The Board List: Are we entitled to joy?
OR When the world feels heavy, is joy essential vs. inappropriate?
This week, like so many lately, has felt very heavy. Whether it’s watching realisation set in for so many families that their loved ones were part of the Air India crash. Or reading pieces like this one from The Chris Hodges report bringing to life what is happening with ICE and our democratic privilege more broadly in the U.S. (genuinely terrifying, well worth a read as his piece on Gaza). Or the slew of images and videos filling our feeds of starving children in Gaza, spending every day searching for water and scraps of food.
This may seem like too heavy content for a newsletter from an organisation focused on midlife women & board sports, but it’s all relevant. Because it’s easy in the face of this barrage of content telling us the world is going to shit to feel like we simply don’t have the right to joy. And I believe the very opposite is true.
I’m not saying to ignore the realities that surround us. On the contrary, I think we need to dig in to our role in them. Scrolling between what’s happening in Gaza and what’s happening in your local skate park feels like an incredibly uncomfortable dichotomy. These thing have become unsightly bedfellows, the algorithm somehow mixing the stuff of nightmares with the scroll hole content we like to browse in our downtime.
What does digging in actually mean? Well, it’s different for us all, and I’m not one to preach. For me it’s being aware of what’s going on. Donating to the right organisations to help where I can. Attending demonstrations, or at least writing to your MP, filling out the questionnaires. If we have time to scroll, we have the time and energy to do these things. It means using whatever influence or powers we have to support good in the world, and surface the increasingly hidden content of atrocities, so that no-one can simply say, ‘I wasn’t aware’.
Our platforms matter. Our influence matters. We can always do more.
But does that mean because others are suffering, and because these things make us angry, sad, and feel helpless that we can’t experience joy ourselves? I don’t think so. There’s a significant opportunity for us all to come together to cumulatively create action (see the inspiration ‘No Kings’ demonstrations of this past weekend). But it’s not a one hit wonder. It takes focus, and energy, and determination. And to keep that up demands balance. It demands the light and shade to keep us sane.
For me, board sports play such an important role. They are the opportunity to switch our brains off. To have a short moment of clarity in an otherwise confusing world. To come together with community who may all be feeling the same way. We need them. They aren’t frivolous, and if anything accounts like @gaza_skate_team demonstrate the essential nature of the role they play.
So, if the world feels heavy to you too, whilst it won’t solve the world’s problems, grabbing your board may energise you enough to enable you to have a role in helping at least x
Don’t Be Board:
ADHD in Sport: The ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast
I met the founder of this brilliant podcast a couple of years ago, and I’ve been fascinated by the links between board sports and neurodiversity since I realised there was such a large overlap in attendees of the Board Women events we run. We have a panel coming up on this topic shortly, but in the meantime this episode is worth a listen.
@The.Travel.Project New Digital Map of England
I bought the book that these guys released last year, ‘Achievable Adventures’, giving you the skinny on hidden places in the UK, and it’s beautiful. The team have now released a digital guide to the UK helping you to find the most stunning spots and unusual experiences.
Stab Premium x Coco Ho
This short film drops on Stab on Monday - she’s the face of Volcom and founder of @xococosurf and few match her style on the waves.
Get on Board:
Last few tickets for our next event! Wednesday 18th 8.30pm
We’re bringing together the mobility and fitness knowledge of @moceanfit and the osteopathic knowledge of @lizziebirdmoves and the yoga expertise of @louise_beyondthemat to help you prep your body more effectively for the impact of board sports, optimise it for success, and recover well, helping to prevent injury. It’s an interactive session, so bring your yoga mat! Tickets are here
Go Skate Day - Concrete Waves London
Hopefully you’ve got a skate plan for this Saturday’s inaugural International Go Skate Day - but this one by Concrete Waves and the London Longboard Girls sounds pretty great with yoga, a free skate, a freestyle and dance competition, skate games and free games.
Surf with Amigas x ‘Push the Bush’:
Have you heard of the term ‘push the bush’? This clip shows why it’s so crucial before you start cross stepping and moving up and down the surf board more generally.
The Board Mums 1st Birthday Bash - Sunday 29th June
Wish I could make it to the south-west for this one, make sure you get down and celebrate the Board Mums crew for their first birthday.
London Surf Girl Community Picnic - Sat 19th July
The London Surf girl community have got their summer meet up. This is a lovely crew and their meet ups come highly recommended.
Bristol Girls Surf Club x their guide to The Wave
If you haven’t surfed The Wave (Bristol, UK) before, it’s unbelievably fun, but also takes a tiny bit of getting used to in terms of the set up (and for some is therefore daunting when they first go). This is a great guide of what to expect.
Diverse Bodies Rolling Together - Indigo Willing x Esther Sayers - June 17th
We’ve had both Indigo and Esther on the podcast, and they are so articulate about talking about the benefits of skateboarding in the community, and bring a unique POV to the debate. This seminar in conjunction with Durham University will be well worth a watch / listen.
Women of the wave - @Cranesurfco UK retreat at The Wave 28th & 29th
Not sure I need to sell this one - who wouldn’t want in on this?
The Board Crew:
If you follow inspirational women online who skate, I’m pretty sure you’ll have come across @queenlaturkaskates - little did I know she had signed up for one of our online events the other week, so we got to chat for the first time, after having exchanged a few messages online previously. She’s fab, read on to find out a little more about her.
When and how did you get into board sports?
Skateboarding found me in the winter of 2020. I was originally a quad roller skater and a regular at my local skatepark. In what felt like divine timing, a local skateboarder gave me his old board to learn on. I never thought I’d stick with it as the progress is so slow, five years and 6 skateboards later, I’m still skating, still learning and still obsessed.
What do you love most about skateboarding?
I love how I can be my authentic self, especially as a midlife skater. It’s expressive, therapeutic, and the community is like no other. I have made great friends through the skateboarding community.
Describe how it feels when you’re on a board
When I’m skateboarding, the feeling for me is very zen, it’s a moving meditation. My busy mind is quiet, and I’m fully present in the moment. At times it’s pretty magical.
Any advice for someone thinking of trying skateboarding?
Just start. Go to your local skatepark with a friend, join a skate community, roll around, book a few lessons. You’ll be hooked before you know it!
That’s it for this week! Hopefully see some of you at this week’s online event. If you sign up for paid subscription you’ll get this event for free (£7 subscription vs. £10 event ticket), and every month’s event free from then on, as well as a discount on our IRL events, and unique content for paid subscribers.
See you next week!
Caroline x
Board Women Founder