The USC Skate Studies project consists of both a national study, and a Los Angeles-focus study. The national study, Beyond the Board: Skateboarding, Schools and Society, was funded by the Skatepark Project, (formerly the Tony Hawk Foundation). The study focused on youth who are passionate about skateboarding —including skateboarders who are integrated into thriving skateboard communities and those who might feel disenfranchised from the skateboard community or the community at large. The study included a national survey with over 5,000 responses and over 120 interviews. Researchers explored how skateboarding identity affects the way skaters interact with each other, with schools, and with broader society. Our focus on skaters from low-income and/or minoritized backgrounds ensured that findings reflect diverse perspectives. By gaining a deeper understanding of the complexity of skateboard ecosystems, we hope to inform skateboarding scholarship and practice.

The LA study builds on this national study. In the summer of 2020, USC faculty — with funding from the USC Provost’s Office — embarked on the Mattering in the Margins study to explore how Los Angeles area skateboarders navigate wellness and foster community. In February of 2021, we welcomed a brilliant group of skateboarders — between the ages of 18-30 — as participatory action research collaborators. Our intent is to provide a glimpse into our methodologically layered research approach, the effect the study had on participant researchers, and our hopes for potential impact. Learn more about this breakthrough research by visiting the USC Skate Studies website: