‘Rides for the Res’, Cowtown S.K.A.T.E. collaborates with Diné community

Posted by Kianna Joe | Jun 8, 2023 | Arts |

PHOENIX

A nonprofit skateboard company was in the Four Corners area to share new wheels.

Navajo Times | Kianna Joe
A skilled skateboarder does a trick in the rain at the Treaty Day skateboarding event, “Art of the Skateboard,” which was in collaboration with Cowtown S.K.A.T.E.’s “Rides for the Res” skateboard trade-up event at the Diné Youth skatepark in Fort Defiance June 2.

Cowtown S.K.A.T.E., a nonprofit based in Tempe, the Office of Diné Youth in Fort Defiance, and Di’Orr Greenwood partnered together to celebrate “Art of the Skateboard, Forever stamps” with free skateboards, an unveiling of Greenwood’s stamp design, and activities for the youth at the ODY’s center skatepark.

On March 24th, Greenwood was celebrated as the first Navajo to design a stamp for the U.S. Postal Service, and the stamp was also honored as the first design that included a skateboard.

Celebrating Diné excellency

During the Navajo Nations Treaty Days celebration, Greenwood and the ODY decided also to celebrate Diné excellency.

Greenwood said she hoped by sharing her art of the stamps, others would see that Navajos have been talented and will continue to be.

“We will always keep that talent because it never belongs to just one person,” Greenwood said. “We always transfer that power back into our youth, and when our youth grow up, it’s their duty to transfer that power back into the youth of their generation.”

Navajo Times | Kianna Joe
Di’Orr Greenwood stands before the U.S. Postal Services’ Forever “Art of the Skateboard” stamps she helped design. Greenwood participated in Cowtown S.K.A.T.E.’s “Rides for the Res” skateboard trade-up event at the Diné Youth skatepark in Fort Defiance on June 2.

Navajo youth are important to Greenwood. She said inspiring and encouraging them and ensuring they’re also creative is important.

The youth was behind the idea of the collaboration “Rides for the Res” because Greenwood said the original stamp event in Phoenix invited youth to trade in their skateboards and get a new one. She wanted to bring that to the reservation as well.

The outcome of the event was great, Greenwood said. Even though the skateboards brought to the event to trade up for a new one, provided by Cowtown S.K.A.T.E., looked used, Greenwood hopes she can continue to get the youth outside to play and be active.

“I knew there was a need for that here in the Fort Defiance community,” Greenwood said.

Lyiesha Thompson and her younger brother, Lyle Thompson, were of the dozens in attendance at the skatepark.

Read the full story in the June 8 edition of the Navajo Times.