We’re looking forward to introducing you to STACIE WATKINS. Check out our conversation below.
Hi STACIE, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Absolutely I have a couple. I just sent my son off to college on a full Band scholarship. And I just realize that my skate community has grown to what I dreamed it would be.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, this is STACIE WATKINS. I am admin and creator of Black Skate San Diego. We are a nonprofit organization that teaches free skate lessons to the black community as well as affordable rental skates. What makes our group interesting is we are not just supported by just Black people. Our group is very diverse and many different cultures. And we work with beginners people that have never been on rollerskates or coming back to roller skating.
My story started in 2001 when I just recently had a child and I refuse to go to the gym I was on myself loving journey, and one thing that helped me was to tap in to those things I used to do in my childhood and rollerskating was one of them so I taught myself how to rollerskate many times I would try to go to different events and be around different Skating groups and felt that there wasn’t enough black representation and it wasn’t a safe space for beginners so I started having small group meet ups. When I came up with a name, I wanted to show my community that we represent and have a safe spacethe black community. Some people that are beginners have a hard time feeling wanted or being accepted, and I wanted to change the narrative of that.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As growing up in a verbally abusive household, of course you were always told that you weren’t good enough or smart enough or pretty enough with lots of therapy and my shadow work journal now I believe that I am good enough. I’m actually very creative and I’m smart and and I definitely believe I am beautiful andnone of the things that my abusive parent said was true. It was only a projection of how they feel about themselves and it didn’t have anything to do with me more of them.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
we were three years in of starting our Skating group. The location we meet up at was at a basketball court and a very rough part of the neighborhood in San Diego as I approached the basketball court. I was met by soccer players so I put my radio down and I said hey, is it OK if we share half court because we usually meet here every Tuesday to skate the Hispanic gentleman looks at me and said we were here first and we’re not moving and I said that’s not fair bro because we’ve been skating for here for almost 3 years. I can share the basketball court with you at this time. People were starting to show up for our Skating class And see me and the guy going back-and-forth so one of the skaters approached him and said we’re not moving go play soccer on the other side of the court and we’re gonna stay on our side so he picks up his phone and said we’re being aggressive and call the police on us Immediately we got upset because as a black person having someone call the police on you you immediately get afraid that something bad is going to happen so now more people show up to class the skaters literally put their skates on and started skating on our half of the basketball court One hour into the skating session. The police drive-by stop where the park was and kept on driving. everybody had a sense of relief and we were able to still skate. The guy got mad and went on the outside to play soccer on the grass because it was so many skaters. I’m glad we didn’t leave that day and it was nice to see that my skate family have my back.
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. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
So right now we started a GoFundMe page and we are about halfway to our goal. we are raising money for our pop-up roller rink and permits, which is not cheap, but I know for a fact that I’m not in a rush to get to that goal just because I’m enjoying our skate journey even though we do free lessons and affordable rentals. It really doesn’t matter the price we make it’s about How I can look at someone and they can have such joy in their face or being proud of themselves because I taught them to skate backwards. Or the Joy it brings to people to work I really toxic work environment and to come see them on Tuesday and they’re smiling and they’re happy to just have two hours of excitement or enjoyment. Tuesday roll is going to be a thing forever.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What will you regret not doing?
I regret not starting my skate journey. sooner I was in a very toxic relationship, and I remember putting in more effort in fitting in or being accepted by this person and not searching for my passion. So I regret not starting sooner.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gofund.me/e004e36a
- Instagram: Blksk8_sd
- Facebook: Black Skate San Diego
