Neighbourhood Press Issue One

At age 41, inspired by the sun and a desire to get outside, she picked up a board for the first time and fell in love with skating.

“Quite a lot of people from marginal [ised] backgrounds are attracted to skateboarding because it’s a very individual sport. It’s not like a team where you have to all wear the same uniform. I love it!”

Determined to encourage accessibility within the Brisbane/Meanjin skate scene, Indigo and her friends; Evie Ryder, Sophia Ross and Tora Waldren set up We Skate Queensland; a collective of womxm who come together monthly to learn from one another and to skate safely.

“If you have someone that welcomes you into a space you’re not familiar with, shows you the ropes, pretty soon you can use that space comfortably.”

A big believer in the power of a single conversation, Indigo co-founded another social enterprise; Consent Is Rad at the Pushing Boarders Conference in Malmo, Sweden last year.

In essence, the Consent Is Rad movement aims to prompt conversations about what consent means and encourages more respectful ways of relating to one another. It’s another layer to her grassroots work within the skate community, this time taking the conversation global.

“We get people from all over the globe to share their faces, words and artwork featuring the line Consent Is Rad. We ask them to have a conversation about consent when they create their image.”

Inspired by the stories of her diverse group of friends, Indigo is pushing for safer subcultures that welcome minorities openly.

“When certain minorities enter spaces like skateparks, it’s not always comfortable.

Sometimes it’s not safe and sometimes people just don’t know what they’re saying is offensive or intimidating. There’s been so many years, where bad behaviour has gone unchecked. We’re trying to make things more healthy. “ Indigo urges all those in scenes on the fringe to remember to check in on their mates regularly and start conversation about consent and wellbeing. She is someone who absolutely embodies the change she advocates for in the world. It’s in the way she speaks, the way she treats others and ultimately in the way she treats herself. She is unafraid of learning, being challenged and challenging the status quo. It was an honour to share a corner of the skate park with her for an afternoon and hear her story. Indigo Willing is on a mission to break down the stigma around starting these critical conversations and it’s impossible not to get on board.

Want to help make a safer space for all? Indigo has offered up some great conversation starters on the next page that’ll help you in starting to chat about consent.