Leah Mesquita
ICT
When Amy Denet Deal returned to her homeland in 2019, the lessons she had learned as a corporate fashion designer came along, too.
Having worked for large, wealthy companies throughout her career, including Puma and Reebok, Deal stepped back into her community knowing she wanted to create something with reciprocity.
“I’ve worked my whole life for these big brands and I don’t know where the hell the money went,” Deal said. “With (4KINSHIP), it’s beautiful to have a small, female owned brand that’s super clear on what we’re doing, which is the most important thing, (along) with the profits of the brand reinvesting in future generations.”
Deal carried this way of thinking into her 2021 project called the Diné Skate Garden – a passion project located on the Two Grey Hills chapter (Navajo Nation) in New Mexico where both amateur and professional skaters can ride.
“You don’t just build a park in a remote region and say: ‘Bye, see you later,’” Deal said. “I wanted it to be sustainable and I wanted it to impact the community in terms of jobs.”
Although Deal had considered other sports to invest in, she felt drawn toward skateboarding for its versatility and uniqueness, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I wanted to have something really fun that we could get them involved in that they could do any time of the year,” Deal said. “With a skate park, that’s like 24/7 practically, right? They can go there anytime. …they have something to do and can stay active.”
When the park was completed in 2022, Deal started a mentorship program with Indigenous skateboarder Shawn Harrison, who has amassed over 18,000 Instagram followers from showcasing highlight reels from other Native skaters.
“(His classes) have expanded to three times a week now,” Deal said. “Also, he’s going mobile. We’re going to be having the first ever mobile skate school right on a reservation with the Shawn Shine school of skate.”
Deal is also in the process of distributing 5,000 skateboards to Native youth throughout several communities, including Chinle, Window Rock and Shiprock. The first of many skateboard disbursements occurred at the Diné Skate Garden’s ‘Go Skate Day’ event – an annual date where skating communities around the world are encouraged to ride together.
“When we (Native people) can do our own events and it’s run by aNative brand that has a bunch of Native mentors, it feels so different,” Deal said. “It feels like you’re at a family reunion where everybody shows up. Everybody loves each other. Everybody supports each other. Yes, there’s competition, but it’s this different energy.”
According to Deal, the Diné Skate Garden is a place for all skaters, no matter their expertise or age.
“At our events, we’ve got little kids scooting around from kindergarten next to really high-level talent,” Deal said. “And they’re all there together. Because that’s how we are as Diné people. We’re resilient. We’re just gonna go out there and have fun and enjoy the day.”
As an effort to keep younger skaters going with sustainable infrastructure and valuable mentorship, Deal says the skate garden could lead many aspiring athletes to pursue Olympic dreams.
“As the kids get better and better at skating, it’s going to be our job to get better and better teachers and facilities for them,” Deal said. “And (we’re) certainly looking at the extension in terms of the (park) at Two Gray Hills, if we need to have more build-out to the skatepark to keep up with the different things needed for Olympic training.”
With plans for a second skatepark already in the works, Deal hopes that the skatepark will generate tourism and create more opportunities for Native youth as the years progress.
“I want to bring wealth back to these communities. We’re going to eventually need to have a visitor center at Two Grey Hills,” Deal said. “I’d love to see a coffee shop where kids learn how to be baristas. I’d love for there to be money reinvested so there’s a laundromat so all those families don’t have to go all the way you know into border towns to do their laundry.”
4KINSHIP will be hosting its second all-girls and Two-Spirit Modern Matriarchs Skate Jam on Sept.21, with updated dates and location releasing in early August.
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