Last week I had the greatest time photographing the Melaningalsnpals event at Redbull headquarters in Central London. It’s come to a point where seeing a Black women succeed in an unconventional way isn’t being supported, the skate scene is heavily white, masculine dominated and misogynistic! There’s been this alpha white prerogative in the skate scene for such a long time, it can almost be seen as tyrannical and domineering.

Melaningalsnpals have managed to create a sanctuary, a place where ethnic women, non binary identities can skate and have no fear. I think this phenomenon of ethnic unity is something that will inspire many to build an empire of confidence, skating is freedom and also something that everyone should be able to do but it’s become/is this very divided subculture.

Being a black and ethnic woman , with black and ethnic friends, us skating should not be a political statement because we are not whitet. The skate scene has been exposed for misogyny and rape adjacent culture; having Melaningalsnpals being the epicentre of ethnic drive in the skate community make us realise that skating is possible for us and not only for “them”.

The event symbolised a celebration of entrepreneurial success and really illuminated ethnic power, politically speaking Black women have experienced the never ending maze of fetisashiton and also experienced the spikes of racism, seeing a Black women challenge the politics of social alienation especially in a territory that is dominated by white men is mesmerising.

Words and pics by Blue Kizozo

Thanks to melaningalsnpals