Companies who have never had a black pro

[Chris]

Jesus Christ, some of you are completely regular.

How about this? There are just more white kids skateboarding. Way more. That's it.

[brent]

do a breakdown of all the broke boys with no boxlogo

[sufodiv]

Hell, lets even look at current rosters shall we:

Anti Hero; 6  pros- 1 black
Real; 11 pros - 2 are black
Krooked 4 pros - 0 black

Alien: 8 pros- 0 black
Habitat 9 pros - 0 black

Enjoi 7 pros - 0 black
Almost  5 pros - 0 black
Cliche  8 pros - 0 black
Blind 5 pros - 1 black

Flip - 9 pros - 0 black
Santa Cruz  4 pros - 1 black
Creature 6 pros - 0 black

Baker 10 pros - 2 black
Deathwish - 7 pros - 0 black
Heroin 6 pros - 0 black

Toy Machine 10 pros - 0 black
Foundation 5 pros - 0 black

Girl 10 pros - 1 black
Chocolate 12 pros - 0 black
Skate mental 4 pros - 0 black
3D 3 pros - 0 black

L.E 5 pros - 0 black
Skate Mafia  8 pros - 2 are black
Black Label 4 pros - 0 black

Zero 6 pros - 0 black
Slave 4 pros -0 black
Mystery 3 pros- 1 black

Plan B 6 pros - 0 black
Birdhouse 6 pros - 0 black
Element 9 pros- 2 are black
Stereo 3 pros - 0 black
Think 5 pros - 1 black
Zoo york 6 pros - 1 black
Hopps 3 pros- 1 black

DGK 8 pros - 4 are black
Expedition 7 pros -  0 black
Organica 4 pros - 1 black

That is 240 pros, and 21 of them are black that means only 9%. That is the worst representation of any sport I can think of where there is clearly more participation by a demographic. That is systematic racism to under-represent a population that is participating or at least trying too. How the fuck can you defend that? Look at those fucking numbers and tell me that is not fucked up we are in 2013 and this shit is clear as day. The point of this writing is to wake people up to what is going on within this industry. There is no way they can defend themselves or justify this behavior. This is out of the 38 companies that are more widely recognized. I didn't put some in here like World, 1031, Jart, etc for whatever reason. Was looking at more of the obvious companies. This info was taken from the companies own website.

Now, lets here more from the slap forum about how they would like to segregate skateboarding even more, there isn't a problem, this is the worst thread ever, or there are a ton of black pros in skateboarding, really?

There are definitely more than 240 professional skateboarders. don't be so concerned about this topic

[Monty Burns]

Think people should go back afew pages and read my post

not represented on the list ICUSUCKA posted are post Pros , AMs , flow dudes . Present AMs and Flow dudes . People working in the office and warehouse . Other people having something to do with these companies

Afew examples . Chocolate has had " black " pros , ams and flow dudes

Zero , Slave and mystery are under the same company . Are you telling us only parts of black box is racist ?
Alien and Habitat same company and has a black AM currently , so alien is racist but Habitat is not ?

Deathwish has Dixon , Not sure if he is Pro anymore or what ?  and isnt Neen white and black ?

Flip has had black AMs and Pros . So they started out none racist but then turned into racists ?

Stereo and Plan B has both had black Pros

And you are still avoiding the fact that many of these companies have Pro , AMs and flow dudes from many diffrent countries and many diffrent races .

Are you really trying to say that White , Asian , Latin are accepted in the skate industry but everybody hates blacks ?

Not every company is on the list either . Only 1 euro company . No Brazilian , or south american companies where there would be alot more black people on the list . There are maybe 25 big europen skate companies you forgot to list with many black pros ams and flow .
Not a single asian company


And since middle eastern / arab pros , ams flow  are least represented in the skateboarding industy why isnt the thread about them instead of black people ?

[Water Plantis]

considering only about 13% of the united states are blacks, id say the ratio of that and black pros are just about equal

[D. Bag]

And since middle eastern / arab pros , ams flow  are least represented in the skateboarding industy why isnt the thread about them instead of black people ?

Nah, man, we need to make this about the Samoans.  There aren't enough of them in skateboarding, why is this?  Could it be the same forces that are keeping black men out of the NHL are also responsible for the nonexistent Samoan population in skateboarding due to rayciss hatred for heavyset Pacific Islanders?  Shit's getting deep now, we need to watch our backs, because "they" might make us disappear now that we're on to their master plan!

The fact that some people here have taken this troll seriously makes me want to cry for the future of humanity.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Jesus Christ, some of you are completely regular.

How about this? There are just more white kids skateboarding. Way more. That's it.

That's probably the case.

