WE SKATE TOO: GRLSWIRL San Diego
“I can’t believe I’m here. I can’t believe I’m able to do what I do,” is the affirmation that Sarah Rewell says repeatedly. The heart, soul, and one of the two leaders of the San Diego GRLSWIRL chapter has an energy that reminds me of the summer rains I used to experience in Mexico: powerful, beautiful, and a force to be reckoned with.
Rewell not only pushes herself mentally and spiritually, but she does the same for everyone apart of GRLWSWIRL. It’s honorable, yet she finds it nothing exceptional. She has a natural-born ability to build a sense of community. The Brazil-born, San Diego-based skater started this pivotal journey in her life as a leader only a year ago. Before accepting the role as co-chapter leader of the San Diego chapter, alongside her partner Jay Cardoza, she acknowledged that she never saw herself as someone who could build a community, let alone be a leader.
Presently, she’s doing everything she never thought was possible. Growing up in Brazil, Rewell found herself longing for a different life, one that would lead her across the globe. Right after graduating high school at the age of 17, she tapped into the longing and found herself in the palm tree-filled, sunny land of San Diego. But it wasn’t until she met her partner Jay that everything started to fall into place: the tribe, the love, the GRLSWIRL community, the skateboarding, and the power of who she is.
GRLSWIRL is a grassroots skate community focused on uniting women, non-binary, trans, and queer folks through skateboarding. The organization aims to empower non-traditional skaters to break gender boundaries and inspire a new movement of inclusivity and friendship. Rewell embeds these values into the world. She fights for the underdog. She stands up for the folks who don’t have space. Rewell does this because she once knew what it felt like not to have it. Bringing people together through human connection is her kryptonite, and GRLSWIRL is the hero suit that brought it forth into the world.
GRLSWIRL originated in Los Angeles and hosted meetups by Venice Beach. What began as a few women grew into an international movement, with new chapters in New York and now, San Diego. As of now, Rewell and her partner lead the San Diego chapter, where the two foster a sense of family in the newer city.
I talked on the phone with Rewell for what felt like hours, and secretly, I wish it were. Her sense of passion and love for uniting non-traditional skaters runs deep through her veins and soul. It’s shocking to find out she’s only been skating for just a few short years. Rewell spilled to me about how moving to a new part of the world opened the gates for who she truly is, making sure inclusivity is the root of skateboarding for all non-traditional folks, building community, and fighting for space because at the end of the damn day, you deserve it.
First off, I’m so intrigued by your backstory. I know you’re originally from Brazil, so how did your journey go with skateboarding, making your way to San Diego, and doing what you do now?
I've always been very interested in America while growing up in Brazil. I would always be into shows and music. I swear I would always be mumbling to American music. Both of my brothers went to English school, and I thought that was super nice. It was then time for me to go to English school, but that's when we lost my father, so I couldn't since mom couldn't afford to send me. I just decided to self-teach myself English because I was obviously going through a really rough time while losing my father, so I wanted to distract myself.
That was the start of me diving into English while watching shows like Friends, How I Met You’re Mother and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I also realized that I didn’t want to go to college here in Brazil. I just wanted to finish high school and figure out what I wanted to do. At the time, I had a boyfriend living in Los Angeles and thought, well, maybe I’ll move to California. I wanted to move out there, just not in Los Angeles, because I never wanted to do that. I initially chose Santa Barbara, but then my brother told me he would move to San Diego. So then my mom was like, “Well, if your brother's gonna be in San Diego, then it's cool that you have somebody there to look over you.” So right after high school, I made it out here, and I got accepted into college. The rest is just a crazy story that I can't even believe that I'm here, you know?
Moving across the globe at such a young age must have been a crazy experience. Was that overwhelming for you to do in any way? This one?
