I’ve got a tradition going! On International Women’s Day, I’m reminded that another year has passed since I launched the archive in 2022. And, like last year, I get to reflect on my experience at the Slow Impact long weekend in Tempe, Arizona, which was extra special since my good friend (and former housemate), Rhianon Bader of the Goodpush Alliance flew all the way from Berlin, Germany, hosting an amazing round-circle of community organizers.
Upon arriving at the airport, Jean Rusen (aka Calamity Jean) kindly offered to pick me up, along with my Airbnb roomie, the fabulous Jessie Van Roechoudt of Mess Skate Mag / Adidas who was also on my panel called “Does skateboarding need journalism?” The Airbnb was ideal, and we were joined by Sophie Yanow, the graphic novelist whom I met in 2024, and Kava Vasquez, co-founder of Bronx Girls Skate and Program Manager at the Harold Hunter Foundation, who blew some minds with their wisdom during Kristin Ebeling’s panel called “The Outsiders: unconventional professionals.” And then, later in the weekend, Ashley Rehfeld crashed on the couch, a long-time SF skater and marketing strategist who presented an awesome paper, posing the question “Are Legacy Brands Killing the Culture?” and delivered some pseudo “Oscar” awards on the Saturday night.
I feel like I need a year to prepare myself for Slow Impact because it is such an intense, immersive experience, especially for someone who is introverted and tends to avoid social settings (I might have gone to the movie theatre twice last year, the “Stop, drop and roll” contest, and my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday, as my entire calendar of events!). But, somehow, I manage to turn on an extroverted persona and survive.
Photo: Skate Like a Girl session participants by Ted Schmitz
My skateboarding highlight was going to the session organized by Skate Like a Girl at Mitchell Park, exclusive to queer, women, and/or trans skaters. It was glorious to be skating in the winter in just a t-shirt, and mess around on a little spine ramp with Rose Archie of Nations Skate Youth, Rhianon, Sophie and many new friends! Some legends like Alex White, Kristin Ebeling, Natalie Krishna Das and others were ripping up the quarter-pipe obstacle and ride-on grinds, getting clips. I also got to reunite with Isa Ostos Campos and Romina Palmero of Tutifruiti at the session, who were hosting an info table and promoting their new wheels.
The funniest part of the session was when I realized that Eunice Chang was there of Worble! I had literally just written a Valentine’s Day feature for Cole Nowicki’s “Simple Magic” skateboarding newsletter, which was also a thinly veiled excuse to reminisce about the 1990s and have a wee rant about Jackass and the RDS crew. I couldn’t believe that the whole crew was going to be attending. Obviously, I asked for a selfie and Eunice was happy to oblige. What a lovely person.
Speaking of Cole, he was also on my panel (hosted by Max Harrison-Caldwell with Jessie, Templeton Elliott, William Staley, and Joa Fields). I found being on a panel more nerve-wracking than a practised solo presentation. I was delegated two core questions to answer related to historical context. I shared some disdainful examples of violence towards women (ie. Gator and Ben Pappas) that was avoided by skate media at the time and then provided an example of how print media responded to women’s participation before and after the internet. I used the example of SK8HERS in 1992, the first all-female video, and the stone cold silence it evoked from the media, and then the response to the Villa Villa Cola production, Getting Nowhere Faster in 2004 and the temporary support TransWorld offered.
Everything else was a blur, but I’m pretty sure I crammed in a condemnation of fascism (as all skaters should) and promoted zines, rogue journalism, and gratitude for men using their platforms for good!
It was such a privilege to be there for many reasons. To witness the first screening of the heart-breaking and inspiring documentary Exist: Aram Sabbah (dir. Makke Bengtsson) and his ordeal to represent Palestine at an Olympic qualifier in Dubai made me weep. The film was absolutely raw, especially Aram’s recorded address to the audience. It made me proud to be a skater, but also devastated that, in my lifetime, genocide is being blatantly played out with such arrogance and disregard for humanity.
