Hasta La Ideas

This summer, writer Jazmine Hughes and photographer Lanna Apisukh—the former a skateboarding rookie; the latter a tenured skater—visited parks in NYC to meet “The New Skaters.” These skaters—essentially not the white, straight, cis men who have dominated the sport professionally, personally and publicly—are building “new versions of skate communities, bringing together women, trans and nonbinary skaters, as well as skaters of color.” For newcomers and underrepresented individuals, the world of skateboarding can be intimidating at best, but these groups (many of which are being forged on social media) are creating safe, supportive and playful spaces. As Hughes writes, “Organizations like Quell, Late Skate, Sk8 Babes and Skate Like a Girl hold skate events, or ‘clinics,’ with the goal of creating a space for both new and old skaters to find community, as well as supporting the habit, by teaching tricks or providing opportunities to trade gear. For some, the new sense of belonging has extended beyond the sport.” Read more at The New York Times.

Image courtesy of Lanna Apisukh/The New York Times