when a girl first starts skateboarding something magical happens a skateboard
something magical happens a skateboard
something magical happens a skateboard is like their flying broom when you get
is like their flying broom when you get
is like their flying broom when you get on a board you literally feel like you
on a board you literally feel like you
on a board you literally feel like you can fly and go wherever you want when I
can fly and go wherever you want when I
can fly and go wherever you want when I first started skateboarding I didn’t
first started skateboarding I didn’t
first started skateboarding I didn’t really have any friends and I didn’t
really have any friends and I didn’t
really have any friends and I didn’t really understand how to talk to people
really understand how to talk to people
really understand how to talk to people there would always be these boys in my
there would always be these boys in my
there would always be these boys in my middle school and they would skate every
middle school and they would skate every
middle school and they would skate every day after school and I wanted to be
day after school and I wanted to be
day after school and I wanted to be their friend so badly but I only had a
their friend so badly but I only had a
their friend so badly but I only had a broken little skateboard but I didn’t
broken little skateboard but I didn’t
broken little skateboard but I didn’t want to embarrass myself so I asked my
want to embarrass myself so I asked my
want to embarrass myself so I asked my dad please can I get a real skateboard
dad please can I get a real skateboard
dad please can I get a real skateboard he said sure so I finally got my first
he said sure so I finally got my first
he said sure so I finally got my first real skateboard and it was pink so the
real skateboard and it was pink so the
real skateboard and it was pink so the next day I was so excited I finally had
next day I was so excited I finally had
next day I was so excited I finally had a way to talk to these boys and I showed
a way to talk to these boys and I showed
a way to talk to these boys and I showed them my new skateboard first thing they
them my new skateboard first thing they
them my new skateboard first thing they said to me when they saw it was yo that
said to me when they saw it was yo that
said to me when they saw it was yo that board sucks I was like okay whatever so
board sucks I was like okay whatever so
board sucks I was like okay whatever so I didn’t want to waste my dad’s money
I didn’t want to waste my dad’s money
I didn’t want to waste my dad’s money and I wanted to skate so I started
and I wanted to skate so I started
and I wanted to skate so I started skating anyways start skating by myself
skating anyways start skating by myself
skating anyways start skating by myself after school and I would just look at
after school and I would just look at
after school and I would just look at these boys and see where they put their
these boys and see where they put their
these boys and see where they put their feet on the board I actually start
feet on the board I actually start
feet on the board I actually start copying them they didn’t pay attention
copying them they didn’t pay attention
copying them they didn’t pay attention to me at all they didn’t even know what
to me at all they didn’t even know what
to me at all they didn’t even know what I was doing until I actually started
I was doing until I actually started
I was doing until I actually started learning tricks that’s when something
learning tricks that’s when something
learning tricks that’s when something changed I remember one day I was at the
changed I remember one day I was at the
changed I remember one day I was at the bottom of the skate park and I landed my
bottom of the skate park and I landed my
bottom of the skate park and I landed my first trick called a kickflip I remember
first trick called a kickflip I remember
first trick called a kickflip I remember there was a boy at the top of the skate
there was a boy at the top of the skate
there was a boy at the top of the skate park and all I could hear was him
park and all I could hear was him
park and all I could hear was him screaming
now they wanted to talk to me so I
now they wanted to talk to me so I started skating with boys they started
started skating with boys they started
started skating with boys they started teaching me all their tricks it was the
teaching me all their tricks it was the
teaching me all their tricks it was the first time I actually had friends or so
first time I actually had friends or so
first time I actually had friends or so I thought then eventually something
I thought then eventually something
I thought then eventually something happened and I actually started getting
happened and I actually started getting
happened and I actually started getting better than them this is when a lot of
better than them this is when a lot of
better than them this is when a lot of things started to change they would
things started to change they would
things started to change they would start saying things to me that they
start saying things to me that they
start saying things to me that they never said to me before they would say
never said to me before they would say
never said to me before they would say things like when I fall even though all
