The Skatepark Project BIPOC Fellowship
The Skatepark Project (TSP), formerly the Tony Hawk Foundation, helps underserved communities create safe and inclusive public skateparks for youth. The organization favors projects that have strong community involvement, grassroots fundraising, and a base of support from skaters, parents, and local leaders.
In the fall of 2022, TSP welcomed its first cohort of fellows for a twelve-month advocacy training and design program for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) youth ages 18-24. The program empowers young adults who are passionate about the development of skateparks with skills to become creative civic leaders.
The first six months of the cohort consisted of virtual workshops focused on target education areas including, but not limited to: skatepark design, grant writing, project budgeting, campaign fundraising, skate programming, project management, and constituent advocacy and relations.
During this time we were flown out to three geographical locations of interest for new skatepark development by The Skatepark Project. In these trips, we were immersed in experiential learning opportunities such as touring the Nixon facility to discuss marketing strategies, Cemex to understand the concrete and cement production process, and California Skateparks to see the engineering and design that goes into skatepark builds.
