Mighty Mama Skate-O-Rama
Article and Photos by Quynh Le
May 8- If you haven't heard or seen it on the radio or news, then you
haven't been paying attention to the skate movement taking over planet earth! It's the Skateboarding Moms group
event that happens once a year at Laguna Niguel Skatepark in California. This year marks the second time the event is held.
We all hope it becomes an annual thing.
Barbara Odanaka, the founder of the group, started it as a way to connect with other moms who have a passion and love
for skateboarding. "Forever Young" is their motto! With over 40 women , including moms themselves, their children, nephews,
nieces, and honorary Skate Aunties like myself, the event was a wonderful gathering of "girl power, " "you go girlfriend"
mentality, and "age is just a stupid number" attitude.
I've been skating for 4 years, but this is the first time I have ever felt so encouraged to be a girl/woman skater
as I now have friends and role models to cheer me on as I cheer them on. Women came from as far as Arizona, Florida, and North
Carolina to come and skate with us. There were prizes won from raffles that were sold to raise money for a kid's reading program.
Barbara is a children's author and wrote her first book called...of course...SKATEBOARD MOM.
Well, to keep things short, the movement for more women, girls, and ladies of all kinds to show that the other
half of humanity can pick up skating and get good at it as well on its way and that nobody can stop us from getting our
share of shredding baby!
