Skateboarding’s Inclusive Future and DIY Spirit in 2025
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/06/12
In 2025, skateboarding is more diverse and widely accepted, though tensions remain between mainstream growth and underground authenticity. Latosha Stone-Keagy, founder of Proper Gnar, reflects on two decades in the scene, highlighting increased inclusion for women, LGBTQ+, and non-traditional skaters. Her creative deck design blends aesthetics with practical use, while the business side presents challenges like supply chains, tariffs, and balancing art with entrepreneurship. She sees promise in DIY park trends, eco-friendly gear, and independent media. Stone-Keagy advocates for real inclusivity, community investment, and protecting skateboarding’s creative, rebellious spirit amid rising commercialization. “Keep it weird,” she urges—authenticity matters.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What is the current cultural climate of skateboarding in 2025?
Latosha Stone-Keagy: Skateboarding feels more diverse and popular than before. There still a lot of DIY, and a lot of the older generation still frown upon it outside… but it has a much wider acceptance in mainstream culture. Some skaters embrace the growth, but many still like it to be “underground” and feel its more authentic that way.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What have been significant changes in the skateboarding community attitudes toward women or non‑traditional skaters over the last two decades?
Stone-Keagy: There’s been a huge difference. Twenty years ago, it was still rare to see women, LGBTQ+, or other non-traditional skaters in ads, contests, or in skate videos or on pro teams. There were the few main ones but not many others. Now, it’s getting better and becoming more common. There’s many pro women, and even some all-women teams. There’s brands owned by non-traditional skaters that sponsor people that are different. I think social media helped give different types of people a platform. You still get some guys that are weird about it or leave the occasional mean-spirited comment but it’s not as common as it used to be.
Jacobsen: What is your deck‑design process?
Stone-Keagy: I usually start with a blank template so I know where everything can be placed. I have to think about how the board will be used.. this part will eventually be grinded off, or the trucks and wheels will cover this part so don’t put anything important there… I think of how it will look when someone’s holding it or viewing it from the bottom when someone’s about to drop in. Color palettes and visual impact from a distance are huge to me. I love designing skateboards because there really aren’t any rules besides the ones you put on yourself.
When it comes to the actual design it varies. Sometimes I just start sketching and something good comes out of it. When I’m trying to build a collection, I think of a mood, vibe, or message I want to portray. Sometimes I start out on paper, other times I go straight to digital. Sometimes I’ve painted something unrelated and then decided later I think it would look on a board. I also think about how each piece will stand alone but also still feel like part of a cohesive drop.
Jacobsen: What have been obstacles navigating the business side of a skate brand?
Stone-Keagy: The biggest challenge has probably been balancing creativity with consistency. All artists go through art block from time to time. Trends move fast and you can’t lose your brands soul trying to chase them. Manufacturing has been a wild ride too. First, it was hard to find good suppliers because everyone in the industry is so secretive about theirs. Then meeting minimums as a smaller brand. And when COVID hit, everything got backed up for like 3 months. Now, the rising costs related to tariffs. Most skateboards are made with Canadian Maple, because in Canada the trees grow slower and are older due to their climate. American wood is too brittle for skateboards, so we have to import it. Then there’s cash flow, social media fatigue, and wearing many hats as an entrepreneur.. not getting to spend as much time skating and making art because you actually have to run the business to keep it going.
Jacobsen: The Olympics introduced skateboarding to a global audience. Has visibility helped or independent brands?
Stone-Keagy: It’s a double-edged sword. Visibility opened the door for new fans and markets that wouldn’t have existed before, which is great! But it also brought in big corporations trying to capitalize without truly understanding the culture. For independent brands, it’s helped if you stay true to your identity, because true skaters are looking for something real instead of mass-market skating.
Jacobsen: Which emerging trends in hardware, media, or park design excite you?
Stone-Keagy: I’m excited by how modular park design is becoming — more DIY-friendly, more flexible, and focused on creativity over huge, intimidating structures. I think that’s great for bringing on new skaters. There’s also projects and grants like The Skatepark Project that helps people get skateparks in their area. In hardware, it’s nice to see innovation in eco-friendly materials and more customizable options for riders. When I was growing up you got to choose what was in the small local skateshop and that was it unless your parents cared enough to let you order from CCS. In media, I love how zines and self-made edits are thriving. Some people are even getting super creative with their edits, making kind of like art films.
Jacobsen: Community is central to skateboarding culture. How do you cultivate authentic connections with skaters?
Stone-Keagy: I focus on showing up — hosting small events, doing lessons, supporting and donating to local contests, collaborating with artists and skaters on designs, and sharing real skate clips instead of perfectly polished ads. Listening is huge. Skaters are very vocal with their opinions and will call you out on something they see as fake. A lot of the time, it’s about giving back without asking for anything in return. That’s how loyalty and respect grows.
Jacobsen: What developments would you like to see in skateboarding?
Stone-Keagy: I’d love to see skateboarding continue pushing toward real inclusivity — not performative support, but actual investment in skaters from underrepresented backgrounds. That means more sponsorships for women, nonbinary skaters, LGBTQ+ skaters, and skaters of color, not just marketing campaigns during Pride Month or Black History Month. I also want to see more skateparks in areas that don’t traditionally get investment. A lot of skateboarding’s next generation could come from neighborhoods that currently don’t have the space or resources to nurture it. On the product side, I’d like more innovation in sustainable materials. Things like recycled decks, eco-friendly wheels, and low-waste production methods are still in the early stages, but they could have a massive impact if brands really commit to them.
And finally, I want skateboarding to stay weird. We need to protect the DIY spirit that made skating so powerful in the first place. Keep making space for creativity, expression, rebellion, and all the imperfections that make skating real. I hope new brands and skaters keep taking risks and making stuff that’s raw and honest, even if it’s not the most “profitable” thing.
Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Latosha.
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