Photo Christin Rose / Opening Ceremony shoot

Photo Kelsea Kosko for Culture Trip

Photo Ian Logan for GN4LW x Flower Child Restaurants

Photo Julie Daniels

Name:       Zoe Herishen

Nickname:      ZoZo


Status:          AM - Skates Bowl / Transition, working on street skating


Home:     Northern NJ


Age:    13



Favorite Skate Spot:      Chelsea Piers, NYC and Ocean City skatepark in NJ


Favorite Trick:      BS Air


Favorite Music:      AJR


Favorite Food:        Sushi


Sponsors:      Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word, O'Neill,  Bustin Boards, Killer 187 Pads, Sun Bum, Heritage Surf Shop,  Kala Ukulele & Triple 8 Helmets.

Contest Results - 2018:   

1st place in bowl & street at the Chip Miller Surf/Skate Fest.
15th place in bowl at Exposure Skate Contest
11th place in Vert at Exposure Skate Contest

Passions:

In addition to surfing and skating, Zoe is passionate about music. She plays the ukulele, guitar, piano & sings. She performs on the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore in the summer. She is very involved with the Center for Food Action in NJ and organizes various food drives throughout the year. In school, Zoe is on the Student Council and is involved in STEM club. She is actually a huge math geek!

Follow Zoe on:   Instagram ,   Facebook   & via  Snapchat  zoe_hershey 


Zoe was featured in the Vans x Opening Ceremony Natalie Westling signature shoe campaign, as well as in style articles for New York's Culture Trip.  Zoe is also featured in promo ads for Triple 8 helmets, and in a campaign for Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word x Flower Child Restaurants.This past year Zoe was featured in a Revlon commercial, Unicef Kid Power campaign, Under Armour "She Plays We Win" campaign,  Google Pixel 3 Commercial featuring singer JBalvin.  Zoe can also be seen in JBalvin's recent music video "No Es Justo" as well as the band Duck School Band in their video for their song "Radio". 

Zoe can currently be seen in the new "Let's Fly" video for the Philadelphia Eagles 2019 Kickoff Video. 

In 2020 Zoe can be seen skateboarding in the new HBO TV Series BETTY.

Minna Stess ~ Photo Bryce Kanights

Image via HyperX

Name:   Minna Stess

Nickname:   Minna Minna Chicken Dinna

Status:  PRO Skater - Team USA Skateboarder ~ Women's Park

Home:  Petaluma, CA

Age:  15

Favorite Skate Spot:    CA Training Facility

Favorite Trick:   Big backside airs!

Favorite Music:   Gorillaz

Favorite Food:   Mangoes & coconuts

Sponsors:    Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word, HyperX, Santa Cruz Skateboards,  Independent  Trucks,  Bones Wheels, Vans, Merge4 Socks, Mob Grip, 187 Killer Pads, Sonoma Old School Skate Shop

Follow Minna: instagram @minnasstess    Twitter @minnastess  Facebook   Youtube 

Facts About Minna:  Turned pro at age 11 in 2017. Minna is the youngest female to be asked to compete at X-Games qualifiers (Boise, Idaho 2017).  The youngest female competitor at Vans Girls Combi and made finals (2018). Minna competed in the World Championships in Nanjing, China qualifying 2nd and making the semi-finals (2018). She also won the Mystic Cup in Prague (2018).  

Minna is  the youngest member of  Team USA Skateboarding.

Minna won the 2021 USA Nationals in Women's Park at age 15

 
Minna has been featured in: Forbes, Sports Illustrated, The Players Tribune, Vogue, The Washington Post, New York Times Magazine, Sports International Magazine, Argus Courier Newspaper, East Bay Express Newspaper, and a 10 page feature in Girls Who Ride Magazine on "Young Rippers".  

 Minna also has a part in the all-female skate film "Quit Your Day Job". She has filmed a spot with GN4LW for both LIFETIME TV as well as a promo for Flower Child Restaurant. 

