STOKED STORIES
Getting involved with the community gets you the opportunity to learn about others and how their journey's have unfolded so far. Here's some of the greatest skater tales unheard of:
Emmanuel Santiago, 19
Emmanuel grew up in a small, rundown section of Brazil. His family life was always about making something out of nothing as he decided that he'd learn to skateboard. My parents couldn't provide much for me as a kid, so I usually went out and did things for myself. I'm grateful everyday to my mama and papa for buying me my first board.” he said as he was reminiscing. Emmanuel would eventually develop the skills to compete in competitions individually starting putting his name on notice. He won a few regional competitions back in Brazil and eventually came to America to awe the crowds wherever park he went to. Just recently, he won the All-Wisco skate championship and is celebrating just fine. “I'm just happy that I could showcase my skills and leave an impression on people.”
Devin Hill
Now Devin's story can be truly awe-inspiring to newcomers because he himself has only skateboarded for a mere 8 months! He Briefly talked about himself and mentioned that people should try new things eventually. “Life's too short not at least give something a chance, man. You don't want to look back in your 60s and 70s and say I should have done more now do you?” he claims. Crazy enough Devin is actually one of the developers that worked on the SkateSesh website as he felt he wanted to bring an outlet to the community. Devin has seen his talent grow as he's been regarded by many as “the ultimate prodigy” a nickname he doesn't care about. I do appreciate people recognizing me but at the same time, I really don't like pedestals, I just love having fun at the end of the day.
If there's anybody you know that's energetic, then by chancd you've ran into Julie. She's been a passionate skater since she was 6. "My life has always consisted of me being a busy body. Skateboarding has helped me to develop strong legs and ways to bond with people." She's also doing part-time business partnership with Vans as she encourages those who work within the industry to promote skating more than ever before.