CT: I Wish I Had A Pink Helmet

Last week, I was having book club with some friends at The Grove, a huge outdoor mall here in Los Angeles. We were sitting at a table outside at a cafe, just starting to discuss the book (The Bone Clocks, which was outstanding if you're looking for a really good, unusual read), when a set of tiny pink helmets sped past us. The rest of my friends went back to their discussion, but I was ruined for the day. They were here.

Who are they, you ask? Well, The Pink Helmet Posse of course. A group of tiny skateboarding superhero girls who are equal parts badass and adorable.
Ok just look at those rad tiny humans!

About a year ago, someone forwarded me a New York Times documentary short called "Gnarly in Pink" about the Pink Helmet Posse. I watched it, entranced. They're a group of six year old girls who love skateboarding. They want to go to the X Games. They want to get more girls to start skateboarding. I am, of course, obsessed with them.


Here's the New York Times doc and it is well worth the watch.

What drew me to them originally was completely on display at The Grove last weekend. The event was part of the launch of the GapKids store, and they had practically a full skatepark set up inside The Grove. Kids of all ages were invited to come learn to skate, and the girls did a few demonstrations. I probably would have parked there to watch all day if I hadn't had, ya know, adult things to do.

These girls are incredible. I want to be them. Not that I want to skateboard (because I spent a whole summer in high school learning that skateboarding was never really going to be my thing), but I am amazed by their passion. They've taken something that is usually a "boy thing", and they've made it their own without sacrificing being girls.


The best part is that these girls are inclusive. Their motto is "Come skate with us" and they mean it. I saw them helping both girls and boys at The Grove. They're driven by their passion and they want anyone else who's passionate to join them. There's no hint of being territorial or competitive. They're genuine.

This is approximately when I got predictably weepy.
Guys, I'm still fangirling about my brief encounter with them last week. They were just as adorable and just as kick-awesome as I could have imagined.

Peace,
CT

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