Skatingfashionista on 2016

2016 had so many ups and downs.  Let’s focus on the ups.

Being interviewed by Girl is Not a 4 Letter Word was a rad surprise.  Cindy Whitehead the founder is an inspiration on & off the board.  When she’s not skateboarding she’s a stylist – dream job.

You can read the entire article by clicking above.  Answering the questions gave me a chance to share about some of the people I’m most thankful for and who make every year special.

Above I’m with Don Brown – my spirit animal – always inspiring me to   follow my passion.  If he can close down the 405 to skate, I can  get more girls skateboarding for fun & everyone keeping it stylish on & off the board.

Also in the the picture Eric, from Active Ride Shop, he & Morgan (not pictured) have let me blog, take over their SnapChat, and just continually help me show girls that girls can skate & be stylish.  And of course Courtney, she’s been my counselor at Woodward and her attitude & actions define “can do”.

Above a photo I love from 2016 by Neal Mims.  He’s taught me so much on & off the board.  He’s even responsible for the word “skatingfashionista”!

Above I’m with girls at Skate Rising.  I’m always thankful to be able to blog about their events because their mission is aligned with mine to include everyone and skate for fun.  I’m also thankful to EXPOSURE Skate which Skate Rising is a part, Poseidon Foundation, and Paul Mitchell because they were the first to trust me with a press pass back in 2015.

In 2016 I had press passes for KAABOO above and Agenda below. More people & organizations believing girls can skate for fun while keeping it stylish on & off the board is a very rad thing!

I also had press passes to Away Days and then the San Diego part of the tour.

I had the best press pass in San Diego when I got to cover Clash at Claremont 10.  Yes, there’s racing in skateboarding, there will be a Skatingfashionista video in 2017, and we all saw Santa skates.  Thank you Charlie, Chris, Andy, Mike & Scott for your trust and patience.

Plus I had press passes to the most amazing girls in the world.  Girls who skateboard for fun and use their skateboarding to improve the world.

Cecely, who’s helping build a skatepark in New Mexico, is just one of the amazing girls I had the honor of blogging about this year.

Yes there were low points in 2016, but what you focus on grows so the blog remains committed to sharing the stories of all the girls, all around the world, on whatever board they want, sharing the message that girls can have fun skateboarding while keeping it stylish on & off the board.

xoxo skatingfashionista

Sasha Longboarding in France

Sasha shares this video of longboarding in France.

She loves decorating, skateboarding, surfing and wants to bring awareness to disabilities.  She’s a 5 year fighter of CRPS RSD.  Complex regional pain syndrome – or reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome – causes chronic pain.

I first became aware of CRPS when I wrote a post last January.

I blog because more girls skateboard when they see girls skateboarding and all the reasons skateboarding can be fun.  The stories on girls using skateboarding as a way to cope and improve their lives are inspirational because they show the power of passion and hope.

Thanks Sasha for sharing how you keep it stylish on & off the board in France.

To find out more about CRPS/RSD you can visit site like

 

 

Skate-Aid Supporting Skatergirls in South Africa

When I saw this photo and caption, I had to find out more about skate-aid.

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We’re stoked to see more girls coming!  Ladies, grab your boards and join us!

I knew there were girls skateboarding in South Africa because I’d blogged about Girlscanskate SA on a mission to get more ladies skating in South Africa and done several posts on skater girls there.  I saw 8 posts when I searched the blog to read them just click here.

The reason I blog about girls skateboarding is because I totally believe more girls skateboard when they see girls.  Plus girls skate when they’re encouraged, so Skate-Aid encouraging girls is something I want to blog about.

So who/what is skate-aid?

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skate-aid’s site is available in Deuthsch & English – I had to switch to the English version.

There I found out that skate-aid was started by a skateboarder Titus Dittmann.  He believes that skateboarding knows

no frontiers and wars, color of skin or hate, rich or poor: Skateboarding unites and promotes a sense of identity and purpose especially in the development of young people

Titus through skate-aid brings skateboarding to the youth who need it most.  Beginning in Afghanistan, there are now projects active in Africa, Asia, America, and Europe.  South Africa is just one of the places supported.

I had the opportunity to ask Sean van Rooyen, Director of skate-aid in South Africa some questions.

I read that skate-aid started in South Africa in 2010 by building a mobile skate park with a mini ramp in Salesianer Don Bosco.  How did that come about and how has that evolved into the current skate-aid program in South Africa?

skate-aid was introduced to Don Bosco Salesians in 2010 to assist with life skills and a sports program for the institute. It all started with just a 4 foot mini-ramp and as time went by, many obstacles were generously donated and also built by volunteers and so the word spread about a skate facility in Cape Town Central, which was the only skate park in the city at the time.

