White people are constantly gatekeeping what we can and cannot do and to what we can and cannot have access. They've been doing it for years in the skateboarding community. Enter Latosha Stone.
She saw Black skateboarders' barriers and made moves to change the game.
Latosha has been skateboarding and designing since middle school. Even though she has been skateboarding since she was young, the skateboarding culture wasn't always a welcoming space.
Latosha frequently heard that Black people - and Black girls - didn't skate - which couldn't be farther from the truth.
Black Americans partake in skateboard culture at 1.2x their population - and Stone is catering to all of them but focusing on Black women.
"Being Black and being a woman skateboarder is like having two things work against you," Latosha said.
Starting her business Proper Gnar in 2013, Latosha is now the owner of the first-ever Black woman-owned skateboarding company. She spends time creating unique designs for her boards, sponsoring young Black skaters, and hosting development events at skate parks.
"When I started this, I didn't think I was going to make this impact, but now, with this next generation of skateboarders, there's going to be a lot more Black women that are into this because of the art that I made."
Latosha has made the skateboarding game for the better for Black folks!