Meanwhile, we forged on through the weekend as a community, empowering each other to do better in whatever way possible. April Jones rallied the audience to fight for cultural preservation through visual storytelling, Eric Schoenborn encouraged us to embrace the carnivalesque as political expression, Hana Goodman delivered a fascinating opportunity to improve skateparks for the visually impaired, Bobby Pourier, an Oglala Lakota skater of the Pine Ridge Reservation discussed the impact of communal mastery in his work related to suicide prevention, and Monyell Sessoms offered a compelling vision of academic skaters creating community beyond the institution.
I was so proud of Jessie Frietze-Armenta of Shred Cycle spearheading an environmental response to skateboard waste through creative products, and sharing her process, and loved Taj Hanson’s innovative approach to skatepark design as community hubs. Not to forget the films shared by Indigenous matriarch, Amy Denet Deal of 4Kinship. It was just relentless!
Above: the Modern Matriarch Skate Jam shared by Amy Denet Deal, which included words of wisdom from Rose Archie!
I took a time out to enjoy an Ethiopian meal with Rhianon and Zainab Hussaini of Skateistan. Zainab is from Afghanistan and is devoted to women’s empowerment and continues to be the Country Director for Skateistan since she joined the team in 2013. If there’s anyone who deserves to be celebrated on International Women’s Day, it is Zainab. In the brief conversations we had over the weekend, it was evident that the fight for women’s freedom in Afghanistan is not over! I have such deep respect for her and the journey she has endured, and hope that one day we’ll witness an end to tyranny, misogyny and systemic hatred and violence towards girls and women, which has reared its ugly head so close to home.
Above: a feature about Zainab reflecting on her experience being the first woman to run a marathon in Afghanistan. Legend!
My final contribution to Slow Impact was thanks to skater / writer Kyle Beachy who invited me to join his “Anything At All” feature, where ten readers share something within a five-minute quota. This year, the Cowtown skateshop was converted into a gallery and salon, featuring Sophie’s drawings and the artwork of Adam Ababa! Kyle set the scene with a reading from his book (currently being pitched to publishers) that I adored… a letter to a sister by a seemingly troubled older skater brother. It was mesmerizing.
The space was packed and all the presenters absolutely killed it with their variation on the theme from poetry, a how-to description of making a zine, stand-up comedy, and spoken word. I decided to read from a section of my soon-to-be-published book featuring letters to Thrasher from the February 1995 article, “Girls Who Skate.” Again, it was surreal standing on a slightly unstable, makeshift squishy stage in front of a mob, but they were so attentive! I enjoyed the opportunity to swear and project some Riot Grrrl energy but was flooded with relief when it was over.
Cole Nowicki told me afterwards that he might have initiated the chant, “Buy the book! Buy the book!” I was so keen to hop off the stage and bury myself beside Rhianon and Zainab, in the group of folks seated below the mic that the chant didn’t quite register but I appreciate the gesture. Now I’ve got this insane standard of what a book reading should be, but know that this was probably an exceptional circumstance. [Check out Cole’s thoughtful and eloquent report of the weekend for The Tyee news].
Photos: Sophie sketched a portrait of me from Slow Impact 2024, and Jean made me autograph a copy! I decided to rock my vintage Rookie NYC t-shirt for the occasion. Plus, I got to connect and hang with Anita Tessensohn of Powell Peralta fame, who was at the SkaterCon event nearby and decided to check out Slow Impact. Amazing.
Back at home in Powell River with the cold raining pouring down, it all feels like a dream but at least I have some evidence, kindly shared online to reminisce over and a stash of new zines to read.
Found this photo from 1996 and thought it would be fun to share. I had met these two skaters, Shelly and Andrea in Collingwood, Ontario, and I remember skating the streets and finding ourselves at some Elvis festival! Good times. Hope they’re doing well. Happy International Women’s Day!
Womxn Skateboard History 