An art class at Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS) took it upon themselves to create an impact beyond the Bar Fork, promoting equity and inclusion of trans people and women in skateboarding and the broader community.
Before becoming a full-time art teacher at CRMS, Noah Sakamoto grew up in Piedmont, California, which he described as the “donuthole of Oakland.” He started skateboarding on the notoriously steep streets of Northwest California and eventually got into the professional downhill world circuit. In his day, when a girl “ripped” on a skateboard, a common expression would be, “she skates like a dude.” While perhaps intended as a compliment, the phrase, of course, carries an offensive connotation.
During the pandemic, when team sports were put on hold, CRMS came to Sakamoto and asked if he’d lead an after-school skateboarding program. He jumped at the opportunity and it continues today. “I really would like to thank CRMS for being open to skateboarding, because they could easily not be,” said Sakamoto.
For the purposes of this project, Sakamoto reached out to Terence Stilin-Rooney of Skate Like a Girl (SLG), a nonprofit with the mission to make skateboarding more inclusive while developing leadership skills among participants. SLG has chapters in Seattle, Portland and the San Francisco Bay Area.
According to its website, the vision of SLG is to “empower skaters, especially young women and/or trans people, to grow into strong, confident leaders who promote and implement social equity.”
“It basically creates a space for women and trans people in skating,” explained Mace Perrin-Rockett, a senior at CRMS who identifies as non-binary.
“For a long time, and still, it’s been an intimidating scene if you’re not a male,” added their instructor, Sakamoto.
This dichotomy of the sexes mirrors the world beyond skateboarding. By breaking patterns of sexism within the sport, and experiencing that triumph, it elevates participants’ confidence and drive to do the same in other aspects of their lives, from professional to social settings.
“SLG works toward providing inspiration and a possibility model for others to organize around a shared goal of more inclusive communities in the future for both skateboarders and beyond,” Stillin-Rooney told The Sopris Sun.
The build
Skateboards are made from seven layers of pressed wooden veneers. Sakamoto ordered pre-pressed veneers which came in a rectangular shape. The students shaped the planks to the point they wanted, refined the edges and came up with a design to print on the decks.
The designs were intended to highlight culture diversity as well as inclusion. For instance, one student drew a representation of Frida Kahlo, while, for a deck they sent to SLG, Perrin-Rockett created a stretched trans flag that also resembles a vital sign monitor reading.
These days, skateboards are typically made in a factory, so it’s unique in itself to build decks by hand. Each student constructed two skateboard decks, one to keep and one to send to SLG. A few students, including Perrin-Rockett, made three. Perrin-Rockett gave the third deck to their brother.
“I never really actually owned one and used it, until I made this one,” said Perrin-Rockett, proudly displaying the skateboard they created and kept.
For SLG, this collaboration “was a bit unique in the sense that the entirety of the project was developed and delivered by Noah and his students,” explained Stillin-Rooney. SLG intends to display the skateboards at its upcoming events and workshops. “We want to showcase the ideas and work done by Noah and the students of CRMS to help encourage folks in our communities to elevate issues of diversity, equity and inclusion within skateboarding,” he added.
“As a person who has identified as a woman and as trans … it’s really impactful to know that I have already interacted with a nonprofit organization that supports the queer community and women,” said Perrin-Rockett. They added, “The opportunities that have been brought to me, especially in the art program at CRMS, are insanely incomparable to any other place.”
Mace Perrin-Rockett smoothes the edges. Courtesy photo
Comments are closed.