However, remember in the early 90's when World Industries actually made an effort to have a team of street skaters that actually represented the diverse population you would see in the city?

firstmiddlelast- racism and white privilege don't exist because of a secret cabal of anything- its right in front of our eyes and a result of small social decisions we all make spread across a large scale. Example- people say skateboarding is a "cool guy club" where so-called "cool guys" sponsor dudes they know and photographers just give coverage to a small group of guys who they are friends with. Here's the thing though- the whole world works like that. HUGE percentages of people get hired because they knew somebody at the business/organization that hooked them up, and a lot of others get hired more based on how much the hiring person could relate to or feels comfortable with the applicant. Basically, a lot of where you get in society has to do with something called "social capital."
In a society that has had de jure segregation and still has de facto segregation which has benefited white men and put them in positions of power, people who can relate to or have similar backgrounds as white men in those positions of power tend to benefit. The same thing goes with the justice system. Its not that white christian men are meeting in secret or even consciously trying to be racist, they just reproduce the conditions of racism and privilege that maintain a cycle in which white men have privilege over pretty much everybody else.
Its more complicated than even that, but it should be noted that racism is not some secret conspiracy, and in fact, a lot of people who perpetuate a racist society are not doing it intentionally or out of malice, but out of an uncritical view of the society in which we live.

[Particleboard Penguin]

Jesus Christ, some of you are completely regular.

How about this? There are just more white kids skateboarding. Way more. That's it.

Didn't read anything else in this thread, but I'd say this is the likely case. The skate homies I have who are my age and black will often say that they were the only black skaters at school and discouraged from skateboarding by other black kids back in the day. It was some whiteboy shit that would get them made fun of and get dudes trying to fight them e.t.c. (Although this may be more of a southern thing, seeing as overt racism from both sides was still pretty predominate even just a generation ago. It's still there but is quickly waning with generations.)

Now a days though, probably 80-90% of the kids skating the city are black and I would guess that in the next 5 years you'll see the pro demographic shift to a greater percentage of black pros.

Uh, so basically, in black culture (at least around here) skateboarding wasn't really as acceptable 5-10 years ago, but is SUPER cool now, which would obviously have an impact on the amount of black skateboarders.
Thinking about it now though, skateboarding in my area is probably not at all representative of the overall skateboarding industry seeing it's not california (where the industry is based and most pros seem to come from).

[ICUSUCKA]

Dear Monty Burns,

First off, you are one sexy ass motherfucker. Second, apparently you believe I have access to all the skate industries HR network somehow. What I am doing is taking the most prominent companies that are most widely recognized in the US and get the most media attention. Then I am looking at their pro roster who are the main embodiment for representation of their company. The ones kids are going to look up to and imitate. I am not saying some of these companies haven't had black pro's here and there, am, or flow guys. What I am saying is a lot of them have under represented a certain demographic for biased reasons.

So, Monty please explain to me how Tum Yeto has not had one black pro out of its current 15 pros? Wait, let me guess your going to bring up that Toy Machine had Jamal Williams about 20 years ago is that it? Who have they had since then? Now, what about Foundation they have never had a black pro as far as I know, oh but wait they had Marquis, so that covers it for their 20 year history too, right? Interesting, how they have Larry Perkins who it seems is mocking black culture through humor, and yet its ok that they haven't had any black pros, for lets say forever. And, to top it all off he is the Team Manager sure he is really look to diversify that team.  To top it all off they kick the only black guy on the team off in no time, wow they seem really open minded.

Monty, please explain to me during its 20 year tenure Alien has not had one black pro/am why is that you think? But, hey Habitat has Davis the only black am for them, so that covers DNA for its entire existence is that it?

And good ol Zero why in their long history  have they not had one black pro/am, but again wait, its ok cus Mystery just now got James pro, who might be the first in the companies 15 + history (black box that is). Slave, well the name says it all, and would be quite  fucked up if they did have someone black on the team. Ooopss, forgot they had Drake Jones as a TM, so that covers them as well is that it?

Really, like to hear your thought process on this and how you can defend it? And, Go!

[heckler]

Dear Monty Burns,

First off, you are one sexy ass motherfucker. Second, apparently you believe I have access to all the skate industries HR network somehow. What I am doing is taking the most prominent companies that are most widely recognized in the US and get the most media attention. Then I am looking at their pro roster who are the main embodiment for representation of their company. The ones kids are going to look up to and imitate. I am not saying some of these companies haven't had black pro's here and there, am, or flow guys. What I am saying is a lot of them have under represented a certain demographic for biased reasons.

So, Monty please explain to me how Tum Yeto has not had one black pro out of its current 15 pros? Wait, let me guess your going to bring up that Toy Machine had Jamal Williams about 20 years ago is that it? Who have they had since then? Now, what about Foundation they have never had a black pro as far as I know, oh but wait they had Marquis, so that covers it for their 20 year history too, right? Interesting, how they have Larry Perkins who it seems is mocking black culture through humor, and yet its ok that they haven't had any black pros, for lets say forever. And, to top it all off he is the Team Manager sure he is really look to diversify that team.  To top it all off they kick the only black guy on the team off in no time, wow they seem really open minded.

