I am a longboarder. Let that set in. I'm not the guy most people think of. The little punk on a board causing trouble. That used to be me but without the board part. Then my cousin introduced me to longboarding. I got a double drop board and I LOVE IT. That board and this community saved me. I try to go and ride every day.  
     My story isn't big but it is one. I grew up with a drug addicted mom and life was pretty bad. I moved in with my dad and started to rebel. I used to smoke weed and I got into a lot of trouble. Since I got my board, I have quit smoking and I get into a lot less trouble now. 
     My dad gets my addiction. I'm addicted to riding. He is so cool with it.  One more thing, riding whether its on a skate board or long board it helps all my stress go away. Have fun and be safe. I hope this helps.

     When I initially started #skatetofight, I included the hash tag (#) purely for aesthetics. However, after I created the site, I began to question it's purpose. I even contemplated removing it from the site title. Honestly, my anxiety kicked in and my brain began to imagine all sorts of criticism over its inclusion. My self-conscious brain had thoughts like, "People will think I am just a hash tag happy, over zealous, hipster blogger!" or "Not having a reason for that symbol will make people question my credibility!". Ridiculous I know, but it made me think (probably too much) about why the hash tag was there.
     I decided to do a little bit of research to find out the origins of the "#" symbol. As anyone who has called for customer service knows, in telephone lingo, its referred to as the pound sign. It also has been used to refer to units of weight especially outside of the United States. What I found most interesting was the symbol's history in computer programming. Originally the "#" symbol was used in programming to highlight special meaning in information technology. In 1978, programmers used the "#" for special keywords in C programming language. Eventually it evolved for use in social media to function as a metadata tag. The term "hash tag" was coined in a blog post by Stowe Boyd on 26 August 2007. 
     So why do I find this interesting and why have I included a history lesson on a symbol that until 8 years ago was most commonly used to play tic-tac-toe? Because this symbol is the essence of what #skatetofight is all about: Unity, togetherness and movement towards the same place. When people see that hash tag, I want them to think of the community I hope to build. A group of people who know they have others to lean on when the darkness of depression sets in. I want It to remind people that they are not alone. 
     So use the hash tag. Share the message. Build the community. 

     For this article, I’m going to talk about, first, what Skate to Fight’s main purpose and some of the other goals to #skatetofight are, as well as what I believe to be the best and most effective way to cope and fight your depression, at least when it is the worst.
     So, first off. #skatetofight’s purpose, as we have said, is to prevent suicide. This is 100% our purpose. But ever since we have started this project, I (and I’m assuming James) have heard incredible stories from many people of how they used skateboarding to overcome drug addictions, deal with their family troubles, to help them become a better person, etc. So this brings me to my point. Yes, #skatetofight is geared around depression, mental illness, and skateboarding, because that’s exactly what it is for me and James. But our other purpose is to HELP and INSPIRE people. So we want to hear your stories of how you overcame other problems in your life, so that we can learn to help you with those things as well. In the end, we want to help. As much as we possibly can.
    Second, I want to talk about Passion. Passion is what I personally believe to be the best possible way to “fight” your depression, anxiety, or any issues you have. I understand that skateboarding isn’t for everyone. Some people are just not into extreme sports. So my challenge to all of you is to find your passion, or a second passion, or whatever.
     For you skaters, skateboarding may not always be there for you. You may get injured, or maybe the weather will be bad enough for weeks that you simply aren’t able to get out on your board. In those situations you need to have a healthy, reliable way to cope with your struggles. For me, my other passions are pottery, this project, and my family. If I can’t get out and skate for whatever reason, I try to get myself involved in something that makes me happy in some other way.
     Sometimes, and for some people, passions aren’t as easy and tangible to discover as these things were for me. I was recently trying to help a friend find her passion and for a while we couldn’t really nail it down.  After a few weeks, she told me that she had figured it out. Her passion was people. Learning what made everyone a good person, what people’s trials and struggles are, and ultimately, who they really are. 
    So go and find your passion. It’ll be hard. Learning something new is generally difficult, and not enjoyable at first. But when you find something you want to work at, and learn to love, you will learn that it can truly save your life. Just as skateboarding, and #skatetofight, have done for me.

This video was filmed shortly after my friend Justin Graham passed away. I hope it can be used to spread the word about #skatetofight. Please share this video with your friends and family. 

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This is our first rider profile submission.  I appreciate Riley's courage in sharing his thoughts and experiences. I hope that more will share their stories to uplift those who are struggling. 

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Lately I've been noticing how skateboarding (downhill in particular) acts as sort of "forced meditation" for me. I think of meditation as the zeroing in on one thought or feeling, and dismissing all other clutter. When I point my board down a hill and step on, I am incapable of being anywhere but that present moment. My mind is never more empty. No thoughts; pure intuition. This might only be a temporary relief, because often times worries or concerns can rush back while walking up the hill, but I believe this clear mindset that skating forces you to be in can be carried over to other areas of life, and with training can be turned on or off when needed. Call it therapy, call it meditation, call it whatever you like; this feeling exists outside of language and culture. Even when fear arises at the top of a new hill or ramp, us skaters train ourselves in the way of learning to love this fear and using it to drive us, which again can translate to all other areas of life. The less you think of skating as a temporary refuse, and the more you see it as mental training, the further you can improve your day to day being. Conquering depression and anxiety isn't about as much about a fight as it is a practice.