Minna is featured in the all-girls skateboarding book, "It's Not About Pretty".  

In 2019 Minna was named as one of the"30 inspiring individuals under 30 in Sonoma County."

We are excited to see our fourteen-year-old team rider, Minna Stess featured on the front page of the sports section of the Washington Post today!  Minna is gearing up for the 2020 Olympics (which will now be held in 2021) and figuring out how to train through a pandemic. She's also on the USA National Team for Women's Park Skateboarding.

View this post on Instagram

Needless to say, we are beyond stoked to have @lizziearmanto joining the team!!! We have some fun stuff in the works, so welcome aboard, Lizzie! 🙌🙌🙌 #triple8nyc 📹 @codylonglens

A post shared by Triple Eight (@triple8nyc) on May 15, 2020 at 12:53pm PDT

Great to see the announcement from Triple 8 Helmets that they have added pro skater Lizzie Armanto to their team! And the announcement itself was FUN!

View this post on Instagram

We’re thrilled to announce our newest member of the @Vans family! This little ladybird can fly— pushing the limits equally on a surfboard and skateboard. Welcome to the team @Bella_Kenworthy!

A post shared by vans girls (@vansgirls) on May 18, 2020 at 1:05pm PDT

And Vans just announced that dual-threat in surfing and skateboarding, Bella Kenworthy is now on their team! It's been a long time coming - Bella has been shredding since forever.  Big congrats to Bella!!

Watch Jenn Soto & Mariah Duran skate through LA, Miami, and Spain with special guests Samantha Narvaez and Heitor Da Silva.

Juggling contests, filming, sponsor obligations, and more contests; Jenn and Mariah took a trip to Miami to skate and hit the reset button. What was originally an escape with friends for a change of scenery and mindset ended up turning into the kickoff point for the feature you see here.

“Jenn & Mariah” is a celebration with the homies.

Directed & Edited by: Tyler Smolinski
Filmed by: Tyler Smolinski & Justin Albert
Song: "Can I Get a Witness" by Dday One, "Inner Passage" by Dday One

All info via World Skate and Inside the Games

World Skate has provided an update on the qualification process for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Over the last two weeks National Federations, Athletes and Team Managers from around the globe have attended online meetings designed to provide updated information on the Olympic Qualification process for skateboarding, answer questions and invite discussion. World Skate has been working hard these past months on the path forward to the Olympics and while it’s too early to know many answers, the information in these meetings has been intended as a point of reference for how we’ll navigate these difficult and uncertain times. 



The original qualification schedule was thrown into disarray after the coronavirus pandemic forced the rescheduling of Tokyo 2020 to July 23 to August 8, 2021, and stopped numerous qualifiers taking place.

World Skate has spent March and April reviewing the qualification rules and has extended season two, the current Olympic qualification period, to June 29, 2021.

The best four results during this time will count towards qualification.

These proposals must still be approved by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board before they are implemented.

There will be no change to event tiering, the points system, points already acquired or the quota system.

World Skate also set out guidelines for the resumption of competition.

For a country to host an event, there must be no ongoing outbreak of coronavirus in the location and no travel bans in place.

Training time has also been guaranteed, with World Skate promising that there will be a minimum of two months between the new calendar announcement and the first event.

The number of events in the season will depend on when competition can be resumed, but there will be a two-week break between each event of the same discipline.

World Skate left open the possibility of having World Championships in both 2020 and 2021.

The World Skate SLS World Championship of Street Skateboarding in London had been due to take place from May 19 to 24, while the World Skate World Championship of Park Skateboarding in Nanjing was scheduled for May 26 to 31.  Both were postponed.

Skateboarding is due to make its debut on the Olympic program at Tokyo 2020.

More updates on the new qualification process are expected soon.

Judi Oyama back in the day

Judi Oyama's face mask design

Our good friend and fellow '70s skateboarder, Judi Oyama, founder of Badass Skate Mom created this awesome template so you can make your own mask (complete with inner pockets for your filter)  out of your favorite fabric or tee shirts.

Judi spent hours at the beginning of the pandemic fine-tuning the results until she got it just right, and having family and local friends test-drive her designs. Judi has been sewing for years - even making skate shorts for skater friends back in the day so you know this template is skater-legit!

Now that all stores and indoor establishments require you to wear a face-covering - why not make your own and show your own personality?

LIFEAID was nice enough to create a downloadable printout for Judi's masks, and you can find it directly via this LINK.

We can't wait to see what you create with Judi's face mask template!  Post on Instagram and tag #Girlisnota4letterword and #Badassskatemom for the opportunity of having your pics shared by us.

Stay healthy and stay safe!

Check out Minna Stess x Andy Anderson in this quarantine mini ramp challenge brought to you by Braille Skateboarding. Stay tuned to see who wins!

 
 It is extremely exciting to be able to say that Adidas Originals has joined forces with female skateboarders Jenn Soto and Mariah Duran to introduce the new Superstar ADV silhouette.
Celebrating the classic sneaker’s 50th anniversary, the designs feature details taking inspiration from each athlete’s roots.

The white iteration, created by Duran, arrives in all-white and is accentuated with an aqua mint green insole. The skater’s signature is placed along with the three stripes on the sides, as well as the heel tab. Custom cactus embroidery and star perforations are added to the design as a nod to Duran’s hometown, New Mexico.

Meanwhile, Soto delivers an all-black colorway that is contrasted with reflective material on the stripes and heel tab. New York City‘s skyline is illustrated on the insole to represent her hometown in New Jersey, while a stamp of her “Fly Past The Moon” tattoo sits at the heel.


Both sneakers, crafted with premium leather, are finished off with an Adiprene molded sock liner for added comfort, as well as a rubber outsole for grip.

The Superstar ADV styles by Jenn Soto and Mariah Duran are slated to drop on May 9 for $100 USD at Adidas.com/skateboarding 







Check out this Adidas video featuring Jenn as well. We love how Jenn is the focus even though there are so many prominent Adidas athletes also featured. Very cool! 

Pretty sweet to be just 14 years old and be featured in FORBES, but this is just one of the long list of accomplishments Minna Stess has racked up at such a young age.  Being the youngest member of Team USA Women's Park Skateboarding is another.

Read the entire article on FORBES to find out more about this amazing young skater!

Big congrats Minna!!

Photo Ian Logan

In case you missed it, Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word founder, Cindy Whitehead was featured in Los Angeles Magazine this past week riding the new Dusters x GN4LW cruiser across a geometric street in Los Angeles, which was shot for a photo essay about empty spaces in LA due to Covid-19.

You can check out all the photos HERE

You can get the new Dusters California x GN4LW cruiser from our friends at Cruisin City

It feels like we have been waiting forever for this show!  So excited to hang out and watch BETTY tonight at 11 PM on HBO!

P.S. If you didn't catch The Skate Kitchen movie - go watch it NOW so you are all caught up for BETTY tonight!!

Photo Ian Logan for Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

In case you missed our Instagram post last week, or haven't heard the news, Venice Skatepark has been filled with sand to keep skateboarders out while the mayors #StayAtHome orders are still in effect.

But don't worry - this is only temporary - as soon as the pandemic is over and we can all move about freely, the skatepark will have the sand removed and things will be back to normal!

Stay home and stay safe - we will see you SOON!

This just in from Sandy & Ana who put on the Girls Sessions at The Cove Skatepark!

We hope everyone will email or call to help support this beloved skatepark and the people who work there!!


To all our Cove Girls,

We need your help. The time has come to advocate for our beloved Cove Skatepark. The place that gave us a home and a community. Please call or drop a line to Santa Monica City Council to advocate for the staff of the Cove Skatepark because it sounds like budget cuts are expected, which means staff and hours could be cut. These hard working employees helped keep us safe during girl skate hours and beyond. They fought for us and now it's time for us to fight for them.