Monty, please explain to me during its 20 year tenure Alien has not had one black pro/am why is that you think? But, hey Habitat has Davis the only black am for them, so that covers DNA for its entire existence is that it?

And good ol Zero why in their long history  have they not had one black pro/am, but again wait, its ok cus Mystery just now got James pro, who might be the first in the companies 15 + history (black box that is). Slave, well the name says it all, and would be quite  fucked up if they did have someone black on the team. Ooopss, forgot they had Drake Jones as a TM, so that covers them as well is that it?

Really, like to hear your thought process on this and how you can defend it? And, Go!

Please, before you demand us for explanations, give us a thorough review of these biased reasons. Also, the word "pro" is almost meaningless now. In today's day and age, kids might look up to some flow skater they see on youtube more than any given pro, making them an ambassador for the company.

[Clownbaby]

You know what, Stuart, I LIKE YOU. You're not like the other
people, here, in the trailer park.

Oh, don't go get me wrong. They're fine people, they're
good Americans. But they're content to sit back, maybe
watch a little Mork and Mindy on channel 57, maybe kick
back a cool, Coors 16-ouncer. They're good, fine people,
Stuart. But they don't know ... what the queers are doing
to the soil!

You know that Jonny Wurster kid, the kid that delivers papers
in the neighborhood. He's a foreign kid. Some of the neighbors
say he smokes crack, but I don't believe it.

Anyway, for his tenth birthday, all he wanted was a Burrow Owl.
Kept bugging his old man. "Dad, get me a burrow owl. I'll never
ask for anything else as long as I live." So the guy
breaks down and buys him a burrow owl.

Anyway, 10:30, the other night, I go out in my yard, and there's
the Wurster kid, looking up in the tree. I say, "What are
you looking for?" He says "I'm looking for my burrow owl."
I say, "Jumping Jesus on a Pogo Stick. Everybody knows
the burrow owl lives. In a hole. In the ground. Why the hell do you
think they call it a burrow owl, anyway?" Now Stuart, do you
think a kid like that is going to know what the queers are
doing to the soil?

I first became aware of this about ten years ago, the summer
my oldest boy, Bill Jr. died. You know that carnival comes into
town every year? Well this year they came through with a ride
called The Mixer. The man said, "Keep your head, and arms, inside
the Mixer at all times." But Bill Jr, he was a DAAAREDEVIL, just
like his old man. He was leaning out saying "Hey everybody,
Look at me! Look at me!" Pow! He was decapitated! They found
his head over by the snow cone concession.

A few days after that, I open up the mail. And there's a pamphlet
in there. From Pueblo, Colorado, and it's addressed to Bill, Jr.
And it's entitled, "Do you know what the queers are doing to our
soil?"

Now, Stuart, if you look at the soil around any large US city,
there's a big undeground homosexual population. Des Moines, Iowa,
for an example. Look at the soil around Des Moines, Stuart.
You can't build on it; you can't grow anything in it. The government
says it's due to poor farming. But I know what's really going on,
Stuart. I know it's the queers. They're in it with the aliens.
They're building landing strips for gay Martians, I swear to
God.

You know what, Stuart, I like you. You're not like the other
people, here in this trailer park.

[Monty Burns]

You seem to think the skateboard industry owes you and the world something . You are the same kind of person who hates on female Ams and Pros  " taking up a spot " from some kid in cali who tech wise is much better then the women who get on teams

You are making a huge claim that companies are racist , thats a big accusation . Yet you cant be botherd to do more research then "the most prominent companies that are most widley recognized in the US and get the most media intention " And you dont do research
on what Flow dudes they have in america and other countries , or what race the people who work in the office or warehouse

So Big accusations and little research . How do you explain that ? is that a basis to make wild accusations ?

Skateboard industry while being merit based is also huge buddy buddy system . A really good skater can get passed by , by a slightly less good skater if this dude is super friendly and cool , has a nice image and knows the right people . Makes the right impressions .

Besides Plan B  , There is not really just a super team with people who dont normaly hang out . Most teams and companies are tight groups who hang out alot and go on tour alot . Who are you to go in and tell these busnisses to add more members of a certain race to their teams . And if they dont have a certain number of these race accuse them of racism ?

Imagine having a company making good money and everybody being good friends and happy , say 10% black  25 % asians 25 % latin and 40% white people and some random dude comes by and says you need to fire 20 % of these guys you like alot . Cause theres not enough black people on the company ?  wtf kind of logic is this ?

