Skateboarding is emerging as a popular hobby amongst today’s social activists. Brujas is an all-girl skate crew based out of the Bronx. In 2014, Arianna Maya Gil and Sheyla Grullón founded the sisterhood as a way to unite young, female skaters against the sexist culture of New York City skate parks.
The Brujas girls seek to disrupt the traditional gender dynamics of local skate parks by helping female skaters become more visible and more vocal in the skating scene. “The skate park might no longer be a man cave of refuge anymore. Less and less spaces exist that are just places for men to get together and let their misogyny go unchecked,” Gil explained in an interview with Bitch Media.
For the Brujas girls, skateboarding allows for young skaters to take a stance against many socio-political issues. Due to the prominence of gentrification in cities, many skaters have been forced off of the streets and into sanctioned skate parks where they will not be bothered by the police for trespassing. Many Brujas members acknowledge the negative connotations that society often associates with skateboarding culture. “There is this idea of wreaking havoc on society, and turning over the status quos. But who is to say that is not a peaceful process?” explains Natalie, a Brujas activist, to Dazed magazine.
To stay updates on all of the amazing activism projects that the Brujas skaters are working on, check out their Instagram and connect with some of these young and influential female skaters.
Cover image courtesy of Bitch Media.
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