Yes, Mighty Mama Skate-O-Rama has turned 10 years old with the end of a great day of skate at Laguna Nigel Skatepark in California. It began as a book promotion for “Skateboard Mom” by Barb Odanaka and grew to be a gathering point for women across the country to gather to skate. Most are moms, some are grandmas and the rest of us are the sisters of shred!

Around 50 women congregated there and yes it will return next Mothers Day in California, so you can mark your calendars now!

Photo from Skateboard Moms

There is no way to stop the Skateboard moms. This year’s honoree, Laura Thornhill was there and yes, her mother was there too. What a treat! Hearing a story about Laura stealing a large sheet of wood from her house at 12 years old to drag it to a neighbor to get a skateboard cut out! Then when she tried to put it back, could not get the wood back under the mattress. Busted. Thanks Mama Thornhill for sharing! Don’t forget to hug your mom!

Thanks to Cindy Whitehead, Dusters California, Concrete Wave, Longboarding for Peace and anyone else who had any part in the creation of this board. Sales of this board will help benefit Girls Riders Organization and the future of girls skateboarding.

Monthly sessions for the girls of New York and anywhere nearby are up and running. Kicking off the NYC Park Sessions was LES Skatepark in Manhattan. These parks are generally busy with at least 90% guys. Now for a seasoned girl, this is no problem, but that leaves many new or wanting to be skaters, nervous, watching from outside the fence.

NYC GRO Sessions are an opportunity for girls and women to come skate knowing they will have other girls to skate with or learn from. Working our way around the park as a group, reduces those initial nerves. That day, lots of girls rode LES that may have never otherwise done so. New riders, new tricks, new friends.

Traci and Izzy (left). Moni learning manuels (right).

If you are on the fence, nervous, don’t want to go alone, please set all of that aside for the next event. Most girls find that once the start getting out there riding, the only thing they get upset about is that they didn’t start sooner!
The next date will be June 8th in NYC! Save The Date: more details coming soon.

Thank you NYC Parks, all the skaters at LES that day and all the girls who skated.

Dusters California presents the new collaboration board, “GIRL IS NOT A 4 LETTER WORD”, with ex-pro skater Cindy Whitehead. Cindy Whitehead arrived on the skate scene in the late 70’s, when girls like Laura Thornhill, Ellen Berryman and Ellen O’neal were all coming up doing amazing freestyle routines. She started skateboarding at Hermosa Pier doing Freestyle but quickly switched to vert at Skateboard World in Torrance. She soon became one of the few female Pros of the time and rode for Tracker Trucks, Sims Skateboards, Puma Tennis Shoes, Rector and Fly-a-Way Helmets.

The board supports “Longboarding for Peace”, and not only acknowledges, but encourages ALL female skaters. A portion of the proceeds will go to GRO (Girls Riders Organization), a non-profit that inspires, educates, and supports girls in action sports. The board will launch at the 2013 Vans Warped Tour and is available in stores this June. “Live life balls to the wall. Do epic shit. Take every dare that comes your way. You can sleep when you’re dead.” ~ Cindy Whitehead

Sunday May 5th! Join the girls of GRO for a ride around the beautiful and blooming Prospect Park. This is an opportunity for ladies on boards and bikes to come together to ride. It is also a great ride for girls of all abilities to enjoy.

Meet outside of the Brooklyn Museum anytime before 3pm. Look for girls with boards! We will take off as a group just after 3pm, so don’t be late. The ride will take us around the entire park, ending back at the Brooklyn Museum by 5pm at the latest.

All girls, all ages, all fun!!

Next NYC GRO Skate Session this Saturday from 3pm to 7pm at LES Coleman Skatepark located at 62 Pike Street, New York, NY.

A session for girls to come ride with other girls. We will have a couple extra boards, but everyone please try to bring your own, borrow one, or time to shop for your first (it’s worth it). If you are interested in learning to ride, please let us know as soon as you arrive. Free for all and loads of fun!

We had quite a few girls riding the ramp for the last WESC X KCDC Skate Night in Williamsburg. Luckily Skateboarder Mag was there to catch some photos including Desiree skating!

The girls!

And the woman of KCDC, Amy Gunther.

Noel Mire is a sister skateboarder who has fallen on some hard health times. As we would hope our family would be there for us in our times of need, so to shall we be there for them. Benefit event this Saturday, May 4th at the Oregon City Skatepark.

GRO is happy to be involved and all our best wishes to Noel!

KCDC Skateshop, Villian, Red Bull & 5BORO NYC are holding the last of their Skate Night series (21+)
This Thursday. There is a great mini ramp!

Sometimes it can be nerve racking to be the first or second girl on the ramp, we want to help take the nerves away. Roll with GRO. We are going to meet for pizza first and then go skate! Please join Us! All the details are on the flyer. It’s the last of this series, so don’t miss it!

The event is for ages 21 and over only. This is not our event or choice.

GRO X HOV NYC was just the beginning for GRO NYC 2013 and it is going to be a great year!

GRO is you, your voice and we want you to come be a part of the first NYC GRO Board Meeting on Sunday, April 28th, 2 pm at the South Street Seaport Food Court (89 South St). Great view, and if anyone wants to eat, they can!

This meeting will be an opportunity for you to learn more about GRO and be part of the planning for 2013 events and activities. Bring your ideas for NYC GRO. What would be your dream event? Perhaps it’s time to turn dreams to reality. The girls are gathering…

After the meeting, girls may either go session at the nearby LES Skatepark (62 Pike St) or take a cruise up the East River Promenade!

Skateboarders, Longboarders, Surfers, Snowboarders, Bike Riders. We want you! All girls welcome!

Any questions? Ask info@girlsriders.org or talk to us on Facebook!