It’s starting to feel like summer is wrapping up on the west coast with all this rainy weather, but spirits are high especially after today’s feature in the Nelson Star newspaper featuring PJ McKenzie (Pam Judge)!
After writing up a bio on PJ back in 2022 and then meeting her in Kaslo the following summer, I’ve been actively pitching her story to newspapers with no luck.
While all the skateboarders I write about have a story to tell, I was especially motivated when it came to PJ because it grated on me that the first Canadian female skateboard champion had not been acknowledged in the media since a few news clippings in the 1970s. I felt that she should be a household name, at least among skateboarders, and at the very least, among her own community. Two weeks ago, a reporter finally followed-up, we had a great chat, and he made the effort to connect with PJ, which I am so pleased with! Thank you, Tyler Harper! PJ gave me a call, and I know that she is delighted with the article.
In other news, I was over on the east coast at the end of July / early August, presenting a talk for the Zine Librarian UnConference (ZLUC) at NYU. I was in the section on Radical Zine Collecting, and especially loved hearing about the Black Zine Archive, which is another lone venture by a dedicated librarian, Morgan “Momo” Mullings in an effort to preserve Black history and art. It was really exciting when some fellow skateboarders, some of whom I met at the Slow Impact conference in Tempe, AZ last February, made an effort to come out to the talk!
I also made time to do some zine research at Barnard College, since they own a few gems including a wide selection of Riot Grrrl zines, and skater zines like Villa Villa Cola, Bruiser, 50-50: skateboarding and gender, and Mimi’s Revenge. Anticipate some web features with scans in the near future. I had requested these titles from their reference collection, and a kind zine librarian collected them for me and had them ready! Librarians rule.
It had been a long time since I explored New York City. I had gone with a crew of skateboarders back in 2002, and then as a tourist in 2008 or 2009? My husband and I made sure to indulge in tons of great food, with a hint of sight-seeing (aka the New York Public Library). I think I was more excited about seeing a mural painted by pro skater Nora Vasconcellos than the exhibits in the Whitney Museum of American Art, especially when I tagged her in a story and was acknowledged. Eeeeeek! Nora is the best.
Conveniently, I was expected in Washington, DC by the Smithsonian, and enjoyed another intensive round of discussions regarding a future exhibit featuring their skateboarding-related collection. The timing was great since there were some fun celebrations in town related to the Olympics, with a contest and viewing party of the women’s and men’s park contests. While I missed most of the festivities during the day-long meetings, the Smithsonian crew did manage to check out the women’s block party at the Howard Theater, organized by USA Skateboarding.
The best part was finally connecting in-person with Hailey Villa, the daughter of renowned skateboarding legend, Patti McGee who made her mark in the 1960s! Hailey was there with Jessie Frietze-Armenta of Shred Cycle Skates (an environmental initiative that utilizes skateboarding waste) on behalf of Exposure Skate, supporting female and non-binary skaters with an epic, annual contest and on-going workshops. The timing was magical because I had literally just ended a meeting at the Smithsonian rhapsodizing about Patti McGee.
And after witnessing the skate session at the Howard Theater, which included members of Imilla Skate – an Indigenous collective of cholitas skaters from Bolivia (featured in The Guardian, Conde Nast Traveler, and The National Geographic) skating in their traditional pollera outfit, I was motivated to hit up the local skatepark on my return.
Photo: Celia Luna
I was finally permitted to go skateboarding after my scary incident at the hospital in March thanks to a pulmonary embolism and blood clots in my lungs! I was diligent taking blood thinners and avoiding any activity that could result in bleeding… a bit of a challenge for a skateboarder. I’ve had some super fun sessions these past few weeks but it will still take a bit of a physio routine and exercise to really get going again.
Once home, I also received a fun invite from some passionate zine librarians who also presented at the conference at NYU. They’re based out of the West Los Angeles Regional Library and wondered if I would Zoom in for their “L.A. Skater Zine Workshop” coming up on September 7th! It sounds like it will be a blast, and while I wish I could be there in person, I readily agreed to do a little fun talk about the zines that have inspired me, their history, and the skate zines I’ve contributed to (Armpit zine and Idlewood zine). Hurrah!
Meanwhile, I’m still hammering out edits for my book Girl Gangs, Zines and Powerslides: a history of badass women skateboarders which is only a year away from publication with ECW Press. On one hand, the process of writing and editing seems like a long time, but it really is intensive and also worth being meticulous.
A few months ago, I connected with journalist Deborah Stoll as she was counting down the days to her book being published called Drop In: the gender rebels who changed the face of skateboarding. I remember when she first got in touch, back in 2019 as the idea was just percolating for her, and then after the ordeal of COVID and a variety of upheavals in the publishing world, the book finally arrived!
I thoroughly enjoyed her perspective, as Deborah celebrated four contemporary skateboarders being Vanessa Torres, Victoria Taylor, Alana Smith and Marbie Miller, who all challenged the status quo, and included some history.
Deborah also took up skateboarding for the first time herself! Again, congratulations Deborah – I devoured your book! Drop In also reminded me that there should be and can be multiple books on the topic of skateboarding! I used to get so disheartened pitching my dream of a coffee table book idea and being told by publishers that “we already have a book on skateboarding,” when it had nothing to do with the history of women. I feel like, especially after the Olympics that publishers are a bit more receptive.
Speaking of the Paris 2024 Olympics, it was awesome!!! I have a big opinion piece on the topic in the works, so all I will say is, congratulations to all the skateboarding competitors. You’re an inspiration, skateboarding loves you and keep going!
Womxn Skateboard History 