Chicago Tribune

Chicago 'black girl skate crew' offers skateboard sisterhood for women of color and queer community

CHICAGO - Tuesday nights at Chicago skate parks are long, but exhilarating for the members of froSkate. It's boisterously energetic, but in a mellow, "do you" kind of way. Hugs and smiles go around equally to newcomers and regulars about as often as their wheels, which find every nook and cranny the concrete has to offer.

From 7 to 11 p.m., they grind, ride, roll, fall and conquer a scene traditionally dominated by men. Some are just starting out, others are more seasoned - ages range from teens to 30s - but nearly all are women of color and members of the LGBTQ community.

"Support is everything," said Chatham resident Mia Ingram, 22. "Representation is real. It's like a wow factor seeing a black woman with a skateboard."

Founded in April,

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Chicago Tribune

Chicago Tribune5 min read
Michael Phillips: Why The Stink Of That Bad, Bad IPad Ad Won’t Go Away
Terrible, soul-sucking commercials get written, made and, by the public, rejected all the time. This one is different. Apple’s “Crush” commercial, unveiled last week and no longer scheduled to air on TV in America because people just truly, madly, de
Chicago Tribune4 min read
‘STAX: Soulsville U.S.A.’ Review: The Rise And Fall Of The Record Label That Gave Us Otis Redding And Isaac Hayes
The rise and fall of Stax Records, the influential but underdog label based in Memphis, Tennessee, is the subject of the HBO documentary “STAX: Soulsville U.S.A.” It is a story of musical genius but also racism, personal tragedies and corporate greed
Chicago Tribune4 min read
‘IF’ Review: Ryan Reynolds And Loads Of Sugar Can’t Help This Medicine Go Down
“IF” may get by. It’s sincere. As the song from “The Music Man” asks: How can there be any sin in that? It’s also maudlin enough to force you into a defensive emotional crouch for an hour and 44 minutes. I speak for an audience of one here. Others ma

Related