things like when I fall even though all
things like when I fall even though all of us when we skateboard we fall all the
of us when we skateboard we fall all the
of us when we skateboard we fall all the time
time
time they’d say you know why she fell because
they’d say you know why she fell because
they’d say you know why she fell because she’s a woman and they’d all start
she’s a woman and they’d all start
she’s a woman and they’d all start laughing with each other I was confused
laughing with each other I was confused
laughing with each other I was confused you guys were my friends two seconds ago
you guys were my friends two seconds ago
you guys were my friends two seconds ago then there was this one boy that I’d
then there was this one boy that I’d
then there was this one boy that I’d always facebook chat with and one day he
always facebook chat with and one day he
always facebook chat with and one day he started an argument with me that he
started an argument with me that he
started an argument with me that he never talked about before and he said to
never talked about before and he said to
never talked about before and he said to me you know that there’s basically no
me you know that there’s basically no
me you know that there’s basically no point in girls skateboarding because a
point in girls skateboarding because a
point in girls skateboarding because a woman is never going to be as good as a
woman is never going to be as good as a
woman is never going to be as good as a man I said what what are you talking
man I said what what are you talking
man I said what what are you talking about I’m a girl and you know I am why
about I’m a girl and you know I am why
about I’m a girl and you know I am why he’s saying this to me so this is one I
he’s saying this to me so this is one I
he’s saying this to me so this is one I realized I actually need to find some
realized I actually need to find some
realized I actually need to find some girls to skate with
girls to skate with
girls to skate with [Applause]
so I couldn’t find any girls in real
so I couldn’t find any girls in real life there were none there so what are
life there were none there so what are
life there were none there so what are we doing we can’t find people in real
we doing we can’t find people in real
we doing we can’t find people in real life we go on the Internet
life we go on the Internet
life we go on the Internet right so I went on YouTube and I went
right so I went on YouTube and I went
right so I went on YouTube and I went into the search bar
into the search bar
into the search bar I just wrote girls skateboarders New
I just wrote girls skateboarders New
I just wrote girls skateboarders New York City only one girl came up at this
York City only one girl came up at this
York City only one girl came up at this time
time
time her name was Rochelle she lived in Long
her name was Rochelle she lived in Long
her name was Rochelle she lived in Long Island and she killed it at
Island and she killed it at
Island and she killed it at skateboarding I started becoming friends
skateboarding I started becoming friends
skateboarding I started becoming friends with her because we started commenting
with her because we started commenting
with her because we started commenting on each other’s YouTube videos then
on each other’s YouTube videos then
on each other’s YouTube videos then eventually we talked on Facebook for two
eventually we talked on Facebook for two
eventually we talked on Facebook for two years and then eventually we met in real
years and then eventually we met in real
years and then eventually we met in real life at an all-girl skate jam and the
life at an all-girl skate jam and the
life at an all-girl skate jam and the first thing we did when we met each
first thing we did when we met each
first thing we did when we met each other was we just gave each other the
other was we just gave each other the
other was we just gave each other the biggest high-five possible and we just
biggest high-five possible and we just
biggest high-five possible and we just started copying each other’s tricks
started copying each other’s tricks
started copying each other’s tricks teaching each other things it was so
teaching each other things it was so
teaching each other things it was so awesome to finally have somebody that
awesome to finally have somebody that
awesome to finally have somebody that felt just like me so I had this one
felt just like me so I had this one
felt just like me so I had this one friend now but she lived far away and I
friend now but she lived far away and I
friend now but she lived far away and I couldn’t see her all the time so I got a
couldn’t see her all the time so I got a
couldn’t see her all the time so I got a job in the meantime at a skate shop
job in the meantime at a skate shop
job in the meantime at a skate shop teaching children how to skate it was
teaching children how to skate it was
teaching children how to skate it was really cool because I was the only girl
really cool because I was the only girl
really cool because I was the only girl working there and the little girls who
working there and the little girls who
working there and the little girls who came to get skate lessons finally had
came to get skate lessons finally had
