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Meaning there are only six hours available at the only indoor skatepark open for the public, in a state where outdoor skating isn’t always possible due to weather for many months of the year. “If you come to the Wednesday open skates, they’re super busy. This is a small space, and it's hard to learn in that kind of environment,” Tayler said. “So, even though it's not necessarily for beginners only on Monday nights, it's a more chill space to learn. We all kind of remember what it feels like coming into the skatepark for the first time.” On Instagram, Tayler has posted a further explanation of how they are trying to keep Monday nights inclusive, by being exclusive to the girls and LGBTQ+ communities. “There have been some people that take advantage of the fact that it's a place to skateboard when there are not many places to skateboard at the time. So, I have to say something about that,” Tayler explained. “No, it’s not my place to question anyone's identity, it's completely run on an honor system. But I think everyone, not just cis men, needs to acknowledge the space they take up and look around for others and give beginners time to learn.”
While there are no organized lessons on Monday nights, there are people willing to teach you if you attend. They all bring extra skateboards for anyone who needs it!
24 | FEBRUARY 2023 | FARGOMONTHLY.COM
SLEEP TALK SKATE Around the same time that Tayler started organizing the meetups, she also started looking into the programs offered by SKATE LIKE A GIRL. She would eventually apply for the Skateboard Inclusivity Cooperative (SIC) and start her own skate group called Sleep Talk Skate.
SIC is a leadership program for those who identify as queer, trans and/ or women who are spearheading local skateboarding communities around the country. The program offers an abundance of resources to take their skateboarding group or project to the next level, learn team building and teaching skills to create sustainable skating environments, gain skill in and experience networking opportunities with peers and ultimately grow and continue to serve their community’s project/ organization.
Before SIC, Tayler wanted to put a name and an entity behind the meetups at the Dike, Red Raven and eventually the Hawks Nest, and with that, Sleep Talk Skate was born. Eventually, she brought on a friend, Katey, to run ideas by and help with some of the creative processes, like designing posters and any special events they would host. Tayler first got involved with SKATE LIKE A GIRL last year, joining the organization’s Slack group, where she found resources like Zoom workshops. Joining that group and utilizing those resources inspired her to do more. After a variety of scholarship wins taking her to California for the YMCA Skate Camp Sequoia Lake last August and to Seattle for Wheels of Fortune in September, Tayler and her skate group applied for the SIC program.