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Outside in MN
Peter Sherno

‘This is a place for all of us’: The changing face of the Twin Cities skate scene

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Skateboarding — at least in the mainstream — has historically been a sport dominated by young boys, and skateparks can be intimidating spaces for those who are new to skating. Slowly, the skate scene is welcoming a new generation of people across all identities. It’s even become an Olympic sport.

We visited skateparks around the Twin Cities and heard from a group of diverse skaters about their experiences and perspectives on the current state of skateboarding.

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Two skaters stand for a portrait.
Lillian Gallagher-Riquelme (left) and Jenny Johnson (right) stand on their boards during a weekly skate meetup at the Palace Pop-Up skatepark at Palace Park in St. Paul on Sept. 12. The pair founded the Femme Fatale skateboarding group in an effort to carve out space for women, nonbinary, and transgender skaters in the Twin Cities skate scene.
Peter Sherno for MPR News
1 of 12
A skater in an orange shirt rides a rail.
Lillian Gallagher-Riquelme grinds her skateboard on a rail at the Guidant John Rose MN OVAL skatepark in Roseville, Minn., on Sept. 13. Gallagher-Riquelme has skated for six years and says that she has seen a lot more skateparks open recently, which is helpful to newcomers who may be intimidated by a park packed full of advanced skaters.
Peter Sherno for MPR News
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A skater in a pink shirt stands for a portrait.
Noah Lawrence-Holder holds their skateboard after skating with friends at the Guidant John Rose MN OVAL on Sept. 13. Some outdoor hockey rinks are converted into temporary skateparks during the summer months, providing skateboarders an easily accessible place to skate.
Peter Sherno for MPR News