After an eventful afternoon, we mellowed out on Friday night with a private screening of "MONOCHROME", ​a short documentary film that discusses and celebrates the Black experience within skateboarding. We invited members of our Rider Development program - which aims to support youth on their journey to becoming professional skateboarders - to join us at Red Bull HQ for a film screening and community discussion.

​While The Boardr Open continued throughout Saturday afternoon at LES, Golconda Skatepark (better known as “Fat Kid”) played host to a Women & LGBTQ+ Skate Jam hosted by HHF Coach-Mentor Jae Cooper with support from members of Pansy Skate and Queer Skate Brooklyn. It was a beautiful day that consisted of a community conversation about inclusivity within skateboarding, instructional skate clinics, $1,500 cash-for-tricks contests, product giveaways, and - as always - good vibes!

In celebration of Harold Hunter Weekend XV, the Harold Hunter Foundation has teamed up with Element Skateboards to release a limited edition deck, t-shirt, and hoodie featuring Charlie Samuels' iconic 1989 "Red Railslide" photo of Harold Hunter in New York City's Financial District. All proceeds support HHF programming.

NEW YORK, NY – June 15, 2022 – The Harold Hunter Foundation (HHF), in association with Presenting Sponsor DC Shoes, and Supporting Sponsors Dickies, Element Skateboards, G-Shock, HUF, and Zumiez, is proud to announce it will host a series of skateboarding events, including a photo exhibit, film screening, skate jams, and parties in New York City from Wednesday, June 22nd through Sunday, June 26th – all in remembrance of legendary skateboarder Harold Hunter who passed away in 2006.

Each year, Harold Hunter Weekend is one of NYC’s largest and most highly anticipated skateboarding events. This year’s Fifteenth Annual Harold Hunter Weekend will feature a series of special events that celebrate everything Harold loved most – skateboarding, art, music, friends, family, food, and New York City.

“Harold Hunter Weekend kicks off the summer here in NYC and Harold Hunter Day is the unofficial homecoming event for generations of skaters from the city and beyond”, says HHF Board Member and Mayor of NYC Skateboarding Steve Rodriguez. “I’m looking forward to all the events and catching up with everyone who will be celebrating Harold’s life!”

As a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit grassroots organization, the Harold Hunter Foundation relies on financial backing from the community to provide a network of support, opportunity, and advocacy for NYC youth so they can reach their full potential as skateboarders and young adults. HHF believes skateboarding has the power to transform lives.
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Following is an overview of Harold Hunter Weekend XV events and collaborations that will benefit the Harold Hunter Foundation:

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22:
6:00-8:00pm
- Cash for Tricks hosted by HUF & Billy Rohan at Tompkins TF 

THURSDAY, JUNE 23:
7:00-10:00pm
- Harold 89, an exhibit of mostly unseen photos by Charlie Samuels, presented by Element Skateboards at ELM Foundation 191 N 14th Street, Brooklyn.
- RSVP: https://Harold89.eventbrite.com

FRIDAY, JUNE 24:
6:30-9:00pm
- Screening of “Monochrome”, an authentic story of the Black experience in skateboarding, followed by a discussion at 218 W. 18th St, 8th Floor

SATURDAY, JUNE 25:
10:00am-5:00pm
- The Boardr Open presented by DC Shoes featuring the HHF Wildcard Contest at LES Skatepark
- Open to 20 local skaters, the male and female winners of the HHF Wildcard Contest will each receive $250 towards travel expenses to the event of their choice
2:00-7:00pm
- Women/LGBTQIA+ Skate Jam at Golconda/Fat Kid Skatepark in Brooklyn presented by Dickies
9:00pm-Midnight
- DC Shoes Presents: Harold Hunter Forever - the official HHDay Pre-Party featuring a screening of “HAROLD,” a new video by R.B. Umali
- 21+, RSVP required: hello@dcshoes.com

SUNDAY, JUNE 26:
1:00-6:00pm
- Harold Hunter Day XV Skate Jam presented by DC Shoes at LES Skatepark
- All-ages skate jam featuring best trick contests with cash and prizes, live music, and a massive product toss with free decks, t-shirts, hats, and more

Additionally, to coincide with HH Weekend, a limited edition HHF x Element capsule collection with images of Harold by Charlie Samuels will be released with proceeds benefiting the Harold Hunter Foundation. Legendary photographer and award-winning director Charlie Samuels got his start shooting the rise of NYC skateboarding for Thrasher. The capsule features a co-branded t-shirt, hooded sweatshirt, and deck, and will be available for sale at www.haroldhunter.org starting Friday June 24th. Supplies are limited and will sell out fast. 

