Organization: Midwest Skateboarding Alliance

All public parks offer benefits of greenspace, recreation, socializing, and safety. Skateparks accomplish this in particular for youth. Modern, state-of-the art skateparks are a tremendous draw for youth and skateboarders of all ages, providing mental, physical and social benefits and a point of pride for the neighborhood. Yet they are too often placed within suburban, predominantly white, high-income areas already privileged with similar amenities. The goal of this project is to address this bias and inherent inequities by capturing and centering the needs and concerns of BIPOC, homeless, underserved or marginalized youth living in or frequenting one of either two communities that are currently working with MSA on the design, development, and positive activation of a skatepark.

This project is crucial for solidifying the primacy of BIPOC and underserved youth among all potential users of the skateparks that MSA is currently advancing. This project will ensure that city and park decision-makers do not minimize the needs and concerns of the youth and will help to underscore the long list of benefits to these young people, their families and their community from a state-of-the-art skatepark in their neighborhood.