>>> ONE OF LIFE’S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS. WHEN YOU SKATE, YOU SKATE. >> SO SKATING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A POPULAR TREND BUT THE FUN ACTIVITY FOUND A SECOND LIFE DURING THE PANDEMIC. IT FOUND A WAY OUT OF THE HOUSE AND FOR
FRIENDS TO CONNECT WITH. THIS BAY AREA FILMMAKER AND SKATER DECIDE TO DOCUMENT THE RENAISSANCE. HIS FILM ENTITLED “WE SKATE” HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR TWO FILM FESTIVALS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> THIS IS VERY EXCITING. I STARTED SKATING A LOT MORE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC. IT WAS DEFINITELY ACCESSIBLE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. I CAN SEE HOW THAT GROWTH AND RESEARCHERS
CAME WITH IT. WHAT DECIDED TO MAKE YOU TURN THIS HOBBY OF YOURS INTO A DOCUMENTARY? >> I FOUND MYSELF GOING TO THESE SKATE EVENTS SO OFTEN AND I REALIZED THE COMMITTEE THAT I WAS MEETING THERE, WE WERE ALL
COMING FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND I WAS THINKING, LIKE, HOW SPECIAL THIS TIME WAS THAT WE HAD TOGETHER DURING THE PANDEMIC. DURING A TIME WHERE ALL OF US WERE SO ISOLATED, AND THE FACT WE HAD SUCH COMMUNITY
AND FELT A REAL BELONGING WITH ONE ANOTHER, I WANTED TO CAPTURE THIS AND SHARE IT WITH EVERYBODY ELSE. >> AND SKATING REALLY TAKES PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, TOO. IT IS NOT JUST ONE SINGLE
GROUP OR GENERATION. IT IS PEOPLE OF ALL TYPES. THAT IS WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN EXTREMELY POPULAR ACTIVITY. I THINK WE HAVE THE VIDEO THAT. BUT THEY ARE PERFECT EXAMPLES OF THAT
RICH HISTORY HERE IN THE BAY AREA. THERE HE GOES. THIS IS WHEN HE WAS TEACHING ME SOME OF HIS MOVES. HOW DOES HIS STORY IMPACT THIS NEW WAVE OF SKATERS? >> OF COURSE. RICHARD HUMPHREY IS INFLUENTIAL TO THIS
COMMUNITY. MYSELF, I AM A PANDEMIC SKATER. I DID A LITTLE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER BUT — >> SO IT WAS A NEW THING FOR YOU DURING THE PANDEMIC? >> IT WAS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO
LEARN FROM THE OH GEEZ, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. >> WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO PICK UP SKATES THEN OF ALL THINGS? >> IT WAS JUST SOMETHING TO
PASS THE TIME. I WAS WORKING AT A JOB AND JUST GOING TO SCHOOL AT THE TIME AND I REALLY NEEDED SOMETHING TO GO OUT OF THE HOUSE AND STAY ACTIVE. AND I — THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO MY
FIRST DATE OF AND I WAS THERE UNTIL 4:00 P.M. AND I DON’T LEAVE UNTIL 1:00 A.M. I WANTED TO GO BACK IMMEDIATELY AND I KNEW I WAS HOOKED AFTER THAT. >> YEAH. IT IS SUCH A GREAT
VIBE FROM OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE ALWAYS THERE. YOUR EVENT IS JULY 2nd. WHERE WILL IT BE AND WHEN CAN WE GET TICKETS? >> TICKETS WILL BE IN PERSON JULY 2nd THAT THE NEW PARKWAY THEATER IN DOWNTOWN OAKLAND ON
24th STREET. IT IS GOING TO BE FROM 1:30 TO 2:30. AND I WILL ALSO BE SHARING THE STAGE WITH A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, DARIUS OUR VOICES. HE DID A STUDY ABROAD IN PRAGUE. >> INTERESTING. THAT WILL BE
GREAT TO
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