Nowadays, I suffer a bit more from anxiety. But back then, I was living a dream that I couldn't even take the time to be nervous because I was just like, “Well, I'm here now.” I had to start finding my local grocery shop and all those things. It was just becoming my life. At first, it was a bit overwhelming in some sort because of the cultural difference. We [Brazilians] are so warm. We are so open and welcoming. When I mean open, I mean open in a sense that I will tell you my whole lifeline right now if you don't stop me. American people, or at least college kids, are not very open. I was very much so on my own, which is kind of how I've been my whole life. I've had friends, but I've always felt there was something different.
But now, for me, I get to flashback and think about where I currently am. I can't believe I found my tribe and my people and that I'm actually the one nurturing this chapter of GRLSWIRL in the United States. The fact that I’m running something that I never thought I could. Even when I first got GRLSWIRL San Diego which was like a year and a half ago, I was such a different person, and I didn’t think I can do this. But now, everything’s changed.
So how did you get into skateboarding? Was it not until you met other skateboarders here in California?
It’s so strange because I worked at a surf shop in Brazil, but I was just mesmerized by surfers and never really did it. I didn’t think I could be that person. I was actually a ballerina for seven years, then switched over to martial arts, which is a very extreme change from being a ballerina to being a fighter. But I feel like going into martial arts prepped me for skateboarding and just how tough it could be. It toughened me up a lot, which gave me the strength for boarding. So when I moved out here, I was drawn to the California lifestyle, and that’s what drew me out here, but I wasn’t sure exactly why or what for.
I didn’t really start to tap into skateboarding until I met my partner Jay. She started skating with a crew of girls about three years ago, and during that time, I was going through depression. I knew I didn’t want to be sad. I wanted just to be myself. Skateboarding really helped me get out of that place. In the beginning, I would just go to the skatepark to watch my partner and her friends. But then it clicked with me that I loved the community of it. The fact that people get excited when you try a new trick or cheer you on, I saw it as something I could be included in and make sure other people could be, which I felt like I searched for my whole life. Which is to be welcomed and to include people because I know what that feels like not to be.
I think that my journey and how I got to it was through my partner and her friends and her little skate group that was so excited to teach me. They taught me everything I know, from skate park etiquette to foot placement and just the basics. Since then, I’ve tried all types of boarding. Surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, and I love all of them. It’s funny because my whole life I told myself I couldn’t do those things, and now those sports are what I love the most.
I feel that I find many people who use skateboarding as a form of therapy or source for healing. It sounds like that’s what it’s down for you as well.
It comes down to the fact that I can only be in the present moment when I’m skateboarding. When you're brought back to the present moment and then, in the present moment you're having a good time, that just helps you heal. It helps you connect and think, “Oh, I do have joy in me. I do have happiness in me.” Maybe it was an outlet in that way to feel like I still am that person, that I am me. I remember when I was in that dark place I used to say that I feel like my joy is gone. I feel like I can't be my true self anymore because my self is bubbly and silly. So when you're caught in those like states of depression you kind of lose those senses. It was definitely an outlet for coming back to the present moment and not being on cloud nine where I was living in those thoughts.
I know that GRLSWIRL is big on inclusivity with feeling safe, comfortable, and building a sense of community with non-traditional skaters of all types. I feel that’s what you bring to the table for yourself, so how important is it for you to also share that message with the San Diego chapter?
Like many of us, and the people that attend GRLSWIRL San Diego, they have at least once in their life felt like they couldn't do it. Not just with skateboarding, but maybe in something else with school, sports, or anything else life throws at us. Just feeling like you can’t tackle it or feeling limited with what you have. To be honest, that’s how I have felt so much in my life. That's why our GRLSWIRL chapter is so important to me because when I think of myself in those states, I just want to do everything I can to make sure that people aren't getting lost in those thoughts, in those moments of their own life. Because it will happen. People will make you feel like you don’t belong. But there is always a space if you find it, and you are going to relate to and you’ll feel like you belong there.
How did you eventually get connected with GRLSWIRL and running the new San Diego chapter?
