Briana King, a charismatic skater, has gained a significant following by fostering inclusive skate meetups for women and LGBTQ+ individuals worldwide. Her journey, fueled by a passion for skateboarding and a desire to create a welcoming environment, is a testament to the power of community. This interview explores Briana’s motivations, challenges, and vision for the future of skateboarding, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and support for all.
The impetus behind Briana’s meetups stemmed from a personal setback. After suffering a serious injury that sidelined her from skating, she found herself spending time at the skatepark, where other girls approached her for guidance. Recognizing a need for a supportive learning environment, she began hosting informal meetups, which organically grew into a global phenomenon. Her meetups provided a safe space for beginners to learn without judgment, surrounded by like-minded individuals, which quickly gained popularity, illustrating Briana’s unique approach to community building in skateboarding.
Despite her natural talent for teaching, Briana didn’t initially consider herself a teacher. In her early days in New York, she was quite shy. However, guiding others in skateboarding helped her gain confidence and find her voice. This transformation was significant, as she had always been introverted. Skateboarding became a vehicle for personal growth and self-discovery, providing her with a sense of purpose beyond her previous career in modeling. She recalls feeling like she had finally found her place, a feeling that was far more fulfilling than her previous endeavors.
When asked about whether she ever doubted her abilities as a teacher, Briana explained that she had no expectations going into it and simply saw herself as a “homie helping a homie.” She focused on creating a positive experience for everyone involved, ensuring that both she and the learners were happy in the moment. This laid-back and supportive approach has been a cornerstone of her meetups’ success. Surprisingly, she has encountered very few negative reactions at her events. Most people have been welcoming and enthusiastic about seeing more women and LGBTQ+ individuals at skateparks. The support from the broader skate community has been a pleasant surprise, reinforcing the positive impact of her work.
While primarily aimed at women and LGBTQ+ individuals, Briana’s meetups are open to everyone who feels comfortable in the space, including straight-identifying males. She notes that some guys who initially attend her meetups later come out as queer, highlighting the safe and accepting atmosphere she cultivates. She acknowledges the value of the meetups in empowering these individuals to feel more confident and comfortable with their identities. Briana also emphasizes that these meetups aren’t about creating division, but about empowering marginalized communities, encouraging them to feel comfortable and confident enough to skate with anyone, not just within their community.
Integrating both women’s and LGBTQ+ communities in her events has occasionally presented challenges, especially when dealing with younger attendees and their parents. Some parents express curiosity about gender identity, which provides Briana an opportunity to educate them about inclusivity. However, she focuses on the positive interactions, like parents learning to skate with their daughters, showing how her meetups foster a sense of community and understanding across generations.
Briana’s initial exposure to skateboarding was during her childhood in Los Angeles, where skate culture was prevalent. Her love for the sport grew when she got her first skateboard in seventh grade and she was inspired by seeing skate videos at school. However, her early experiences were not without challenges. After breaking her leg, her mother forbade her from skating. It wasn’t until she moved to New York at 24 that she picked it up again, inspired by the vibrant scene of women skaters, which gave her the space to learn and grow in a way that she hadn’t experienced before.
The move to Australia between her time in LA and New York was pivotal. Feeling out of place as the only Black person in her predominantly Latino and Asian neighborhood, she chose Australia as a place where she could feel more comfortable with her identity. While it didn’t have a large Black community, it allowed her to reflect and make changes in her life that helped her find her path. Her journey highlights her willingness to take chances to find her happiness and her commitment to personal growth and self-discovery.
Briana’s selection of cities for her meetups is based on demand. She keeps a book where she records the number of requests she gets from various cities. She then travels to those locations that show significant interest. She values every meetup, whether large or small. Some of her favorite moments are during the small sessions because they allow her to connect with each participant on a personal level. She feels these intimate settings create the most authentic and meaningful experiences.
One of Briana’s most memorable meetups was in France. Despite the language barrier, she was able to connect with the participants through skateboarding, using physical demonstrations and gestures to guide them. She found it surprisingly easy to communicate through the shared language of skateboarding, showcasing the sport’s ability to transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries. The experience was both challenging and rewarding, proving that passion and enthusiasm can overcome any obstacle.
Briana’s tour, sponsored by Zappos, came about through her connections and her commitment to building a bigger community. Despite not making a profit from the tour, it was important to her to use her connections to support others. Her primary focus was to create more spaces for women skaters, to address the fears that many of them had about skating in public. Briana’s dedication to her community highlights her commitment to her mission, using her platform to benefit others rather than for personal gain.
