SK8 by ERNESTO PUJOL

Ernesto Pujol is a very precious friend of us, and New York-based conceptual artist with a multimedia and interdisciplinary art practice, has donated us a hand painted long board from his series of birds. We were not able to fit this huge board on the crate, so I will just carry it with me on the plain... I hope we make it to Cuba with this beautiful art piece!

Monday 2, last day working on the crate.

Our deadline was March 1, but the Chelsea Visits Havana crew had some delivery delays so...

After organizing and documenting all the donations, we put hem in boxes in a way they fit inside the crate (this was the hard part!). We taped and closed each box, to make sure that if the crate gets open they don't do party with our stuff. I named all the boxes with a marker all around... eventually this changed cause we had to make more space inside the crate, until we puzzled it out. So we fit all in 5 boxes, the use skateboards are in the middle, some shoes and wheels are at the bottom, and the rest is inside the boxes.

Crate #31 (part of the Chelsea Visits Havana event) departs to the 10th Havana Biennial, Cuba.

VANS -early in the morning donation-

Good morning America... here is Vans donation! It rocks!

What a crazy morning! We just survived a snow storm this morning. Even Dustin got stuck in the snow with RockStar's van at Bleeker and Crosby St. We were on our way to the gallery. I took the train until Broadway-Lafayette, and met Dustin, who have been struggling with the snow for about 30 min. There were like a line of people who come and go, they'll stop help lush a bit and keep walking. At least we had some friendly nuyorkers that help us out!

But we are super super happy with this great and colorful donation from Vans who, gave us a little bit of everything, from t-shirts, pants, hats, sneakers, girl stuff, and belts.


Thanks Dustin Charlton, our truck driver, and project assistant in New York!
Also, thanks to his super cool girlfriend who kindly help us moved the crate with all the boxes of donations to the city, last Friday afternoon.

STEREO SOUND AGENCY?

So, yes is true! Andrew Shusterman (Marketing & Team Manager) is in conversation with us for a possible donation from Stereo Sound. The only problem is the deadline. Let see what can we manage for our friend of the West Side. Also, Stereo Sound would be the only West-Coast label, which would be great if they can get involve in the project!

ZOO YORK (mega donation)

This last Friday was full of good news and events... One of this was a call I got from Catherine Nieves (Intl Marketing Manager), telling me that ZOO YORK was willing to donate $1,000 in merchandise. We still organizing this shipment because it will probably have to be send directly to Cuba. Our crate us mad full, and more donations keep arriving.

Wao! I am surprise this project is just starting and the feedback have been amazing... I wish we can repeat this in the next few years with more budget so we can travel with some pros, do demos, plus donate equipment. That will be the perfect scenario, but for know we just do what I can.

Bodega Skateboards

Yeah! Bodega donate us 3 skateboards on Friday. They also gave me a ride after work, thanks for that! ...and to Oscar Wagenbuchler for helping us unload Rockstar Bearing's truck with all our donations at Magnan Projects gallery, NY.

That nite in the AUTUM BOWL, Greenpoint (Brooklyn) they had a fun skate/punk-rock jam going on. I got some nice footage from the event... Got Scotty and Harley ripping it out. Gimme' some time to edit it and I will post it!

BLAST Magazine

We got you some good news from Blast Magazine (Latino America). Las week Olman Torres,
wrote to use about a possible donation 100 issues of Blast Mag. for the Cuban kids. Red Bull (Cuba) might help us on this as well 'cuz we are running low in budget.

We will to up-load soon more pictures from this past weekend adventure: moving the crate from Brooklyn to the city. There are so many donations that our crate does not close, we got to puzzle it out because tomorrow is our last day. The crate gets ship-out March 3.

ETNIES & KCDC (boxes with donations)

Hey! This morning I went to the YMCA, did my cardio and weight routine. In the afternoon, that's when the hard part started. Ride the subway from Nostrand St. to Canal St., walk to Greene St. to pick up a huge amount of boxes at ETNIES Showroom. Alex helped me to move the boxes from the basement... Yo! Thanks for that! Cuz' I know you had had a busy day.

I waited a couple of minutes for the car service. The driver was a strong Domican guy who help me to carry the boxes from the showroom's entrance to the car, and then help me to unload the boxes at BedStuy, Brooklyn. My brother, Gabo, help me to carry the boxes upstairs to my apartment. We placed all the shoes in our living room and took photos for the record: all the shoes are size 9 (men) and there are four size 7 (women).