I started following GRLSWIRL when I was maybe only one month into skateboarding. I sent Jay their page on Instagram and around that time I was just riding carver but I was also skateboarding. I used to carver a lot so when I saw them, I just thought it was so dope how they were trying all these things on a carver because, at the time, I only thought you could cruise around. I remember telling Jay that I thought these were seriously the coolest chicks I’ve ever seen.
So we started following them and sending them love through DM’s. They posted up a party at Waterfront and I was so excited so we ended up making it to the party. They were taking donations so I was handing the donations to one of the main girls from GRLSWIRL, Lucy, who I handed the donations to. We started talking and I mentioned that I’m from Brazil, long story short, her boyfriend went to the same high school as me. So he ended up being from my home town and I actually knew her partner. So coming back to right now, it all felt so meant to be. How unlikely is that to happen, you know? We were all very blown away.
So we talked to them a bunch that night and just went to the meet-ups whenever we could. One time they came down to San Diego to skate with us and they mentioned that they were going to start opening chapters in different cities. They told us they were thinking of doing San Diego next because it was one of the most requested cities. So they told us they were going to put out applications and wanted us to apply. At this point, we were friends with them but we were just so nervous about it all.
Anyways, we applied and we put so much work into it because we knew we were wanted this. I didn’t know how many people were gonna apply, but I just felt in my heart that I was meant for something bigger than myself and I can do so many great things with this platform. The whole interview process was a great experience, and we ended up getting it. We met the ladies up at the Berrics for an event they were having and we signed up to volunteer. At the event, they told us that our applications made all of them cry, so we got it.
I know there are many collectives out there, but what makes GRLSWIRL so unique and special to be apart of?
This answer is going to be a bit biased because I am one of them. But the fact that the leaders from GRLSWIRL in LA came together so naturally, and from their heart wanted to start this movement that could make a difference in people’s lives, is crazy. You take that feeling, and that’s what Lucy was trying to find in her leaders in these different chapters. So when you look at who leads each one, you see just genuineness. You know that all of us have gone through something, and we can just relate to you somehow.
I think that all collectives feel that way, too. We all have one goal, which is to bring people together. Were also actively and always trying to work on ourselves and making sure we are reaching to non-binary, trans, and queer skaters just as much as we reach women. Even if we’re not perfect, I can promise you we always put in the effort to be as inclusive as we possibly can for marginalized and non-traditional skateboarders.
The most powerful thing you can do as a human is making sure that you always keep in mind that you are allowed to take space just as much as everyone else. Doesn’t matter if it’s your first day stepping on a board or skateboarding for years, you take the space you deserve. We are here to make sure you have that space. We just want to be the helping hand if you feel like you don’t have space, that’s what we are here for.
Do you have any mentors you look up to in the world of skateboarding?
I don’t have any personal mentors, but my favorite skateboarder is Nora Vasconcellos. I look up to her, but she doesn’t know that. She’s just awesome. But literally, anybody that is out there doing their thing. Like if I see one chick at the skatepark and she’s just doing her thing by herself, she automatically becomes my mentor. She becomes someone I look up to because I’m proud of her. That’s not even something I have the balls to do myself, so anyone who just shows up and shows themselves for who they truly are while taking up space, becomes my mentor right away. I just want to learn and be inspired by non-traditional skaters the most that I can.
Lastly, what advice would you give to any non-traditional skaters that are seeking a community or clan of like-minded skaters to learn with? Or maybe someone who wants to build their own collective?
I would say no one is going to do it for you. So if you feel it in your heart that you are meant for this and you feel that you want to nurture something beyond just yourself, just go after it. It’s scary, and I’m still scared every single day. But in the beginning, for me, I didn’t even think I was a leader. But every single person that is a leader is scared. Just allow yourself to be vulnerable, to learn as you go, but know that there is a deep reward that comes from that. It’s deeper than anything you have known from the past. It’s true human connection, that is the reward. Know that your intentions are beautiful, and the execution is going to come just as beautiful as the intention in your heart.