When discussing brands profiting from inclusion, Briana expresses a nuanced perspective. While she appreciates the progress in the skateboarding world, she finds it frustrating when other industries, like fashion, are slow to embrace diversity despite benefiting from the contributions of marginalized communities. She believes that skateboarding, having historically been resistant to change, is slowly moving in the right direction. She emphasizes the importance of representation and authentic engagement, rather than just token gestures.
Briana advocates for greater representation in the production side of the skateboarding industry, urging companies to hire Black and LGBTQ+ individuals in roles beyond talent. She believes this is the best way to ensure authenticity and create meaningful change. She also believes these individuals are the most well-equipped to identify the real activists, the true change-makers who are already doing the work on the ground, and those are the people that should be given more control. This approach, she believes, will bring more credibility and genuineness to initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Briana was forced to adapt her teaching methods. She started a TikTok account to reach the younger audience that attends her in-person meetups. There, she shares how-to videos and answers questions, demonstrating her ability to adapt to new platforms and connect with her community. The success of her TikTok presence shows her innovative approach to continuing her mission, reaching a wider audience while maintaining the personal connection she values.
Briana notices a big difference between the communities on TikTok and Instagram. Her Instagram followers are typically more experienced skaters who ask intermediate to advanced questions. Meanwhile, her TikTok audience consists of younger beginners who are just learning the basics. She has noticed that the questions she gets range from turning, to basic balance and is able to adapt her teaching style to suit the needs of all skill levels.
Looking ahead, Briana plans to expand her meetups by building a team of teachers and creating a brand around them. She dreams of creating a collective of skaters that will help her run and expand her meetups, which would allow her to help other skaters grow their following and have new and more talented faces to add to her meetups. She envisions a team that can travel together, creating more high-quality content and enhancing the experience for everyone involved.
While Briana has not encountered many overly demanding skate parents, she does recall one particular mother who always asks for free boards. Briana jokingly addresses the fact that the girl’s cousin is a famous pro skater, implying that they do not need to rely on her for supplies. She does mention that she does private lessons, but that she also doesn’t really do them, highlighting the humor and casual approach she brings to her meetups.
Briana is often overwhelmed by the energy she puts into her meetups. She describes the experience as both exhilarating and exhausting. Despite the intense physical and mental effort, she finds the results incredibly rewarding. Her passion and commitment help her push through the demands of teaching and fostering a supportive community, resulting in a rewarding experience for everyone involved.
Briana candidly shares how skateboarding has transformed her life, helping her overcome depression and find a sense of purpose and belonging. She emphasizes that these meetups are more than just an income source. They are an integral part of her life and what showed her the feelings she was searching for. It is not only her passion but also her chosen family and the place where she feels most comfortable, most open, and most happy, regardless of whether it generates an income.
When asked about the possibility of influencer meetups, Briana responds with humor and genuine interest. She explains that she believes that anyone can achieve what she has. She also notes that she didn’t try to build her following, it just happened naturally, so she doesn’t know if she would be the best person to teach it. She does mention that she is open to teaching her friends how to navigate the business side of sponsored posts, and that she would be happy to review contracts for them to ensure they are being paid properly, highlighting her supportive nature.
Briana recognizes the issue of online bullying within the skate community, especially among younger skaters. She attributes this to the influence of older skaters, whose aggressive language and behavior are being imitated. She calls for the skate community to promote more positive and inclusive messaging. She believes it is crucial for experienced skaters to be more welcoming to beginners and to foster a more supportive environment overall, so that they can continue to grow the sport.
Briana also acknowledges that while it can be difficult to be welcoming to everyone at the park, it is completely different from going out of your way to be mean online. She believes that it is one thing to simply not want to talk to people, but it is different to go out of your way to make mean comments to people who are just trying to learn. She also notes the irony of skaters coming down on people who are “posers” when they all started because they thought it was “sick as fuck”. She uses this anecdote to highlight the gatekeeping aspects of skate culture and the importance of keeping the sport open and accessible.
In conclusion, Briana King’s story is one of empowerment, inclusivity, and community building. Her journey reflects the transformative power of skateboarding and the importance of creating safe spaces where everyone feels welcome. Briana’s influence extends far beyond the skatepark, advocating for greater inclusivity, challenging the status quo, and promoting the idea that skateboarding is for everyone. Her vision for a more welcoming and supportive skate community is an inspiration to skaters around the world.
