Tuesday, October 28, 1997
Rolling
punches
VIOLENCE The eighth-annual Skate Against Violence Campaign
travels 450 miles in a visible confirmation of their opposition to
gangs and crime
By Quyen Ta
Daily Bruin Contributor
Though some of us may have rollerbladed along Santa Monica Pier
or Venice Beach before, not many of us can say that we participated
in a 450-mile roadskate from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
The 1997 Skate Against Violence (SAV) Campaign was kicked off on
October 21 with this 450-mile skate-a-thon. With a send-off from
San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, skaters began this event, which
organizers referred to as a "launch vehicle" for the campaign.
Arriving at the Santa Monica Pier on October 23, skaters from
northern California united with those in Los Angeles for a common
purpose.
In a unique effort to help youths turn away from gangs and
violence, skating enthusiasts collaborated to send a message of
anti-violence and anti-hate to the public.
"This campaign has an attached message. We hope to turn violence
and hate into social consciousness and change," said Ronda
Flanzbaum, the Los Angeles SAV Campaign coordinator and a UCLA
alumna.
This year marks the eighth year that the skating community has
come together for this campaign, though Flanzbaum considers this
year special because it is the first time the Los Angeles community
has been so involved.
Along with the roadskate, campaign organizers also planned an
event for Friday, known to some as the Midnight Rollers’ "Friday
Night Skate."
Approximately fifty to sixty skaters met at the entrance of
Santa Monica Pier on Friday evening to participate in this 10-mile
skate that covered several Santa Monica sights.
Skaters from different areas of California came to this event to
bring visibility to the campaign, as well as to enjoy the sport of
skating.
"Skating helps some get off the street. People can take their
aggressions out in a healthy way," said Grit Mueller, a San
Francisco resident who has skated for two years and participated in
the SAV campaign for the first time.
"People skate to enjoy themselves. It’s a free feeling," said
Claudia Smith, a Venice resident who has skated for 25 years.
Though some skaters came to meet other enthusiasts of the sport,
many have met before and greeted each other with warm hugs and
friendly handshakes.
Participants felt the sport created a sense of community that
would provide a positive example for youths involved in gangs and
violence.
"Skating creates a sense of belonging. It’s an example of how to
live, to show how people are working together to reach a common
goal," explained David "D" G. Miles Jr., original founder of the
SAV campaign, and a man who many refer to as the "godfather of
skating."
"The skating community is a very, very close community. It’s a
network that influences the community and gives kids something to
do," said Victoria Armigo-Powers, a San Francisco resident who has
skated avidly for three years.
Although skaters were full of excitement and energy at this
event, many dancing together or teaching each other new moves, few
forgot one of the reasons they came together for this campaign.
This year’s SAV Campaign is dedicated to Shelby Antonia Graham,
a Venice skater who was known to those in the skating community as
"Ev’Ready."
Graham was found strangled on the beach earlier this year. So
far, Los Angeles police have found no suspects for the crime.
"He was a Venice skater who was always happy to skate. He lived
on skating," said Carl Abram, a Venice skater of ten years.
"Ev’ taught me how to skate. I was the second to last person to
see him before he died. It was extremely shocking, but he would be
happy to see something like this happening," said Sandra Nagasaka,
a Venice skater who knew Graham for two years.
In light of Graham’s death, the SAV campaign brought skaters
together from all walks of life to bring visibility to skating and
to combat hate and violence. Organizers also planned for other
events this pastweekend to get their message across. The events
include a "Blade-A-Thon" fun skate for youth, followed by a
ceremony in honor of Graham on Saturday, and a ’70’s Venice Beach
Skate Party on Sunday.
Through this campaign, skaters hope that their love and
dedication for the sport will bring forth change in the community,
to make a difference for those who drop out of society by way of
gangs and violence.
The sport of skating and the SAV campaign perhaps can best be
summed up by Nagaska. As she put it, "Skating is an affirming
sport. It breaks down walls and builds friendships."
JARED VALDEZ
We skate in peace: rollerbladers at the Skate Against Violence
Campaign numbered above 50 — that’s more than 200 wheels.
JARED VALDEZ
Paul Copada, 7, came 450 miles from San Francisco to skate
against violence.