Joyful New Yr! It’s 2025 and I couldn’t be extra excited. 2024 was a little bit of a rollercoaster, not less than health-wise nevertheless it actually ended on a excessive word. Plus, the solar got here out briefly yesterday, so I went to the skatepark (rescued a bunch of worms in puddles) and located a small patch of dry to land a fakie shuv-it. Ha! Wanting a tad aged however that’s 47, I suppose.
The year-end spotlight was due to Farran Golding. Farran, who’s behind the Skate Bylines web site, celebrating long-form skateboarding journalism had reached out and prompt I write a response to the adidas skateboarding video half MOMIJI, that includes none apart from Momiji Nishiya. I used to be already obsessive about the video, however my knee-jerk response was to go on the invite. Whereas I did have another work on the go, that wasn’t really the issue (and a number of tasks have by no means hindered me earlier than). I initially mentioned ‘no’ as a result of I used to be satisfied that I wasn’t the appropriate individual to reply to such a game-changing, modern video. I wrote myself off.
Self doubt is admittedly annoying. In my thoughts, I believed I used to be “too outdated,” “not adequate of a skater,” and that another person like a commentator, decide, professional skater, simply somebody who was revered in the neighborhood ought to do the speaking. I’m fascinated with folks I look as much as like Alex White, Amelia Brodka, Kristin Ebeling, and so forth. Luckily, I couldn’t get the task out of my head, so actually hours earlier than I’m speculated to be touring all the way down to the town for Christmas, I wrote this text: “Medals finish at gold however video components go platinum” on December 28th. Farran sourced the pictures and made two collab posts on Instagram with a montage of Momiji’s superior skating. For those who haven’t watched the video, what are you ready for?!
I’m so glad I wrote the piece! Individuals have been responsive and type, and even Momiji shared the story (due to fellow Olympian, Annie Guglia sharing / tagging)! Wow. Kyle Beachy, skater/creator of The Most Enjoyable Factor: dispatches from a skateboard life emailed a extremely supportive message, too that was such a spotlight. I additionally discovered that my buddy, Harry Meadley out of Leeds, UK (who’s presently writing his PhD thesis), whom I met on the Stoke Periods convention in San Diego in 2023, had tipped off Farran, who alerted Jaime Owens, editor of Nearer journal (who supplied me a column a number of months in the past!!) about my archive.
That is going to sound unusual, however I actually am floored by the encouragement of male skate boarders. As a Nineties skater, it’s been ingrained in me that women and girls should at all times DIY and create their very own neighborhood, separate from the entire, for the reason that males behind all of the skateboarding media shops had been by no means going to do something for us, so it’s been an actual pleasure (and even a shock) to be welcomed. Did I point out that Michael Burnett, editor of Thrasher has even reached out, providing his private e-mail?? He then scanned and despatched classic content material from the journal, to reinforce my guide in between his work conferences. Woah.
I shouldn’t be so shocked. Earlier than he grew to become the Editor, there’s proof of his assist for feminine skaters in Thrasher, just like the “Women Evening Out” article on the All Lady Skate Jam within the January 1998 concern, the November 1998 interview of Elissa Steamer, the January 2001 interview of Elissa, and occasional photographs of her over time, main as much as her cowl (lastly!!!) for the March 2024 concern.
Whereas it’s simple to be important of Thrasher, once you examine all the 12 months of 2010 (when there have been precisely three photos of ladies skateboarding over twelve points, a assessment of Hate on This and Idlewood zines, and a shit ton of nasty Hubba adverts) versus 2024 with a plethora of adverts, some covers, and interviews, it’s actually evening and day, prefer it’s not even the identical journal.
Talking of 2010, listed here are the three skaters included (*word that not a single skateboard firm featured a feminine rider of their commercials… in 2010!!!): Katy Graham at Burnside throughout the Photograffiti part (Feb. 2010), Karen Aponte with a blunt fakie rock in North Carolina on the Skate Barn (Sept. 2010), and Jenny Kolter with a carve grind (Nov. 2010).
I used to be on a skate hiatus presently however contemplating all of the superb exercise occurring just like the Depraved Wahine sequence, I’m so disillusioned. It actually has been solely within the final 5 years that equitable media protection in print has begun.
And right here is that assessment of Hate on This #2 and Idlewood #1 that Michelle Pezel started out of Delinquent skateshop within the March 2010 concern. Guess who wrote the “cool handwritten temporary historical past of feminine skaters”? Hello!!! Plus, a photograph of Ladonna Williams (Oct. 24, 2011) from Thrasher on-line because the “Skate of the Day,” who edited Hate on This zine.
Now that I’ve acquired that wee rant off my chest, right here’s some extra gratitude from 2024! Creator / Skater Cole Nowicki (Proper, Down + Circle: Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater), together with his implausible Easy Magic skateboard weblog, included my bio on Judith Cohen as among the many 2024 SSOTY (Skateboarding Tales of the Yr)! I’m so glad that, of all of the bios, it was Judith’s that was highlighted. She had a extremely intense childhood and early #metoo expertise as a skateboarder in Florida, earlier than being emancipated from her mother and father (who struggled with psychological well being and homelessness) and transferring to California. Out west, Judith continued together with her skating, grew to become an LGBTQ2S+ champion, and is simply an all spherical badass! I’m additionally proud that the bio helped her purchase an induction into the Florida Skateboarding Corridor of Fame.
Waiting for 2025, I’ll be again in Tempe, AZ for the Gradual Affect competition! This time, I’ll be on a panel organized by Max Harrison-Caldwell, together with Cole Nowicki, Jessie Van Roechoudt, and a few people I’m wanting ahead to assembly (Mike Munzenrider, Joa Discipline, Templeton Elliott, and William Staley). As effectively, the primary column will come out for Nearer, and even crazier information… I’ve an ISBN. Yup, an ISBN for Lady Gangs, Zines, and Powerslides: a historical past of badass girls skate boarders (ECW Press) and the pub date is presently slated for mid September. It’s getting actual.