When it's finally safe to reopen the park, we want to make sure the Cove is also a priority for the city of Santa Monica. I'm sure basketball, baseball and softball leagues will be fighting for their time. The Cove staff cuts could mean limited days/hours in which the Cove is open. Less hours means a crowded park and unsafe conditions. We need to make sure our voice is heard.

Please share, email and call the Santa Monica City Council at council@smgov.net and #310-458-8201

All our love

--
Sandy and Ana
@thecovegrls

Image via X-Games

More sad, but understandable news ...  This just in from the team at X-Games.

"Due to the ongoing COVID-19 concerns, X Games Minneapolis 2020 – July 17-19 – has been canceled. The safety of the athletes, staff, and spectators is our top priority, and we will continue to closely monitor the situation for all X Games events."

Red Bull drops another inspiring video featuring Leticia Bufoni and her rise to the top of women's street!  Click CC for English Subtitles! 

Did you know: One of the best female skateboarders almost became a professional football player? Brazilian ripper Letícia Bufoni is a three-time X Games gold medallist who’s breaking down barriers in women's skateboarding.

Una

Over a year in the making, Credits celebrates the diverse energy and personalities of the global women’s skate community. With a talented cast led by three underground favorites — Una Farrar, Breana Geering, and Fabiana Delfino —the film highlights the unique, individual style and expression of a group of friends that skate, hang and travel together.

Helena

 Credits marks an important milestone for the women’s skateboarding community, exposing a title that boldly challenges the idea that women have often only been showcased in the “credits” section of skate videos. Here, in stark contrast to the former status quo, Una, Breana and Fabiana emerge, gracing the screen with full, complete parts in their own major video.

“Everyone had the opportunity to film their best skating over the past year, with their homies cheering them on,” film director White said of the project. “That is what skateboarding is all about! The laughter and friendship, along with the battles—I hope viewers get a sense of that feeling.”

Beatrice

The film includes cameo appearances from Vans team riders and friends, Beatrice Domond, Cher Strauberry, Clara Solar, Poppy Olsen (who also serves as the film’s art director), Helena Long, Adelaide Norris, Dayana Young and director Shari White herself.

“Credits is just some best friends having a good time and making a skate video,” added Geering.

Fabiana

Credits was shot in 4:3 with a mix of HD and Super 8, with footage captured across the US and Canada, in addition to Melbourne, Australia and Barcelona, Spain between April 2019 and March 2020.

Watch the full film right here.

Vans is proud to present Credits, a skate film featuring Una Farrar, Breana Geering, Fabiana Delfino & more. Shot & directed by Shari White, you won't want to miss this lineup. Watch the live world premiere today at 12pm PT / 3pm ET at youtube.com/vans

Sit back and entertain yourself by watching KRUX TRUCKS new video showcasing Nora Vasconcellos and her Krib! Nora is always funny as sh*t,  so you know this one will be good!

Patti People has done it again, they've released another Avant-Garde film with some of your favorite female skaters and surfers. Sit back and prepare to be entertained.


Patti presents ‘This Way - A Western Film’ the second installment of the series.

This time Patti fired up the ol’ 94 stretch limo and headed west. With Nora Vasconcellos, Laura Enever, Jaleesa Vincent, Shanae Collins, Frankie Harrer and special guests Stephanie Gilmore, Nicole Hause and Jordyn Barratt. The crew drove across dusty roads from Texas to California. Skateboarding and surfing their way through small towns, snow capped mountains and desert plains. 1355 miles, 4 states and a shit load of memories made this trip one to remember. Doing fun stuff with your friends is what it’s all about!

Crew: @pattipeople
Director: Scott Wynn
Producer: Elley Norman
DOP: Andrew Schoener
Editor: Scott Wynn
Photographers: Coco Loberg & Woody Gooch

Music:
Artist: Tennis
Song: Bad Girls

Artist: Deadbolt
Song: Lone Highway

Artist: Shannon and the clams
Song: I never wanted love

www.pattipeople.com