The Soulcial Circle had the opportunity to chat with Richie, the creator of the website, Black Skater Chick. As we near the end of Women’s History Month, it is only right to feature a woman who is breaking barriers and empowering women to get involved in sports. Please be sure to check out the site and connect with Richie via Facebook and Twitter.
By Eb
What was the inspiration behind your website, Black Skater Chick?
Black Skater Chick was started because the stories about women of African descent in extreme sports are not known, but they do exist. The motivation was to create a platform where girls can learn more about and be inspired by female athletes who are not involved in basketball or track and field, but extreme sports. There are a lot of people of African descent interested in extreme sports and its culture, though growing up in a predominately black neighborhood, people who wanted to skateboard, listen to punk music or do anything that was opposite to “popular black culture” were called white. This is a mindset that BLACK SKATER CHICK is working dispel from our community.
What got you interested in action sports? Do you participate in any other sports outside of skateboarding?
My older brother first got me interested in skateboarding; I used to watch him skate as a child. I was always curious about it, but never really had the courage to do it because at that time I never associated “female” with “skater.” Then, around my mid-teenage years and being in the punk scene, I just gravitated toward skateboarding. One day in Barnes & Nobles, I bought “Check It Out Magazine” (no longer in operation), a girls extreme sports magazine. I started learning about all these great female skateboarders, such as, Vanessa Torres, Mimi Knoop, Cara-Beth Burnside, Lindsay Adams Hawkins and Jamie Reyes. Their legacies encouraged me to skateboard, because my I now knew that a skater chick could exist. Aside from skateboarding, I have also ventured into snowboarding. I hope to also start surfing.
What is your favorite thing about skateboarding?
My favorite thing about skateboarding is the feelings it produces. I feel carefree and a sense of lightness. All my troubles escape for those few minutes or hours on the board and I am suddenly in control of my direction. It is also a creative experience, in which I can try some new tricks, jump, swirl or just cruise.
I love how your site is tearing down misconceptions about women, black women specifically, in extreme/action sports. What tips would you give a woman who is interested in trying out these sports? How does one start?
I would say just start it, don’t delay. Go to your closest skateboard shop and buy a complete board set up. If there are no skateboard stores in your areas, you can order one online, from stores like CCS or Zumiez. They usually have some good deals and the cost ranges from $60-$80. Start off by protecting yourself (though you might feel clumsy); wear kneepads, elbow pads and a helmet. There is a special way to fall in skateboarding (l learned this from a “Girls Learn to Ride Session”), never fall on your back always on your knees and elbows, so practice this wearing your protective gear. Look up videos and tutorials about riding and learning new tricks, plus watch the all female skating DVDs,” Getting Nowhere Faster” and “AKA Girl Skater.” Attend a skateboarding session or class or even learn from someone who skates in your area. After a while you will get better and build up confidence and you won’t have to wear the protective gear. Though when riding in the street, I suggest you always wear a helmet.
What advice would you give to a woman who is facing criticism or stereotypical comments from men in the extreme sport in which she is participating?
Don’t give them the time of day, just ignore them. You can’t stop ignorance. All the guys that I have skated with have encouraged and challenged me. I never had an experience with a guy in action sports criticizing me for skateboarding. They might tell me I’m not doing something right and then correct me, in a situation like that it’s all out of love.
What is next for Black Skater Chick? Do you have any upcoming projects or events?
Currently, BLACK SKATER CHICK is looking for more women to feature on our website, who just love skateboarding or any other extreme sport. They don’t have to be pro, but just know how to ride. BLACK SKATER CHICK is also planning some upcoming summer skateboarding sessions for girls in the inner city. We will most likely start off in and around the NYC area, since that is where we are based.
A mission that The Soulcial Circle has is to shed light on various social issues that are occurring both nationally and internationally. What is one social issue that concerns you and what do you think we (society) can do to alleviate this problem?
A major global social issue that I find important is the increase in the human population and its rise in the proportion of youth to older individuals. Many youth around the globe are growing up areas where they are faced with poverty, violence and lack the essentials for life, such as, healthcare, education and food. I believe that we should form projects, programs or organizations to inspire youth facing these conditions; it can be done through many facets of extreme sports, the arts or other ventures to empower youth. A good example of this would be Skateistan, an NGO using skateboarding to give youth a voice in Afghanistan.
How can readers connect with you?
http://www.blackskaterchick.com
http://www.facebook.com/BlackSkaterChick
Soulcial Circle 
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