Muchas, muchas, muchisimas gracias a ETNIES and to Alex!!!!

We hope the Cubans get to destroy all those kicks skating the street of Vedado!

Then at 7 PM I rushed with my groceries mini-cart to KCDC by subway. There I pick up a box with clothing and 9 used boards. Those boys at the shop are always so sweet and sicked with the project... I wish we had enough budget to get ya' all down to Cuba! Anyways, much thanks for your help loading the mini-cart, and, of course, the used boards.

Nice selection of clothing by Amy, from KCDC: Assorted T-Shirts (men), NIKE sweat shirt & pants, skirts, Volcom jeans and pants (girls), a polo and a hoody.

Donations from Philly... and "el carrito"

Melissa and I met at 8:30 AM in Colador Cafe, a Dominican owned coffee shop, in the corner of Bedford and Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn. There we had our cafe con leche con expreso, plus a nice breakfast to start our long trip to Philly.

It was our first time in a Chinatown bus, so we were kinda lost at first. While on tour we did our usual girl-talk, enjoy the view and sleep. Melissa called her twin sister Mariela who told us the good news of yesterday's boxing fight at Madison Square Garden. Mr. Cotto (our puertorrican amazing boxer) won last night against the other guy. Yeah! I bet half of Puerto Rico is celebrating this victory on the beach, mean while our Sunday back in Philly was a rainy and gray day.

Two hours later... the bus finally arrived to Philly's Chinatown. We walk to the mall grabbed a salad in the food court, then ask for directions where they told us to get the 57 bus. With the map in our hands we realized that we were not that far from South St. so we decided to walk. It was like a 15 min. walk... it was cold, windy and rainy, but we made it to a coffee shop in from of Nocturnal Skate shop.

Fresh Chai Tea served by the owner, a very social Palestinian man.

After a great cup of coffee, another of chai tea and baklava we were warm and full of energy to picked up a bunch of donations from Nocturnal and Bainbridge Skateshop. In Nocturnal, Braxton hands up a bag full of wheels, some trucks, like 8 used boards (one of it was from Luis a friend from Puerto Rico), and 3 new decks from One Skateboards Co. At Bainbridge Caezar gave us 3 used boards, and another bag full of wheels. Yeah! Melissa and I where hands full of equipment... cool! but how are we gonna get all this back to NYC?

This is when imagination come very handy... so we built "el carrito" from a skateboard and a recycle bin that we got for free at a gallery in Bainbridge St.

OMG! We were laughing all night long of our funny-weird invention. Hahahaha!!!!

Melissa making sure to tight the handles, and placed in the luggage compartment "el carrito" in the bus.

Sofia pulling "el carrito" from the bus station and ridding it around Brooklyn.

Thanks Melissa, for helping me transport the donations from Philly to NY!
And thanks to all you guys that donated equipment to make this project possible!

One Skateboard Co.

We just talk with AJ Kohn from One Skateboard Co., he was really cool and interested in the project. They will be busy down in Baltimore this weekend, but will kindly drop their donation at Nocturnal. That's great 'cuz we need some wheels & boards for sure.

He told us about their community projects in Philly which we hope to learn more about and collaborate in a future.

Much love to One Skateboard's crew!

this SUNDAY -next trip to Philly-

This weekend we are traveling to Philadelphia to pick up our new and used donations. We're looking forward to meet with AJ Kohn from One Skateboard Co. Our friend Caezar just told us he has some board for us at Bainbridge Skateboard Shop, and the boys from Nocturnal as well have a donation to make... so is gonna' be a busy weekend!

Then on Monday we will pick up a box up at ETNIES showroom and another box that Amy packed at KCDC, plus some used boards that the boys have been saving at the shop.

LAST CALL FOR DONATIONS IN PHILADELPHIA: Sunday, Feb/22!!!

ROCKSTAR BEARING "nuestro backeo"

Hey! We just had a text conversation with Adrian... like always... hahaha!!! The good news is that they are gonna' donate us a bunch of Rockstar Bearing.

Yep! This was a most in the list.

And he might travel with us to Cuba, so that's gonna be an adventure. At least I am gonna have a salsa partner for the "rumbas callejeras".



