LOCATION: SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK | PHOTOS BY: NORMA IBARRA & NICK KELLEY
We sat down with pro skateboarder and Ambassador Nora Vasconcellos at Skate Like a Girl’s youth camp to discuss what it was like growing up a girl in the world of skate and what she thinks is in store for the next generation.
Nestled in the Sequoias of Northern California, YMCA’s Skate Camp has become the stuff of skate legends. This year, Skate Like a Girl — an organization dedicated to creating an inclusive skate community — is hosting a summer youth camp. And for Nora Vasconcellos, Pro Skateboarder and YETI Ambassador, this environment of acceptance is exactly what she’s spent her entire career building and embracing.
Q: What was it like to grow up as a girl in the world of skateboarding?
NORA: I got my first skateboard in 1997, but I didn't really skateboard until around 2005 or 2006. I didn't live in Boston or anything, so picking up skateboarding was kind of out there. And growing up in rural Pembroke, Massachusetts was definitely funky because there wasn't too much of a skate scene there. And especially as a girl, it was very isolated. I would go to a skatepark and skate by myself a lot — which I didn't even mind. But it's definitely crazy to see skateparks now with groups of five or six young girls who are best friends skating around.
Nora and Skate Like a Girl’s Kim Woozy both grew up when there weren’t many girls in skate. Now, much of what they do is about bringing others into the fold.
As someone who has built a career out of simply going for it, Nora was invited to camp to stoke the fire of individuality.
Q: How have you seen the skate community change through the years?
NORA: When women first started trying to make a career in skating, there was only one kind of woman you could be: you had to have long hair and be beautiful. You could just tell men were still running the show. As a whole, it's become way more accessible and inclusive. There's a little bit of something for everybody, which you see a lot now with the people who are making money as professionals — there are all different types of people. Now, there's way more room for all different types of styles, looks, and personalities — it's way more open-minded and welcoming.
With a launch ramp that heads straight into the lake, the YMCA Skate Camp has become the stuff of skate legends.
Q: What do you think it means to “find your own line”?
NORA: I think it means working to be the best, most authentic version of yourself. And in doing that you’ll be better for others and the environment you’re in. As skaters, I think we all get inspired by art, music, and other sports. My style has evolved in a lot of ways, mostly because I grew up a skatepark kid who also loved surfing. I looked up to a lot of professional surfers and felt like the women in that category were getting coverage and on the forefront of careers in that space. I remember thinking, “how do we pull that into skateboarding?” So I’ve loved seeing that happen over the years as that same kind of attention has been brought to women in skate.
Nora and Skate Like a Girl’s Kim Woozy both grew up when there weren’t many girls in skate. Now, much of what they do is about bringing others into the fold.
As someone who has built a career out of simply going for it, Nora was invited to camp to stoke the fire of individuality.
Q: How have you seen the skate community change through the years?
NORA: When women first started trying to make a career in skating, there was only one kind of woman you could be: you had to have long hair and be beautiful. You could just tell men were still running the show. As a whole, it's become way more accessible and inclusive. There's a little bit of something for everybody, which you see a lot now with the people who are making money as professionals — there are all different types of people. Now, there's way more room for all different types of styles, looks, and personalities — it's way more open-minded and welcoming.
With a mini ramp that launches straight into the lake, the YMCA Skate Camp has become the stuff of skate legends.
Q: What stands out to you about the next generation of skate?
NORA: The kids at this camp and in this generation are just way more lighthearted. They’re fun, very compassionate, and seem to be way more in tune with who they are and how they interact with the world around them. I feel like they’re more responsible in social settings and to themselves, which is cool. They’re this new wave of epic little beings, and that’s a really empowering thing to witness.
Nora shares that she started skateboarding because it wasn’t an elitist thing and was an open place to discover things for herself.
Nora shares that she started skateboarding because it wasn’t an elitist thing and was an open place to discover things for herself.
Nora walks through how to drop in for a camper.
Q: What do you hope the future of skate looks like?
NORA: I hope that skateboarding continues to grow in terms of being an open playing field for all different types of people. In a lot of ways, it already is a very special community. There are different bodied pro skateboarders making the cover of Thrasher and different-identifying people getting sponsored by major companies and board brands. I hope that just by refusing to be anything but authentic and myself, I can help give back and empower other people to do the same – to try to be the best version of themselves on and off the board.
Widely known for her big personality, funky pastel style, and goofy antics, Nora has made it her brand to stand out.
For much of her career, Nora has decided to forgo the contest scene to focus on the free-flowing aspects of skate and art.
