INTERVIEWS

How Aaron Wiggs Raised $140K for Charity Selling Gear

Published

2 years ago

August 3, 2020

If you live in New York, you’re likely familiar with the sidewalk sales that have been going on all summer at McGolrick park in support of Black Lives Matter. They’ve been an amazing opportunity for people to come together for a good cause during the various phases of reopening. Skateboard Story connected with event organizer, Aaron Wiggs, for an interview that lays out how the event, which has raise $140K thus far, came together.

When did you do the first sidewalk sale and what led you to doing it?

Our first sidewalk sale launched early June. This was around the time when protest across the nation were starting to spark off, looting was still a thing and we just sat there looking at each other thinking “what can we do to make somewhat of a difference”? I suggested to two of my friends that day (Perry Goodman & Sachiko Clyde) that we should just go through our closets, put some clothes together and have a sidewalk sale. I work at Supreme, Perry works for Palace and Sachiko has an amazing women’s vintage collection, so we just gathered what we didn’t need and put it together for a good cause.

The idea was birthed on a bench in the same park that we do the sidewalk sales at biweekly. Sitting there with Perry and Sachiko we were just disgusted with where the world was at. At this time so many people were starting to donate to various non profits and gofundme’s, so we wanted to contribute in some kind of way. Speaking about this and getting sparked on the idea was one thing, but days later Sachiko sent me a text saying “hey babe, so are we doing this on Sunday?” When I read that text I just thought to myself “okay, this shit is on. Let’s do this, let’s make a commercial and whatever we have to do to promote this and bring people out from our neighborhood to support.”

Read the full story here. And if you haven’t seen the amazing Uncle Leroy commercials posted on Aaron’s Instagram to promote the event, we’ve embedded them below.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CB8jv-IlAqU/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBYfr6HFZek/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBGRdcVFF-4/

Image Via Andrew Price

INTERVIEWS

‘Good Work’ Episode Features Lisa Whitaker and Meow Skateboards

Published

2 weeks ago

September 23, 2022

Skate Newswire

Skater Lisa Whitaker narrated how she started Meow Skateboards in this episode of “Good Work”.

She also related how she got introduced to skateboarding and how she founded Girls Skate Network in 2003.

Whitaker started her skateboard company in 2012. Now, Meow has more than a dozen talents including Vanessa Torres, Mariah Duran and Kristin Ebeling.

“Lisa has always been the catalyst for women skateboarding”, says Torres who was one of the first skaters to join Meow’s roster.

Produced by Red Bull, the Good Work series features skater-owned and operated businesses.

INTERVIEWS

Monster Energy’s Aspire-Inspire Episode Features Mami Tezuka

Published

1 month ago

August 31, 2022

Skate Newswire

Get to know more about Mami Tezuka in this episode of Aspire-Inspire by Monster Energy.

Surrounded by skaters growing up, Mami showed interest in skateboarding at around the age of three.

She started participating in competitions abroad in 2017. In 2021, she won silver in the X Games Women’s Skateboarding part. She landed third place in X Games Chiba 2022.

Fellow Monster Energy rider and friend Lizzie Armanto describes Mami as easy-going, fun to be around, and inspiring. “When I’m around her, I want to push myself better,”

Tezuka admits that she enjoys filming video parts more enjoyable than participating in contests.

“Competition is kind of stressful for me”, Mami said. But added that she does enjoy seeing everyone at contests.

“Filming part is more fun for me…it doesn’t to be hard, tricky trick, but you can see the style and progress of the skating”, explained Mami.

I want to inspire girl skaters and young people. Do what you love and then don’t be afraid to be yourself.
Mami tezuka

Aspire-Inspire is a mini-documentary series by Monster Energy. Previous episodes featured Aurelien Giraud, Kelvin Hoeffler, Rune Glifberg, Ayumu Hirano, Nyjah Huston, and Matt Berger.

INTERVIEWS

The Nine Club Features Elliot Sloan

Published

1 month ago

August 24, 2022

Skate Newswire

Elliot Sloan narrated how he injured his neck while doing a 900 and his other worst slams on the ramp in this episode of The Nine Club podcast.

He also talked about getting into vert and then mega ramp, building his own vert and mini mega ramp in his own backyard, and hosting the X Games in his backyard among other things in the two-hour podcast.

Sloan is a four-time X Games Big Air gold medalist. In the recent X Games held in his backyard, he landed second place in the debut of the Mega Ramp category and first in the Skateboard Vert Best Trick.