Within the skateboarding community there are several non-profit organizations designed to help young people. The types of assistance offered as well as the organizations’ missions vary. Some solely provide skateboarding equipment whereas others provide the skateboarding equipment as well as education and mentoring. One organization that provides young people with skateboarding equipment along with education and mentoring is Stoked.
Founded by Steve Larosiliere and Sal Masekela, Stoked has several programs with components that teach participants such things as how to build skateboards from scratch, how to take and edit skate photos, how to skateboard and what skills are needed to have a career in the skateboarding industry. In addition to using skateboarding to change lives, the organization also utilizes surfing and snowboarding as well.
Prior to co-founding Stoked, Larosiliere worked as both a foster care advocate and mentor. He also has experience as a marketer. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing him on Stoked’s efforts, the skateboarding industry’s reaction to his organization and his thoughts on what impact recent cuts to youth sports programs across the nation will have on our society as a whole:
Gonzalez: Please share with us how Stoked got started and what its mission is today?
Larosiliere: The mission of Stoked is to promote personal development, academic achievement, and healthy living to underserved youth through action sports culture. Stoked was started because I saw that there was a need to give youth from underserved communities the chance to learn about themselves and gain life skills in an alternative setting.
In addition, as a mentor to a teenage boy living in foster care, I wanted to connect to him more so I wanted to take him snowboarding. My thinking was that if he saw the mountains that it would change his world.
Gonzalez: What has been the skateboarding industry’s reaction to your organization and was it what you had hoped?
Larosiliere: The skateboarding industry has been extremely supportive. Many of our biggest supporters are the actual brands who donate equipment, sneakers and have events to benefit us. Companies such as Nike, Vans, Triple 8, Zoo York, Homage Brooklyn, and ZJ Boardinghouse enable us to serve hundreds of youth a year.
In fact a new partnership with IASC (International Association of Skateboard Companies) will enable us to help legitimatize skate instruction on a national level so that we can create many more skateboarders. We're thrilled and honored to have the support of so many companies.
Gonzalez: In your opinion what are the most critical issues facing America’s underprivileged youth and how does skateboarding and action sports in general factor into addressing those issues?
Larosiliere: Overcrowded schools in urban areas often result in high dropout rates, leaving students unprepared, unmotivated, and forgotten. These schools struggle to give proper individual attention to students from low-income families that already have strained resources, resulting in stunted youth development.
High dropout rates emphasize the importance of enrichment and after-school programs that engage youth in supportive communities and help them succeed in school and their personal lives to be ready for higher education or employment, which can mean the difference between a life of poverty and an economically stable future.
Stoked engages these youth through appealing programs based in action sports culture designed to strengthen relationships, teach life skills, and allow them to experience positive activities, exposing them to a larger world outside of their personal problems, home environment, and urban neighborhood.
In a new paradigm of youth development, Stoked provides positive role models, physical activities, and skill-building projects, which enable youth to visualize a brighter future and challenge them to step out of their comfort zone to be exposed to new environments and experiences.
Gonzalez: I read with great interest about your organization’s various programs. Please share with the readers an overview of those programs and a success story.
Larosiliere: We first started with our mentoring program in 2005 that matched youth from underprivileged communities with mentors to snowboard, skateboard, and surf. We've expanded to partner with other mentoring programs to strengthen and grow their mentoring relationships.
We found that action sports are the perfect framework to grow mentoring relationships and to teach life skills to youth so they succeed in life and career. This program has also expanded to include youth from our afterschool program who can then be inspired to get a mentor and learn all three sports.
Then three years into doing our work, we found that the work we were doing wasn't resonating with youth during the school week. So we created this after school program called Stoked Plus. Stoked Plus is a series of 10 week after school programs aimed at promoting academic achievement and increasing personal development skills for our youth using action sports culture.
The first program we created was a skateboard building program, then an action sports photography program, then lastly an apprentice training program which prepares youth for internships with action sports brands. The awesome thing is that schools are now providing school credit for our programs that youth can use towards graduation.
Lastly, last fall, we discovered that youth lack opportunities to gain community service hours for graduation. So we started a program called Stoked to Serve - which rewards youth with action sports experiences and gear just by cleaning up skateparks, parks, beaches, and doing gardening work.
Last Spring we partnered with Vans and got 100 youth to do 268 hours of community service, and this summer we're partnering with the Quiksilver Foundation to engage 250 youth to do 500 hours of community service. These kids will earn not just community service hours but will have the chance to get free skate and surf gear. Here's a video link to one of our success stories.
Gonzalez: How does someone become involved in your organization either as a program participant, volunteer, or sponsor?
Larosiliere: Currently we only operate in New York City and Los Angeles. The best way to get involved is by donating if you're not in those cities. If you are in NYC or Los Angeles sign up to volunteer on our website.
Gonzalez: As you already know, given today’s current economic and political climate many schools and community based organizations are drastically cutting their sports programs. What do you feel are the short and long term ramifications of this and what specifically is your organization doing in response?
Larosiliere: Short term is that schools save money. Good for them, but bad for students who need positive outlets and community during the school year. Long term, without sports programs many communities will lose their identity. Youth will not have opportunities to be a part of a team or to experience the thrill of being good at something athletically if the programs are cut. The biggest long term impact is obesity. Organizations such as Stoked are working hard to bridge that gap and we are raising money so that we can provide physical exercise to youth in low income communities.
Gonzalez: In Northeast Florida, specifically the Jacksonville area, many young people have launched last minute fund raising initiatives in a desperate attempt to save a number of sports from the chopping block. What advice would your organization give to those seeking to save or establish sports programs in their respective areas and what resources would you suggest they look into?
Larosiliere: My advice to those young people is to get buy in from big name politicians or influential people or a corporation. I would also advise them to use social media and the internet to raise awareness for their cause. One of the biggest things is consensus. If you can show that a lot of people will be affected by the cuts and you show a voice to those people that will help their cause. Also I would have them document stories of how sports have affected their lives.
Author's Note: My interview with Mr. Larosiliere took place several years ago. The transcript initially appeared on Yahoo! Sports but all publishing rights now belong to me.
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