came to get skate lessons finally had somebody to look up to so I worked there
somebody to look up to so I worked there
somebody to look up to so I worked there over the summer it was super fun
over the summer it was super fun
over the summer it was super fun children are special because they don’t
children are special because they don’t
children are special because they don’t have an idea in their mind yet that
have an idea in their mind yet that
have an idea in their mind yet that somebody can’t do something because they
somebody can’t do something because they
somebody can’t do something because they look like this or somebody isn’t
look like this or somebody isn’t
look like this or somebody isn’t supposed to do this because they are
supposed to do this because they are
supposed to do this because they are this they honestly just believe that
this they honestly just believe that
this they honestly just believe that anybody can do anything which is amazing
anybody can do anything which is amazing
anybody can do anything which is amazing so after working with these kids I found
so after working with these kids I found
so after working with these kids I found something out that really bothered me
something out that really bothered me
something out that really bothered me I found out from my coworkers that were
I found out from my coworkers that were
I found out from my coworkers that were all boys that I was getting paid less
all boys that I was getting paid less
all boys that I was getting paid less than them for the same exact work so I
than them for the same exact work so I
than them for the same exact work so I quit the job because I don’t think it’s
quit the job because I don’t think it’s
quit the job because I don’t think it’s fair for a girl to get paid less than a
fair for a girl to get paid less than a
fair for a girl to get paid less than a boy for the same exact work so then I
boy for the same exact work so then I
boy for the same exact work so then I realized girls need to start doing their
realized girls need to start doing their
realized girls need to start doing their own thing in the skate world cuz this is
own thing in the skate world cuz this is
own thing in the skate world cuz this is not fair when you’re a girl when you
not fair when you’re a girl when you
not fair when you’re a girl when you first enter the skate park it kind of
first enter the skate park it kind of
first enter the skate park it kind of feels like you’re an animal in a zoo you
feels like you’re an animal in a zoo you
feels like you’re an animal in a zoo you walk in there and there’s so many people
walk in there and there’s so many people
walk in there and there’s so many people flying around everybody’s staring at you
flying around everybody’s staring at you
flying around everybody’s staring at you and you feel like all these judgments
and you feel like all these judgments
and you feel like all these judgments are being made about you before you even
are being made about you before you even
are being made about you before you even step on your board oh can you actually
step on your board oh can you actually
step on your board oh can you actually do chicks with that oh you actually ride
do chicks with that oh you actually ride
do chicks with that oh you actually ride that no bro it’s an accessory it’s like
that no bro it’s an accessory it’s like
that no bro it’s an accessory it’s like my purse no no you feel like as if
my purse no no you feel like as if
my purse no no you feel like as if everybody expects you to be bad at
everybody expects you to be bad at
everybody expects you to be bad at skateboarding already just because you
skateboarding already just because you
skateboarding already just because you are a girl when a boy first starts
are a girl when a boy first starts
are a girl when a boy first starts skateboarding nobody cares that he sucks
skateboarding nobody cares that he sucks
skateboarding nobody cares that he sucks he just started when a girl first
he just started when a girl first
he just started when a girl first started skateboarding she does not even
started skateboarding she does not even
started skateboarding she does not even get the chance to try before getting
get the chance to try before getting
get the chance to try before getting judged by everybody this is what makes
judged by everybody this is what makes
judged by everybody this is what makes it so intimidating to enter the skate
it so intimidating to enter the skate
it so intimidating to enter the skate park in the first place once you have
park in the first place once you have
park in the first place once you have another girl in the skate park with you
another girl in the skate park with you
another girl in the skate park with you however it changes the whole dynamic it
however it changes the whole dynamic it
however it changes the whole dynamic it feels like you have backup it’s kind of
feels like you have backup it’s kind of
feels like you have backup it’s kind of like your teammate but it’s like your
like your teammate but it’s like your
like your teammate but it’s like your life teammate because you’re gonna skate
life teammate because you’re gonna skate
life teammate because you’re gonna skate with them forever so as time went on
with them forever so as time went on
with them forever so as time went on I started meeting more girls I wanted to