For more information on HH Weekend and the Harold Hunter Foundation, please visit www.haroldhunter.org/blog, or follow the action on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

HHF presents The Creative Careers Summit featuring skateboarders in creative industries who will discuss how they landed where they are today. This is an initiative focused on making workforce readiness opportunities accessible to the skate community.

Tuesday, May 24th, from 7:30-9:30PM at 218 West 18th Street, 8th Floor.

Register now for the HHF Brownsville Skate Project Spring Clinics instructed by HHF Coaches Bilal Ndongo, Shani Bouldin, and Brandon Alfonso.

Running from May 4th - July 2nd at Betsy Head Skatepark, the FREE clinics are open to skateboarders of all abilities 5-17 years of age. Parents must register their child(ren) through our landing page on League Apps.

Clinics take place each week on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 4-7pm and Saturdays from 1-4pm. Skateboards and protective equipment will be provided to those who need it as well as free meals.

We look forward to seeing you!

PROJECT STATEMENT FROM RODNEY TORRES, TORRO! SKATEBOARDS FOUNDER:
 
Meeting Harold at the Brooklyn Banks back in 1992-93 was really inspiring for me. Harold had skills, style, consistency, and the confidence and personality that complemented it all. Harold was one of those genuine dudes you gravitate towards because of their personality. I honestly don’t think there was ever a time when I skated or chilled with Harold where I wasn’t cracking up laughing!
 
What inspired me most about Harold wasn’t just his skateboarding ability or his personality, it was how he treated people. He was always welcoming, positive, charming, and put a smile on everyone's face. Harold just being Harold helped people feel good about themselves as they went on with their day. Even the haters—he killed them with kindness!
 
At such a young age, I experienced a lot of the negative things that came with growing up during that era; it was a tough time and it honestly had me second guessing skateboarding. I felt like I didn’t fit in with the current circle of “the establishment” in our community, but Harold was one of the older guys that I looked up to who was a voice of reason, encouragement, and acceptance for me at that time. Harold helped me realize that all I needed to do was focus on what’s important to me, and that was skateboarding.

As I started going more and more into Manhattan from Queens, I’d link up and skate with Harold from time to time. I remember Harold taking me to a night club called the Tunnel to skate a mini ramp Eli Gesner had built. We skated it until the sun came up! Afterwards, Harold welcomed me into his home and blessed me with boards. He always said, “Just keep skating, kid.” To this day, I appreciate him for that.

This project is important to me because of the impact Harold had on my life. Harold inspired me to stay focused on what's important, encouraged me to keep pushing myself to be better, and taught me how to treat people. Harold’s impact also contributed to building some really good relationships with great people over time that led to me picking up sponsors, eventually turning pro, and ultimately creating my own skateboard brand.

When I launched TORRO! Skateboards, it was inevitable that I would launch it on Harold’s birthday, April 2nd. That was my way of paying homage to the person who inspired, accepted, encouraged, taught, and supported me to continue skateboarding. You never know the kind of impact a person can leave on a kid trying to find his way in this world, and Harold was the person who had that impact on me. I am forever grateful for Harold, and the mark he left on my life.

My brand TORRO! Skateboards has sponsored HHF events since we launched on Harold’s birthday back in 2012. As we mark our 10th anniversary, it's important to me that we partner with the Harold Hunter Foundation on this occasion because we are also celebrating Harold’s 48th Birthday! (R.I.P.)
 
This is an incredible opportunity to bring our community together to have a fun-filled weekend of skateboarding at LES and Substance on April 2nd and 3rd. We will also be unveiling a collaboration deck and t-shirt with a portion of proceeds donated to HHF to further its mission of helping NYC kids find their way through skateboarding the way Harold did for me. -Rodney Torres