Despite its associations with the punk scene and other seemingly progressive outlets, skateboarding remains a fairly male-dominated pursuit. A Pittsburgh nonprofit has sought to change that, and a new initiative will further its mission with assistance from two big names.
Local skateboarding events company Shred Your Fears announced the launch of Skate+Together, a nonprofit program described as fostering “multigenerational connection for girls, women, trans and/or non-binary people in the Pittsburgh region.” The program was made possible by a Move Together grant from the Women’s Sports Foundation and Athleta, a major clothing brand that designs and sells activewear from women and girls.
Shred Your Fears announced receipt of the grant on March 8 in honor of International Women’s Day, a specifically designated day during Women’s History Month that recognizes the achievements of women around the world.
Founded by Maya Haptas in 2018, Shred Your Fears claims to have taught skateboarding to over 354 people through its workshops in Pittsburgh, as well as in Toronto and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The grant will support a series of free workshops to teach skateboarding to the target groups, who are often underrepresented in both the sport and pastime of skateboarding. All workshops will be held at Switch & Signal Skatepark, a Swissvale-based indoor facility touted as a “community resource for people young and old, across race, genders, and skill level, who want to enjoy the fun, empowering, inclusive experience of skateboarding.”
“Many of those who have attended our workshops have gone on to teach their children to skate. This Move Together grant will allow us to work with Switch & Signal to teach multiple generations to skate together,” says Haptas. “Skateboarding is a fantastic way to build self-confidence and learn to face and overcome obstacles, and we are so thankful to be able to provide this experience to more people with the support of the Move Together grant.”
The grant comes from the Power of She Fund, a source created by Athleta in partnership with the Women’s Sports Foundation, which was founded by star tennis player and feminist icon Billie Jean King.
“The Power of She fund was established to support our mission of fueling confidence in women and girls,” said Mary Beth Laughton, president and CEO of Athleta, in a 2021 press release. “We are proud to work in partnership with Women’s Sports Foundation on our Move Together grants to award and recognize organizations with a similar purpose.”
This article appears in Mar 2-8, 2022.