I started meeting more girls I wanted to
I started meeting more girls I wanted to learn how to skateboard in my high
learn how to skateboard in my high
learn how to skateboard in my high school there’s this one girl her name
school there’s this one girl her name
school there’s this one girl her name was didi she was in my gym class she
was didi she was in my gym class she
was didi she was in my gym class she came up to me outside of school
came up to me outside of school
came up to me outside of school and she said I saw you at the skate park
and she said I saw you at the skate park
and she said I saw you at the skate park over the summer but I didn’t get a
over the summer but I didn’t get a
over the summer but I didn’t get a chance to say hi to you
chance to say hi to you
chance to say hi to you hi I was like hi we’re gonna be best
hi I was like hi we’re gonna be best
hi I was like hi we’re gonna be best friends so we started skateboarding
friends so we started skateboarding
friends so we started skateboarding every day after school it was so fun
every day after school it was so fun
every day after school it was so fun then there was another girl her name was
then there was another girl her name was
then there was another girl her name was a Johnny she also wanted to skate but
a Johnny she also wanted to skate but
a Johnny she also wanted to skate but she didn’t have a skateboard so I had an
she didn’t have a skateboard so I had an
she didn’t have a skateboard so I had an extra one so I gave her her first board
extra one so I gave her her first board
extra one so I gave her her first board now we had that huge group but a smaller
now we had that huge group but a smaller
now we had that huge group but a smaller group of girls and it felt awesome when
group of girls and it felt awesome when
group of girls and it felt awesome when you’re in numbers it eliminates
you’re in numbers it eliminates
you’re in numbers it eliminates intimidation then one weekend me and the
intimidation then one weekend me and the
intimidation then one weekend me and the first girl Rochelle were on the train
first girl Rochelle were on the train
first girl Rochelle were on the train she was visiting from Long Island and we
she was visiting from Long Island and we
she was visiting from Long Island and we were just on our way to go skate
were just on our way to go skate
were just on our way to go skate somewhere in Brooklyn and we met a film
somewhere in Brooklyn and we met a film
somewhere in Brooklyn and we met a film director named crystal Moselle she
director named crystal Moselle she
director named crystal Moselle she wanted to do a short film with us we
wanted to do a short film with us we
wanted to do a short film with us we were like cool and we got all the girls
were like cool and we got all the girls
were like cool and we got all the girls we knew and we made this short film this
we knew and we made this short film this
we knew and we made this short film this short film inspired us so much that we
short film inspired us so much that we
short film inspired us so much that we decided we wanted to be a group all the
decided we wanted to be a group all the
decided we wanted to be a group all the time so we decided to call ourselves a
time so we decided to call ourselves a
time so we decided to call ourselves a name that Rochelle thought of when she
name that Rochelle thought of when she
name that Rochelle thought of when she was younger and it has to do with a
was younger and it has to do with a
was younger and it has to do with a really bad joke that women are supposed
really bad joke that women are supposed
really bad joke that women are supposed to be in the kitchen so we’re
to be in the kitchen so we’re
to be in the kitchen so we’re skateboarding in the kitchen
get it so now we had this group and we
get it so now we had this group and we started showing ourselves to people we
started showing ourselves to people we
started showing ourselves to people we started making social media accounts we
started making social media accounts we
started making social media accounts we started making an Instagram we started
started making an Instagram we started
started making an Instagram we started filming ourselves skateboarding and we
filming ourselves skateboarding and we
filming ourselves skateboarding and we started posting it the feedback that we
started posting it the feedback that we
started posting it the feedback that we got was incredible
got was incredible
got was incredible I didn’t know that that many girls that
I didn’t know that that many girls that
I didn’t know that that many girls that actually skateboard in real life exist
actually skateboard in real life exist
actually skateboard in real life exist him
him
him we got messages from girls all over the
we got messages from girls all over the
we got messages from girls all over the place saying thank you for posting
place saying thank you for posting
place saying thank you for posting videos of you guys skateboarding this is
videos of you guys skateboarding this is
videos of you guys skateboarding this is inspiring me to skate even though there
inspiring me to skate even though there
inspiring me to skate even though there are no girls where I live
are no girls where I live
are no girls where I live even boys would message us to and they’d
