This month has been really busy and it has been really lovely to be asked by various media to talk and share about things I love, live and breath. This includes skateboarding, which has numerous social benefits and intriguing sociological dimensions. A really treasured connection I made recently was with Norma Ibarra at Pushing Boarders. Norma is a skater and photographer from Mexico who is part of the Skate Witches and many more great projects. She recently did a photo series with Yeah Girl Media and I was stoked to be included with a group of amazing girls, women and non binary individuals from the skateboarding world of various age ranges, nationalities and backgrounds. Thanks so much Norma and Yeah Girl Media run by Sarah Huston for all you two do. I am currently writing a longer 3 part feature about Pushing Boarders with interviews with a range of skaters and more photos by Norma which will be available soon. Meanwhile check out Norma’s amazing photo series here: https://yeahgirlmedia.com/highlights-and-takeaways-from-the-womxn-at-pushing-boarders/
There’s also been media coverage of my research and community work thanks to the wonderful communications team at Griffith University, who have been enthusiastically supporting my research and recognise the rising status of skateboarding as a tool for social change and increasing popular global phenomenon (which will increase once it makes its debut in 2020 Olympics). Much appreciation for The Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research too where I have been a post-doctoral researcher and am currently an adjunct fellow.
Recent stories include in the ‘Ordinary People’ section of Q Weekend News, The Courier Mail QLD’s major newspaper. Interviewed by Melanie Burgess, I talked about how the Vietnam War has impacted on my life forever, founding the volunteer network Adopted Vietnamese International (AVI) which has been running for almost 20 years, doing a PhD, working in academia, co-running a girls skateboarding network and other community and research things in that area too. In many ways the article captures exactly who I am, an ordinary kid from an orphanage in Vietnam who keeps ending up in extraordinary worlds, including academia, the skateboarding scene in Brisbane, Australia and the recent Pushing Boarders skateboarding conference in Malmo Sweden, which I talk about in that interview as well. An event bringing together skaters who wish to change the world, it was such an honour to hear everyone’s stories, views and hopes, as well as meeting many wonderful new friends and collaborators.
Dr Indigo Willing 