Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

Skate for Your Life

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
Pocket Change Collective was born out of a need for space. Space to think. Space to connect. Space to be yourself. And this is your invitation to join us.
"Wow! Leo's vulnerability and authenticity allowed me to experience his pain and triumph. A great testament to the positive power of skateboarding and the dangers of gender." —Elissa Steamer (skateboarding pioneer)
"In Skate for Your Life, Leo Baker invites us on the intimate journey toward self-realization. Leo's deep passion for skateboarding is beautifully communicated while bringing to light the difficult reality of breaking the mold on a public stage. This book synthesizes what so many LGBTQIA people can relate to—the lifelong journey of seeking out spaces where we fit in, and when we don't find them, making new ones." —JD Samson (musician, producer, and songwriter)
In this moving, personal story, professional skateboarder Leo Baker shares their journey within the sport and the importance of authenticity and allyship as a non-binary athlete.

Pocket Change Collective is a series of small books with big ideas from today's leading activists and artists.
"Your authenticity is your superpower." That's the motto that professional skateboarder Leo Baker lives by and champions. But like any hero's journey, learning about their power didn't come easy. In this installment of the Pocket Change Collective, Baker takes the reader on a complicated, powerful journey through the world of skate and competitive sport as a non-binary athlete.
  • Creators

  • Series

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Levels

  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      April 15, 2021
      Nonbinary professional skateboarder Baker shares their passion for skating, their experience in an industry with little support for those who are not White cisgender men, and how they reclaimed their identity and career on their own terms. As a child, Baker, who is White, fell in love with skateboarding while watching their foster brothers on a backyard ramp. That thrill grew when they got their first board. Unfortunately, as their career took off with sponsorships and international competitions, Baker learned the difference between skateboarding for pleasure and the business side of the sport, as their corporate sponsors tried to control and define their image. Years after those companies tossed them aside, Baker found their way back, determined to make space for more people to express themselves freely through skating. In this short memoir, Baker tells a story that weaves together their discovery of their gender identity with their experiences in the professional skating world. Their casual language creates a natural flow, like an intimate conversation with a close friend. Relationships with supportive family and friends--particularly their mother, who encouraged them to focus on passion, not winning--play a significant role in Baker's memories. They provide honest critiques of the exploitation and inequity within the skating industry while emphasizing the joy of community and the work done by skaters from some underrepresented groups. Ultimately, Baker upholds the importance of remaining true to oneself while pursuing a dream. Hopeful and determined. (Memoir. 13-18)

      COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Booklist

      Starred review from March 15, 2021
      Grades 7-12 *Starred Review* Are you a boy or girl? The authors of these entries in the Pocket Change Collective series (2 new titles) never let this question define them. In the small-sized books with profound impact, young activists give a first-person account of their genderqueer identities. Shorter, easier text makes their stories accessible for a wide range of readers. Skate for Your Life chronicles Leo Baker's experiences as a transmasculine person in the professional skateboarding community. Although, they contend, the skateboarding community was created by outcasts and counterculture, Baker experienced sexism, homophobia, and transphobia. They describe the highs attached to skateboarding mentors and women skateboarding pioneers and the lows of corporate sponsorship requiring feminine conformity. Their journey led to founding the NYC Skate Project, a safe space for non-male skaters. #OwnVoices stories for the real world.

      COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:890
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

Loading