Supporting the Black Lives Matter movement within skateboarding and beyond

There are many different ways you can show solidarity and support, from signing petitions and donating to organizations, to educating yourself and those around you. This is by no means an exhaustive list but rather a place to start. Remember, this is a movement, not a moment, so keep pushing for change each day, in any way that you can. As skateboarders, fighting the system is ingrained in our culture, so let’s use that energy for the greater good.

Vote

One of the most powerful things you can do to make a difference is vote! SkatersVote was created with the goal of encouraging skateboarders in the United States of America to register to vote. If you live in the USA head over to their website where you can register to vote (it only takes 2 minutes!) and get information on important deadlines.

Donate

If you have the means to do so, we highly recommend donating to causes that support Black communities and fight for racial equality and justice. Here are a few we recommend:

For The Gworls — Raising money to assist with Black trans folks’ rent and affirmative surgery.

Anti-Police Terror Project — a Black-led, multi-racial, intergenerational coalition that seeks to build a replicable and sustainable model to eradicate police terror in communities of color.

Black Women in Sport Foundation — a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase the involvement of Black women and girls in all aspects of sport.

Juxtaposition Arts — a teen-staffed art and design center, gallery, retail shop, and artists’ studio space in North Minneapolis.

Support

You’ve likely heard of The Black List by now. It’s a list of Black-owned skate brands, shops and organizations compiled by Patrick Kigongo. The list includes womxn lead brands like Sk8Babes and Proper Gnar. There’s also a long list of organizations such as FroSkate, Briana King’s Display Only (a great resource for trick tips!), and Black Girls Skate. Check out the full list here for more shops, brands, media platforms and organizations you can support.

Sign

If you’ve ever signed a petition to get a skate park built in your neighborhood, then you can sign a petition to demand justice for the murder of an innocent person. And if you’ve never signed a petition, now is the time! It only takes a minute of your time. Here are a few to start with:

Demand justice for Breonna Taylor

Demand justice for Tony McDade

Defund the Police

Educate

Many of us are realizing how much we don’t know about Black history, racism and the corrupt systems in place that oppress Black communities. Thankfully there is no better time to learn than now! Educating yourself on these issues will make you a better ally and, quite frankly, a better human being.

You can find a list of anti-racism resources including movies, podcasts, books and articles over here. We highly recommend that you start by watching the movie 13th by Ava DuVernay on Netflix or on YouTube (embedded above!).