Over time, we’ve had street kids and children from the neighbouring hoods join us after school. In the past year we have visited some children’s home and done some holiday skate programs and we’ve also had many requests to partner with other community projects.

There is a great need around the Cape for a safe, constructive and positive environment for troubled children and we’re planning to assist as much as we can.

What’s the current program look like – how many parks, events or types of events.

skate-aid is an international NGO that’s facilitates and creates skate parks in locations with refugees, underprivileged towns and street children. There are skate-aid projects in over 20 countries over 4 continents.

Here in Cape Town we focus on street kids, children’s homes and at-risk youths offering skateboarding as alternative to hanging around in the streets and with that comes life skills and mentorship, gangsterism is too common around here and this is our way of reaching out to those that are vulnerable to the negative influences.

The events we do are focused on fundraising and awareness of the project. Cape Town has a massive skate culture and they’ve given plenty support to us over the years so we try do events that involve this community to both return gratitude as well as welcome all skaters with disregard of their backgrounds, which, as you know, is one of skateboarding’s greatest values as I don’t know of any other sport with a greater diversity and such little discrimination at the same time.

How has it grown – in 2010 you saw how many kids now you see this many.

Well, besides the hundreds of Salesians scholars annually, we have quite a few regular kids from the underprivileged surrounding areas and this year we started a skate-aid team for them so that they can be supported in participating in competitions and they’ve surprised us in how exceptionally well they’re doing.

There are daily regulars, weekend regulars and new faces all the time. I have noticed a rapid growth in interest with girls skating lately, the skate trend is slowly changing and there are many aspects at play. Skateboarding has different sides to it these days, I’ve been skating for a long time and the scene has transformed from a ‘rebellious youth’ activity into a sport and a non-motorised form of transport in the city, so this changes the perception of the board-riders in society’s eyes. It’s also a big reason for the success and acceptance from society over skate culture because the extreme side is still admired by youths but also encourages them to take part into this diverse lifestyle. This revolution is [mainly] from consistent contribution with big thanks a number of local activists. So it’s not just Punk-Rock and Hip Hop anymore, it’s become recreation and our form of art.

How many volunteers do you have in South Africa is this number growing?

We are forever grateful for those who have and do support us, though mostly German volunteers, recruited by skate-aid Head Office in Munster, who rotate every 6 months and do a fantastic job at mentoring the kids and maintain the skate park and obstacles. There are plenty of local skaters who offer there assistance when we need it like during events or campaigns. As we’re rapidly growing and there are an increased amount programs ahead, there will be a need for more hands.

thanks Sean

To find out more about all of skate-aid and stay current with them, check them out on the web.

Above is a direct link to their magazine.

Or follow them on social media.  They are active on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Plus be on the look out for January 7, 2017

1st skate-aid Worldwide Highest Ollie Contest 2017 – 4 continents one mission!

Media Release with details:

It all started in Cape Town in early 2016, now the 2nd Annual Highest Ollie Contest will be the world’s most widespread skateboarding event simultaneously held ever recorded.

This coming year we are having 10 skate-aid projects on 4 continents to host the same event at the same day of 07th January 2017 to crown the international “Ollie King”. To “Ollie” means to jump with a skateboard.

With this international contest, skate-aid aims to unite skateboarders from all over the world as well as raise awareness for our mission to help at-risk youths with a safe and constructive space for children need in their development ages.

The event, which will be open to all skaters, their friends, families and general spectators, will be live streamed on FaceBook and Instagram and offers the general community music, food and entertainment at skate-aid Salesian Skate Park in Green Point, Cape Town.

There is no bigger record-breaking skate event like this is SA and we can’t wait to find out who can truly defy gravity and break the African Ollie record!

The previous winner of the Ollie Contest (2016) was Ryan Naidoo who is much admired by many well respected SA skate names and spectators for his record of 96cm, just a few centimeters short of the official Guinness World record.

This unique contest creates more awareness for skateboarding as a community development tool and will be covered by local and international media.

You will find more information about the skate-aid International Highest Ollie Contest on the events’ page and in the attached proposal.

To not miss out on this event please follow:

#ollieking2017 #skateaid #ollieforthegoodcause event’s day website: www.capetown9.wixsite.com/skateaidhighestollie

Be part of the philosophy. Be part of the mission. Be part of skate-aid.

With kind regards, skate-aid Cape Town

skate-aid is possible because of the support it receives from those who can share.

Till next time keep it stylish on & off the board!

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Gonna Skateboard Everyday Until the Water is Warm Again

Angelina aka angieshreds shares the picture above with this caption

Gonna skate everyday until the water is warm again.

Why are you skateboarding?  There’s a zillion ways to have fun skateboarding and when you share your pictures and stories more girls try it.

Thanks for sharing Angelina & for letting us know about all these East Coast skate parks supporting the girls.

