Africa Is a Country

Tell 'Em to Skate*

Tell 'Em to Skate*

By
Sonja Sugira

The Uganda Skateboard Union has (deservedly) been getting a lot of love lately. We’ve written about them a couple of times (here and here), and they’ve been featured in the UK Independent, GOOD, and now in the current issue of Guernica. Much of that has been facilitated by Swiss photographer Yann Gross. By all accounts, this is the first, and only, half-pipe in East Africa, built entirely by the youth from the Kampala suburb of Kitintale. Now, with some assistance from Birdhouse Skateboards and the Tony Hawk Foundation—who are both sponsoring the park on an ongoing basis—they’ll be skating for a while. Needless to say, I like this.


And I love the photos (the one of the young woman at the top is my favorite). For more, you can read their blog here (highly recommended for some great action shots), visit their website here, and see more pictures on Gross’ site here.

*Sorry, I’ve had Gyptian’s “Hold Yuh” (the remix featuring Nicki Minaj) in my head for a couple of weeks now.

Further Reading

No one should be surprised we exist

The documentary film, ‘Rolé—Histórias dos Rolezinhos’ by Afro-Brazilian filmmaker Vladimir Seixas uses sharp commentary to expose social, political, and cultural inequalities within Brazilian society.

Kenya’s stalemate

A fundamental contest between two orders is taking place in Kenya. Will its progressives seize the moment to catalyze a vision for social, economic, and political change?

More than a building

The film ‘No Place But Here’ uses VR or 360 media to immerse a viewer inside a housing occupation in Cape Town. In the process, it wants to challenge gentrification and the capitalist logic of home ownership.