even boys would message us to and they’d
even boys would message us to and they’d be like this is so cool I’ve always
be like this is so cool I’ve always
be like this is so cool I’ve always wanted to skate with girls but I just
wanted to skate with girls but I just
wanted to skate with girls but I just have never seen any around so now we had
have never seen any around so now we had
have never seen any around so now we had this platform and we had all these
this platform and we had all these
this platform and we had all these people watching us but I wanted to do
people watching us but I wanted to do
people watching us but I wanted to do something more with it I wanted to start
something more with it I wanted to start
something more with it I wanted to start seeing these people in real life so I
seeing these people in real life so I
seeing these people in real life so I want to Instagram and I started making
want to Instagram and I started making
want to Instagram and I started making these posts on like your story
these posts on like your story
these posts on like your story everybody knows stories I’d post the day
everybody knows stories I’d post the day
everybody knows stories I’d post the day before and I say come to this skate park
before and I say come to this skate park
before and I say come to this skate park at whatever time anybody wants to show
at whatever time anybody wants to show
at whatever time anybody wants to show up show up and to my surprise during one
up show up and to my surprise during one
up show up and to my surprise during one of the first sessions almost over 30
of the first sessions almost over 30
of the first sessions almost over 30 girls showed up from New Jersey from
girls showed up from New Jersey from
girls showed up from New Jersey from Philly one girl came from upstate New
Philly one girl came from upstate New
Philly one girl came from upstate New York they all just came because they
York they all just came because they
York they all just came because they wanted to be with people that felt just
wanted to be with people that felt just
wanted to be with people that felt just like them so when we have these sessions
like them so when we have these sessions
like them so when we have these sessions we literally took over the whole
we literally took over the whole
we literally took over the whole skatepark it was so cool we felt like we
skatepark it was so cool we felt like we
skatepark it was so cool we felt like we were a school fishes swimming through
were a school fishes swimming through
were a school fishes swimming through the ocean of the patriarchy
it felt amazing so one you’re a girl
it felt amazing so one you’re a girl certain things may be said to you
certain things may be said to you
certain things may be said to you unfortunately from an early age people
unfortunately from an early age people
unfortunately from an early age people will say things even with colors oh you
will say things even with colors oh you
will say things even with colors oh you can’t like that color because this color
can’t like that color because this color
can’t like that color because this color is for boys this color is for gross or
is for boys this color is for gross or
is for boys this color is for gross or oh you can’t do that you’re not tough
oh you can’t do that you’re not tough
oh you can’t do that you’re not tough enough for that or that’s not ladylike
enough for that or that’s not ladylike
enough for that or that’s not ladylike why are you doing that there’s not that
why are you doing that there’s not that
why are you doing that there’s not that much support with this in the skate
much support with this in the skate
much support with this in the skate industry either there was recently a
industry either there was recently a
industry either there was recently a magazine interview I was published in a
magazine interview I was published in a
magazine interview I was published in a very famous skateboarding magazine and
very famous skateboarding magazine and
very famous skateboarding magazine and it was an interview with a pro
it was an interview with a pro
it was an interview with a pro skateboarder he’s very well known same
skateboarder he’s very well known same
skateboarder he’s very well known same as Nyjah Huston and he got asked to cost
as Nyjah Huston and he got asked to cost
as Nyjah Huston and he got asked to cost him what do you think about girls a
him what do you think about girls a
him what do you think about girls a skateboard his literal answer was some
skateboard his literal answer was some
skateboard his literal answer was some ghosts escaped but honestly I believe a
ghosts escaped but honestly I believe a
ghosts escaped but honestly I believe a skateboarding is not for girls at all
skateboarding is not for girls at all
skateboarding is not for girls at all not one bit well this is wrong and this
not one bit well this is wrong and this
not one bit well this is wrong and this is going to continue to be wrong because
is going to continue to be wrong because
is going to continue to be wrong because girls are going to continue to do what
girls are going to continue to do what
girls are going to continue to do what they’re not supposed to do thank you
”
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