We recently had the chance to connect with Amelia Brodka OLY and have shared our conversation below.
Amelia, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Last weekend, I saw 12 year old Joey Yarbrough skateboarding on a the cover of a magazine . The first time Joey stood on a skateboard was at Exposure 2014, the 3rd annual flagship event of Exposure Skate’s nonprofit. Since then, we have watched Joey learn to skate through our youth Skate Rising program, compete in our annual event, rise through the amateur ranks and by 2024 Joey skated in her first ever pro division , earning a spot on the USA Skateboarding Olympic team. Not only have we watched Joey become an Olympic hopeful and have helped her along the process, Joey also serves as a volunteer in the very youth program through which she learned to skate. We have had so many proud moments when we see our skaters shine and Joey is a prime example
Of this!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m the cofounder and Executive Director or Exposure Skate, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to empowering women and girls through skateboarding and teaching them compassion through service . Since 2012, we have been creating opportunities for women and girls in skateboarding as prior to us, there were no ways for women and girls to enter or pursue the sport. As we grew to create the worlds largest women’s skateboarding event which by 2016 proved to the International Olympic Committee that skateboarding deserved to be in the Olympics. In 2021, I got to compete in the Olympic Games in the first ever Olympic skateboarding competition alongside girls and women who came up through exposures programs . Since then, exposure has supported 60% of all Olympic female skaters to date
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The first time I ever saw women’s skateboarding happened completely by accident. I got to go to an X Games event when I was 12 years old and they allowed a few women to perform a skateboarding demo. The demo was not on the schedule or being announced by anyone and I just happened to walk by the ramp on my way to a different event. Seeing those women and girls skate the ramp made me realize that it was possible for me to be a part of. It was the defining moment that set me on a path to pursue my dreams and passions. It was the ultimate example of “if you can see it, you can be it”
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I almost gave up on my quest to qualify for the Olympics in 2019. I was competing in China and a combination of crippling anxiety and jet lag kept me from sleeping multiple nights in a row. I could barely function let alone practice for the event. I almost booked a flight home in the middle of the night before the competition . I felt helpless and like I had dedicated my life to something that was never going to come to fruition and I was sabotaging it by not being able to manage my anxiety. But then I thought about how I would feel looking back at that moment and realized I did not want to live my life with any regrets. I realized that the journey of trying to qualify for the Olympics was a privilege and adventure and that if anything, I would love to look back and think that I at least enjoyed the journey. So I convinced myself to stay and force myself to be present and happy during practice. It was not easy as I faced sleep deprivation and dangerous practice conditions but I found that if I just smiled, I would feel hints of joy even if the smile was not genuine. This tactic resulted in the best I’ve ever done in competition, where I placed 2nd behind one of the top competitors in the world, Sky Brown. I ultimately kept applying this tactic , even as COVID hit and the Olympics threatened to be cancelled . I finally qualified in May 2021, a year after the games were to be held . I was the oldest competitor in the field, a 31 year old competing against 12 year olds who were the ones really pushing the sport. I was proud to see the next generation push the boundaries, especially as so many of them came through exposure skate’s programs
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I admire Tony Hawk for his character. No matter how much success he has had in the sport of skateboarding and entrepreneurship, he continues to push through injuries and invent new skateboarding tricks, even at age 57! Not only does he continue to innovate but he also takes every opportunity to make other people’s dreams come true. Over the years, I have watched him make countless sacrifices and go out of his way to create opportunities for other skateboarder’s careers. He sponsors a team of skaters who he has helped to go pro, he created a foundation that gets skateparks built in low income areas, he takes time to connect with seemingly everyone who reaches out to him whether it’s online or in person. It’s really beautiful to watch his kindness and belief in others!
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Giving anything less than your best is a disservice to yourself and a waste of time. If you’re going to do something, you might as well put forth your best effort!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Exposureskate.org
- Instagram: @exposureskate and @ameliabrodka
- Linkedin: Amelia Brodka
- Youtube: https://YouTube.com/exposureskate
Image Credits
I can send photos via email as the upload is not working currently. Please email me at Amelia.brodka@exposureskate.org with the request as I have tons of photos ranging from adorable little girls learning to skate to professional female athletes wowing the crowd at the top of their game
