I’ve noticed that people who make art are usually the type of skaters to do really unique tricks and find new ways to utilize a skateboard. I think anyone who skates is an artist.

How do you express your creativity in skateboarding? 

I try to constantly learn new tricks and push myself to expand as a skateboarder. I try to express my creativity with every trick I do and every obstacle I skate; through my style. Most of all, I think I do so by just doing whatever is fun for me. 

When I was younger, I used to stay out in front of my apartment complex with my sister and friends and we would skate all day. There were no skate parks close to us so we always had to come up with new things to do. 

Over the years I have learned that you don’t have to skate a particular way to have fun, nor do you have to skate a certain way to be perceived as a “real” skateboarder. I think that being able to do a little bit of everything really shows that you can be creative.

I really love that sentiment. Your style is so fun to watch. Speaking of watching, we’ve seen you posting more and more videos and edits lately. Are you getting into filming skating more? 

I’ve always filmed for my friends, but now since we’re all stuck in the house, I’ve been putting together clips more! As much as I love skating, I love to see my friends land tricks they’ve been working hard to land, and capture these special moments.

Noseslide by Rich Whitehead in Trenton

“Before you’re comfortable, you’re going to be uncomfortable.”

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start skateboarding?

To anyone who wants to start skating, I would say to not be afraid of looking “stupid” on a skateboard (for lack of a better term). Before you’re comfortable, you’re going to be uncomfortable. It takes a lot of practice to get used to the feeling of riding a skateboard, let alone learning tricks. Also, it helps to not care what others think about you when you’re skating. This is way easier said than done, but focusing on yourself and not everyone else will help your confidence in skating. More often than not, the other people at the skatepark are more worried about themselves than what you’re doing. And skaters know more than anyone else how much dedication it takes to learn, so I’d say to keep all of this in mind when starting. The fun of skating is definitely worth the effort.

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Follow Sam on instagram

YAAAHHHOOOO Betty is here! For those of you who live under a rock, or somehow found this page accidentally, Betty is the newest comedy / skate masterpiece from The Skate Kitchen written by Crystal Moselle + Lesley Arfin.  Betty is kicking off its first season with six episodes exclusively on HBO. HOWEVER you can watch the first episode on Instagram live now

ALSO want to give a huge shout out to Betty + HBO for sending us such a sick package. Feeling really blessed and excited to use all those goodies to share the love. This post wasn’t sponsored - but needed to give a little love and kudos.

The description of Betty states: A group of diverse young women navigate the predominantly male-oriented world of skateboarding in New York City.  I mean lmao story of my life right...but let’s get into it SEASON ONE EPISODE ONE

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We catch Nina aka Kirt (spelling change in this show versus the movie The Skate Kitchen) taking some ass shots of a seriously bruised butt. Wonder how much of that was costume makeup or real life. She facetimes our girl Dede aka Janay because they’re about to meet up for their first girl’s sesh!

It’s absolutely foreshadowing who the guy is with Janay but we shall see. PS shouts out that Janay had on a KCDC tote. But anyway - we catch our girls at LES somewhere *incredibly* extra. Enter Moonbear aka Honeybear, and immediately we clock that she’s a filmer, so our gang starts to catch some clips. 

Camille shows up with her two boys and immediately is a way different character than her movie debut. Then we get this montage of skating and general LES shenanigans. How many times should I mention that I miss being outside? It starts POURING and they all mob to a bodega. I wonder if that was real rain or not - but I’m going to go with not. I’m from Miami and I don’t remember it raining like that here.

“Phillip” orders a bacon egg and cheese and my heart dies a little. Camille realizes she forgot their backpack at the park and freaks out on her to go get it. The girls are not having how he treated her and they all get kicked out of the bodega. 

The gang realizes that the backpack is stolen. Janay proves to be the smartest thinker trying to get Camille to use find my iPhone. Phillip doesn’t have an iPhone because “he doesn’t trust the government.” I wish I couldn’t say that I haven’t met a New York skater exactly like that but…

Phillip is really upset because he lost his “Winter Bowl Key” which Kirt quickly reminds him girls can’t get in there anyways. Our first look into the divide of the skate scene. But they make a deal that when they get the backpack thief, they can get into Winterbowl.

They run into a friend Farook and meet Indigo, our baddie smoking in the van. Camille doesn’t want to hear her stoner friends excuses and just wants her backpack. Kirt, Phillip, Honeybear and Indigo pile in Farook’s van to smoke. Janay gives her stuff to Honeybear and her and Camille embark on this adventure to get the stolen backpack. Camille and Janay first see a similar backpack on a young man, and think they find gold but in reality it’s some mean 14 year old boy. 

Back in the van, Farook tries to remember his weed prices to send out Indigo to sell some *drugs*. Kirt delivers the best line of the show “not my fault if my lets skate and my lets smash vibes have some overlap.” She tries to get Indigo to skate with her, and speaks the truth about skating: it’s not about landing tricks all the time, it’s about having fun. This scene seems really chill but it is in fact the pivotal moment of the show. The difference between how men see skating and how women are developing their own communities.

Now we get to a Fuckin Problems montage to find our backpack through Chinatown. We start to see Camille and Janay develop their relationship and it seems like a fun promising future for our ladies. Meanwhile back at the van, Indigo is learning to skate from Kirt. Indigo baby mall-grabs the fuck out of this deck while flirting with this guy to sell some weed. She skates now though “it’s whatever”. My personal favorite part of the episode is that Kirt teaches the importance of how to hold your skateboard.

Janay and Camille have a terrible interaction with an old man and start to get a little more open about the overwhelming sensation of older men preying on younger women in situations they should be safe in, like the school bus. Back in Farook's bus, Honeybear realizes she found the backpack thief on her camera. The ladies meet back up to fuck this guy up. He’s sitting on a park bench and then starts cursing at them in Spanish but surprise Camille speaks Spanish and gets! her! backpack!

YAY we did it we’re all best friends wooooooo. So Farook drops our ladies off at the Winterbowl and Camille opens the door to get in. They’re greeted by some random guy who refuses to let them in. A guy vouches for Camille but she ditches the other girls at the door. All of a sudden the sky opens up and leaves our ladies out in the rain.

That’s all she wrote.

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Catch our Betty recaps every week here!
If you have any suggestions or anything we’ve missed DM us @quellskate.

We’re back for our second round of stretch videos with our guru, Steph Reid.
Follow Steph on Instagram to find her classes. Catch the stretch video for feet & ankles here.
Stay tuned for more from this series!