You want Pros to be rolemodels to young kids ? Are you saying black kids can only look up to black Pros ? isnt that racist ? why cant they look up to a asian or latino pro or am ?  

AlienWorkshop was starting SEEK , they were gonna have Stevie WIlliams and Alex C on the team . Question is why does this privatly owned company have to hire a certain race ? What if they just want to hire really good skaters who they get along with alot

With black box you are saying Zero is racist , Mystery is not racist and Slave cant add a black pro cause of their name ?  Thats just messed up . Why would a company have certain racist branches ? and why would the racism only be against Black people ? why not latin or asian ? and if these companys are racist why do their riders hang out with and belong to other companies as black people ?

Since you are only calling companies out on number of black people , but totaly ignoring the fact of how many South american , europen , asian , latin these companies have . If you are looking for lack of race on companies its like I said middleeastern / arab . There are only a handfull of them

You only look at one thing , and Ignore things like why so little canadian pros on american companies , why does a australian have to be Pro on the Australian team . Why are not more females on the teams , plenty of good girls out there that dont really take up slots on teams .

[vegan*shawn]

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Tommy+Sandoval%3A+prom+date+from+hell.-a0151324939

In this interview Tommy Sandoval talks about having a black step brother. I swear I read an interview where he said his dad is black, but maybe I am crazy. Isn't Jamie Thomas on here anymore? He could clear it up for us.

[brent]

i think it's pretty clear when the guy says his stepfather is black

[vegan*shawn]

i think it's pretty clear when the guy says his stepfather is black

Did I skim over that?

[Greg Road]

How about this? There are just more white kids skateboarding. Way more. That's it.

[brent]

Expand Quote

i think it's pretty clear when the guy says his stepfather is black

[close]

Did I skim over that?

haha oops, read that completly wrong, you're right

[firstmiddlelast]

Ronald Wilson Reagan:
I agree with everything you wrote, I mentioned the cabal in a somewhat tongue in cheek manner. That being said, I do believe that there are people such as the Koch brothers et al, who seek to promote and encourage the ever widening income gap between the rich and poor in our country. This disparity disproportionately affects minority groups for all of the reasons you listed. I'm pretty sure we are on the same side.

[ICUSUCKA]

The important thing to do is if you believe this business practice is unfair is to boycott these companies, call/email them to let them know you don't agree with their practices, and inform your friends on the issue and have them do the same. Don't support them in any way, and support companies that are more open minded and welcoming of other cultures.

Too many times in this skate bubble people don't question anything about it. They are afraid to stand up, not be cool, and go against the lame skateboarding rules certain people have claimed exist. When something is wrong you speak out against it, because it is wrong you don't hide from it. Systematic segregation has no place in skateboarding is my personal belief, and these companies have no integrity since they seem bent on not changing their ways.

I have no intentions of changing the minds of a lot of the people who have commented on this thread, although I do appreciate your comments whether I agree with you or not (yes, I am giving you a compliment this is America and I believe in democracy). My goal was to reach people who are more open minded, and might see things in a new light. Who realize there do need to be some changes within the skate industry. With all the views this thread has had I hope it does just that even if it is on a small scale it would be worth it.

[onelouder]

The Blessian

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SqBOyomTgUE&feature=player_embedded&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DSqBOyomTgUE%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded

[EPetrov]

Can the original thread poster be banned for being a moron?

[L33Tg33k]

Expand Quote

Jesus Christ, some of you are completely regular.

How about this? There are just more white kids skateboarding. Way more. That's it.

[close]

That's probably the case.

However, remember in the early 90's when World Industries actually made an effort to have a team of street skaters that actually represented the diverse population you would see in the city?

firstmiddlelast- racism and white privilege don't exist because of a secret cabal of anything- its right in front of our eyes and a result of small social decisions we all make spread across a large scale. Example- people say skateboarding is a "cool guy club" where so-called "cool guys" sponsor dudes they know and photographers just give coverage to a small group of guys who they are friends with. Here's the thing though- the whole world works like that. HUGE percentages of people get hired because they knew somebody at the business/organization that hooked them up, and a lot of others get hired more based on how much the hiring person could relate to or feels comfortable with the applicant. Basically, a lot of where you get in society has to do with something called "social capital."
In a society that has had de jure segregation and still has de facto segregation which has benefited white men and put them in positions of power, people who can relate to or have similar backgrounds as white men in those positions of power tend to benefit. The same thing goes with the justice system. Its not that white christian men are meeting in secret or even consciously trying to be racist, they just reproduce the conditions of racism and privilege that maintain a cycle in which white men have privilege over pretty much everybody else.
Its more complicated than even that, but it should be noted that racism is not some secret conspiracy, and in fact, a lot of people who perpetuate a racist society are not doing it intentionally or out of malice, but out of an uncritical view of the society in which we live.

You're great, Gip. Thank you for being unretarded.