Above Angelina

had fun checking out @homage_brooklyn in NYC with @girlsridersorg ! Can’t wait for the next all girl skate session with GRO! Repost @gronewyorkcrew

Above Angelina’s at Forth Union

Skate & Culture Organization

Skatepark, art exhibition & event space, and food trucks at the Carousel building on the Asbury Park Boardwalk.

Skateboarding at Christmas Time

Alicia shares this picture of what skateboarding in Texas around Christmas time can look like

it’s of her daughter Brenna on her new jelly board.  Skating is just one of the sports Brenna has fun at .  She also loves surfing,  gymnastics, and volleyball.

Alicia says there aren’t a lot of skaters – boy or girl – in their town.  I think that will change because:  more people skate when they see how fun it can be.

Thanks for sharing Alicia & Brenna.  I love how Brenna keeps it stylish on & off the board.

Sporty girls who share are the most stylish of all!  Please share your stories of how skateboarding is fun and why it’s good for girls to skate.  To me skateboarding is sport, art, transportation, exercise and builds self-confidence – so lets get more girls skating for fun.

Skateboarding as Meditation

What’s meditation look like to you?  To Elisha Rose it looks like this

For thousands of years people have used meditation to move beyond the mind’s stress-inducing thoughts and emotional upsets into the peace and clarity of present moment awareness. The variety of meditation techniques, traditions, and technologies is nearly infinite, but the essence of meditation is singular: the cultivation of mindful awareness and expanded consciousness.

There are endless reasons to skateboard, yes including meditation.

Thanks Elisha Rose for sharing from Toronto and you definitely know how to keep it stylish on & off the board.

When it’s  you & your board the possibilities for fun are endless and the confidence you develop is with you on & off the board.

Heidi Lemmon – Photographer

Wrapping up our posts on girls who photograph girls skateboarding is Heidi Lemmon. However, the blog is always here for anyone who wants to share their story of how skateboarding has inspired them, so if you’re a photographer it’s never to late to share your story.

Heidi is busy, often times she’s multi-talking by taking pictures while she’s working on getting skateparks built, the brand manager for Saltrags, or a co-producing events and contests.

Group shot from from Venice Ladies Spring Jam 2016

Venice Ladies Spring Jam will be April 29th 2017 – Produced with OG Jam and Cindy Whitehead

 Heidi, who’s a snowboarder that enjoys cruising on her skateboard, supports all skaters and this is what she had to say about photographing skater girls which she’s been doing since 1996.

How did you get involved with shooting skater girls?

I started shooting at a lot of the World Cup events and when they started Combi Classic I started shooting the girls. Then Exposure & Poseidon came so I shoot there.

Nicole Hause at Van US Open

How has girls skateboarding changed since you started shooting?

When I started 20 years ago the girls were pretty scarce and not organized. Today we have so many girls really ripping and world wide. The bar has been raised!

Allysha Le at Vans US Open

What’s your favorite type of shooting – for example street, bowl, vert, long boarding?

Bowl and park. I like shooting real street, but it’s hard finding the locations, parking, and then dodging security.

Venice…love this park 14 years in the making. Props to Geri Lewis for leading the charge!

Where do you like to shoot – for example locations, parks, events, contests?

everywhere

What’s different about shooting skateboarding then other photography?

You have to catch the “trick” just right. You can’t set up a shot with a model, you need a real skater and you can’t fake it.

Where can people see your work?

Vianez Morales

What do you think of all the press girls’ skateboarding is getting? I think all press is good – but I want to be a journalist. And every fashionista has a subscription to Vogue. I was beyond excited when I saw Amelia shoot a prom dress campaign and then the pictures & videos got covered in magazines.   And those long board girls in the Red Hot Chili Pepper video – loved it & totally inspired me to keep skating. But is that press bad for competitive female skateboarding?

I think all press is good as long as the girls can skate.

Did/do you have role models or people/organizations that continue to encourage and support your photography?

Most of the people who shoot skateboarding all know each other. We shoot the same events, all the time, so we are our own team. There is no way 1 photographer can catch it all so I count on others to catch what I can’t and vice versa. I think we have more fun than anyone and are very supportive of each other. We know what it takes to get a good shot and appreciate one, no matter who gets it.

Anything you want to share about why girls shooting girls skateboarding benefits the skateboarding sport & builds self-confidence & opportunities for girls.

I think some of the girls are more comfortable with girls shooting but I dont think its important. I think getting good photographers out there & documenting is key to getting the girls more opportunities.

I have shot more of the guys than girls and they never complain that I am a woman.  It’s all about the shot – not the gender.

Pro skateboarder/instructor/DJ Bennett Harada

Thank you Heidi for sharing.

Pictures are worth a million words and stories make learning easy so please keep sharing yours.  The time you take to share could very well be the time it takes to inspire someone to follow their passions either on or off the board.