Native creators boost skateboarding’s acceptance.

Skateboarding Takes the Spotlight

Skateboarding, which has its roots in Native Hawaiian surfing culture, has come a long way from being a fringe hobby for rebels or stoners in city streets, schoolyards, and back alleys. It’s now a mainstream sport that made its debut in the Olympics in 2023. With numerous amateur and professional skateboarding competitions in the United States, the popularity of the sport is increasing. The United States Postal Service has recognized this trend with the release of a new set of stamps that celebrate the art and culture of skateboarding.

Indigenous Artists Bring Their Talents to the Forefront

This new stamp collection emphasizes what Native American groups have brought to the skating culture. The four featured artists are Di’Orr Greenwood, Crystal Worl, William James Taylor Jr., and Federico “MasPaz” Frum. Greenwood, who was born and raised on the Navajo Nation in Arizona, is an artist who tried out for the US Women’s Olympic skateboard team. Worl is a Tlingit Athabsacan artist from Juneau, Alaska. Taylor hails from Virginia, and Frum is a muralist from Washington, DC who is originally from Colombia. Each artist designed a skateboard deck, which was photographed and incorporated into an illustration of a young person holding up a skateboard for display. The person in the illustration is in muted colors to draw attention to the skateboard deck.

The Stamps Highlight the Popularity of Skateboarding in Indian Country

Skateboarding has become a mainstay in Native American communities. The USPS celebrates this with the release of this set of stamps. Indian Country where the demand for skate parks is growing. The Hopi reservation recently opened up a new skate park in August, and youth-organized competitions are taking place on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Native American skateboarders are open to collaborating with outsiders and showcasing their culture.

The Significance of the Stamps

For the artists featured on the new postage stamps, this project offers a unique opportunity to showcase their artwork on a new medium. They are excited about the physicality of the stamps and how it offers an alternative to today’s social media age. The stamps are a functional art piece that will be seen across the country and beyond. Furthermore, they also hope that it will be an opportunity for Native American culture to be celebrated and recognized for its contribution to the sport and to the arts.