Dr. Neftalee Williams has used his passion for skateboarding to serve as director of the new Center for Skateboarding, Action Sports and Social Change at San Diego State University.
“We're studying how skateboarding can help youth form communities, especially in this time when people from different backgrounds are coming together, and right now in America, we need more reasons to see each other and see each other as ourselves,” Dr. Williams said.
In addition to being a sociologist and assistant professor at SDSU, Williams is also the first “Skateboard Ambassador” and special envoy for the U.S. Department of State.
He is set to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“In this case, we worked with the city of Paris, community centers, local advocates and leaders to start thinking about how skateboarding can bring young people together and how we as adults can use that to help young people think of themselves as global citizens.”
Known as the Professor of Skateboarding, he started skateboarding as a kid in Massachusetts. He says part of the appeal of skateboarding is its practical nature. There are no rules and no coaches. He says that this is why skateboarding has the power to build community and bring about social change.
Williams said he has seen the impact firsthand through skateboarding programs he has run around the world, from Asia to Syria to Cuba.
“American skaters and Cuban skaters are saying, 'Hey! This is one of the things we both love,'” Williams said. “Maybe this will help repair relations between the two countries.”
Through his own experience and research, Williams has also seen how skating has broken down barriers in America.
“When we saw the murder of George Floyd and the aftermath, what we really saw was skaters coming together in the streets and talking about their shared history.”
The walls of his San Diego State University office are adorned with skateboarding paraphernalia, from a deck celebrating skateboarding's first Olympic appearance in Tokyo in 2020 to posters of members of the Tokyo team, some of whom live in San Diego and are competing in this summer's Olympics.
San Diego's rich skateboarding history is why, even as he prepares for the Paris Games, Williams is trying to help put San Diego on the map both there and when Los Angeles hosts the Olympics in 2028.
“When people think about skateboarding 2028, that's something we've all created together, especially in Southern California. San Diego is making it happen.”
Five of the 12 members of Team U.S. Olympic Skateboarding Team are from San Diego County.
The opening ceremony of the Olympics will be on July 26th next year.