A shout-out to our friend Mayra Gallegos, from RockStar Girls, she recently contact us with the Chica Rider's crew (an amazing skater project for females), who will soon collaborate with the Skate My Patria project.

Dustin Charlton

We have to thanks our collaborator Dustin Charlton, who haved help us all this time. Even thou he is mega busy with job, he always finds time for the Skate My Patria project.

And Adrian Lopez, from RockStar Bearing, who at the moment is missing in action, but he's our boricua bro... always there for us.

"the CRATE"

Today we woke up early... Jorge cooked breakfast for us, then he went to the post-office. One hour later Priscila and I walk down our hood to meet him at Home Depot. It was a sunny and warmer day. Our mission today was to build the crate for the shipment to Cuba. So we bought wood panels, screws, and other materials. We cut the wood panels at Home Depot were they did a pretty crazy job, so our crate is gonna end kinda funky looking. Then a rastaman help us to transport all the wood to the house... yep! he had some good vibes in his truck.

Jorge (from Los Vigilantes) helping to built the crate...
we haven't made it without him.

Priscila says, "Baby, what you doing there?"

I thinks this crate is almost done, we just need to fill it with all our donations and paints!

Are we gettin' some of this???

This past week we visit SUPREME and Alex Dymond promised us some boards... well, I hope this dream comes true, because we love you guys! I'll keep you posted. Can't wait to see the new shop, anyway I like that temporary spot on Crosby St.

Today at KCDC

This afternoon under the rainy weather we made it up to KCDC, a skate shop in Williamsburg, NY.

Amy Gunther, owner, was delighted with our project. So we headed back to their inventory and filled a box with new clothing for boys and girls. This next week we will pick it up, with the rest of the used boards that they've been saving for us.



But I just could not believe she keep saying, "I wish I could donate more...".

What!? She is the best! Thanks Amy, we are really proud of you for being a strong-workaholic female, and owner of the best skate shop of Brooklyn.

We found this interview of her check, it out!

ETNIES is gonna' donate a box!

Yesterday we met with Alex Corporan at MeKong, a chillin' place in Soho, to talk about the ETNIES collaboration with Skate My Patria project. He had really good news for us. ETNIES is willing to donate a big amount of shoes and clothing for the Cuban skaters. That's great! I love how ETNIES have always collaborate with the arts. Their showroom is located in 29 Greene St., NY, where they had curated some mad art shows. We hope to build up a good friendship with ETNIES, and develop some innovative plans for the future.



Muchas gracias to Alex and the guys from the dominos.
Yo! Next time we hit up the dominos for money.

New friend in tha house...

Yo! Chris Pastras is a very enthusiastic person an a great skater that we admire. We were so delighted to receive his email saying that we was willing to collaborate with the project. His been down to Cuba a few times and he knows what the situation is for our fellow skater friends.

Also, last Saturday, after buying all sorts of phone cards I was able to call Che, our boy down in the island. Che has been helping very much. He said that the guys mostly needed boards, because is the thing that breaks the most and that clothing was not that important. It seems that the Cuban skaters are not so into clothing, for them brands are not that important. They just want to ride all day long... and maybe go to the beach afterwards. Well, we will see what they are all about. I kinda like that anti-consumerism statement, is an ideal that we have lost here in the states.

8 used trucks (from Blades)

Much thanks to Dave (manager) and Katelyn, from Blades (659 Broadway St.), who kindly offer us this used trucks and post our poster in store. This is another location were you can donate your used skateboard equipment. Just contact our friend Katelyn she will have a box for donations. Hope we make a big shipment for Cuba before the end of the month!

I just love New York, even thou is mad cold today.

Save Now

Our first donation from 5BORO!

Photo by Prisila Vazquez.

Yeah! We just received via mail our first donation of boards from 5Boro!!! I got home from work and my roommate, Priscila, told me, "Hey! Esto te llego por correo." I didn't wait a second to open it... and look what we got, five dope boards. It was a really exiting moment, this 5Boro guys just made my nite. Hahaha!!!

This is just the beginning of our project. I know good things are waiting for our humanitarian project. Tomorrow I am planing to stop by KCDC, let see how many stuff the locals have donated.

Keep the good vibe! Hope you all have a lovely weekend.