Skateboarding (Williams, 2021, matters Corbinas etmore al., 2019) than just found a hobby that people or recreational of color,
WHY SKATEBOARDING?
pastime. skateboarding, through Skateboarding,have once formed wholly collective considered strategies a subculture to challenge or
counterculture racism, in the (Borden, form of 2019), norms actually and stereotypes, presents that a space they had for developing an experienced both intersectional within and identity outside that of the supports sport. success This research in broader also life (Corwin found that young et al.,skaters 2019; integrated Williams, 2020). skateboarding Over theinto past their twoidentities. decades,
These as skateboarding skaters developed has gained a plethora popularity of skillsand through generated skateboarding, a selfperpetuating such as artistic industry skills,ofsocial artistic andexpression, communication it has skills, also encouraged resilience, community building perseverance and theand ability motivated to navigate individuals social institutions to develop their and build own styles and methods community. They alsoofdiscovered storytelling that(Snyder, skateboarding, 2012) In through this creative fun and environment, creativity, allows some youngcommunities people to form of meaningful color have relationships found that and skateboardingincluding camaraderie, provideswith a means those outside to convey of their their demographic, individual such and communal as intergenerational narratives, and giving cross-cultural them the friendships. agency and platform to counter mainstream Otherstereotypes studies have about their considered identitiesthe (Hearne, relationship 2014). between skateboarders, Since thespace, 2000s,spatial skateboarding desire, has skateparks moved away and from skateitsspots. roots in criminal are Skateparks andspaces oppositional for youth behavior, advocacy becoming and social more bonds, high-profile whereas and commercialized. found skate spots facilitate Skateboarding differentiskinds now of mainstream, social interactions as illustrated and by its recent experiences. Vivoni inclusion (2009) in callsthe these Tokyo ‘spots2020 of spatial Olympic desire’,Games. where Skateboarding integrate skateboarders now exists into at their an intersection, cities and express bridgingresistance the gap between against subculturetoand attempts contain mainstream and police sport. the sport and culture. Despite the creationRecent of skate research plazas, from skateparks the University and other of designated Southernskate California areas,
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Previous workcontinue skateboarders has emphasized to enactthe thisethnographic spatial desiremethod and find in studying and use skateboarding skate spots throughout but not engaged cities. with them through the visual medium, which is Skateboarding so important also to skateboarding has a strong culture. relationship Using ethnographic with visual methods but cultures. Skateboarding, erasing the visual as a takes practice, awayincludes an element thesoproduction central to the of culture.and videos Thisphotos projecttoworked document withand groups disseminate of skaters theinculture. Los Angeles, Success at skate in skateboarding plazas, found relies skateonspots providing and skateparks. evidence of This landing book shows or making two of those tricks. Success spaces,is the demonstrated skate plazathrough ‘JKwon’ a ‘video in Koreatown part’ or aand photograph a found spot in Highland featured in a magazine. Park. JKwon, This has a space created outside an of industry the building of artistic that houses Radio mediums for skateboarders, Korea, is an unofficial which thrives skate by plaza. encouraging In 2016, the participants building management to show originality, attempted through to banstorytelling skateboarding or skills in theand space, visual and forms signs remain around (Snyder, 2012). By the being plazaskater-led banning and skateboarding. relying on an However, industry on created any given by skaters, Sunday, skaters JKwon produce is “church” their ownfor media localand skaters. develop There theirisown an informal, visual storytelling unspokenstyles. agreement This offers with anbuilding opportunity management for skatersthat to skateboarders integrate their will ownnot politics, be policed cultures, on Sundays. art and histories The other in skate their own spot shown here voice. This isis a evident ‘found’ in skate Dustinn spot inCraig’s Highland (Apache/Diné) Park, featured film, in several high-profile 4wheelwarpony, which skatedepicts videos youth and popular skateboarding with skaters. culture Thisonspace the is public, Fort Apache on the Reservation intersectioninofArizona. busy roads. Through Skaterscreating here are their integrated own into thethis media, area,group weaving of Apache in and skaters out of found members skateboarding of the public culture and stopping orcommunity empowers waiting forexpression passing cars. andThe provides groupashown vessel in forthis them book to traveled push against from Covina, widely accepted, CA to skate traditional this spot as narratives a group. of Where Indigenous JKwon is a space peoples in for what-is-now gathering modern and making day America. new social relationships, this spot shows an This already bookformed represents socialthe group beginning engaging ofwith a photoethnographic the space. project attempting to bridge all of the above aspects of skateboarding. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
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Proof Copy: Not optimized for high quality printing or digital distribution
JKwon, Koreatown
Proof Copy: Not optimized for high quality printing or digital distribution
JKwon, Koreatown
Guardrail to Bank, Highland Park
Guardrail to Bank, Highland Park