'Skateboarding In Pine Ridge'

'Skateboarding In Pine Ridge'

Levi's Skateboarding Collection presents a documentary about building a skatepark on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. See the...

Levi's Skateboarding Collection presents a documentary about building a skatepark on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

See the documentary and article here:

Levi's Skateboarding Collection partnered up with the Stronghold Society and Grindline Skate Parks to embark on the completeing of one skatepark in Pine Ridge, South Dakota and the entire build of another in the neighbouring town of Manderson. 

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The project is part of an ongoing effort to support skateboarding in disadvantaged and under served communities all across the world. So when the Stronghold Society, a group that supports youths through skateboarding, art and music decided reach out to Levi's Skateboarding Collection after seeing their involvement in numerous similar ventures.

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Work had been started two years previously on a skatepark but had still yet to be completed, and it didn't take long after their team looked in to the proposal that Levis decided to get involved in the project and get behind this very worthy cause.

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Before the Stronghold Society had got involved with the community and the initial build of the first park Pine Ridge was widely considered highly impoverished with severe alcohol and drug problems, and very high teen suicide rates. But after only two years and an unfinished skatepark there had already been hugely positive results for the community.

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So when Levi's and their team turned up to biuld they saw a new generation inspired and supporting each other to help change within their community. A week before the opening of both the parks Josh Matthews, Marius Syvanen, Joey Pepper and Pat Moran flew out to hang out and skate with the kids of the Pine Ridge Reservation, and this short film directed by Greg Hunt documents the opening of the skateparks and celebrating their growing skate scene despite all adversity.

Enjoy the full documentary below.