"Billions of Eyes" by Lady Lamb and “Banshee Beat” by Animal Collective

The Power of Girls

Skateboarding

in India

Play Movie
This is Off The Wall

Attend a Girls Skate Event

Kicking off on March 1st, Vans will encourage women and girls around the world to learn to skate and embrace skateboarding as a form of creative expression. Skateboarding is an amazing way for girls and women to be more confident, to push their limits, and discover what they are capable of. Throughout 2018 Vans we will host numerous skateboarding clinics to get girls and women who may have considered skateboarding to come to these events, learn something new and experience this unique form of creativity. If you want to be a part of this unique experience you will have to register at the event which in turn will be first come, first serve (Limited spots available).

10th - 11th March | 10AM London HOV London Arches, 228-232 Station Approach Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8SW, UK SIGN UP TO DISCOVER MORE
10th March | 1PM Warsaw Skatepark AVEPARK ul. Krakowiaków 80/98, 02-255 Warszama SIGN UP TO DISCOVER MORE
8th March | 5PM Prague Plechárna Černý Most Bryksova 1002/20, 198 00 Praha 14 SIGN UP TO DISCOVER MORE
8th March | 11AM Moscow Gravitatsiya Moscow, Novoostapovskaya, 5, bld. 2 SIGN UP TO DISCOVER MORE

In India, like many places around the world, girls are expected to follow societal norms. But for Atita Verghese, skateboarding has opened up a whole new world of possibilities and led to the foundation of her organization Girls Skate India. She recently teamed up with Lizzie Armanto, who serves as an inspiration and role model to a generation of girls including the locals in India. The pair led a girls skate workshop in Bangalore, India that taught the girls more than how to skate - it taught them how to be fearless, take risks, and the empowerment to push passed expectations.

Chris standing up holding his daughter Elva
"I have this thing called girls skate India. I try to promote female skateboarding around the country." - Atita Verghese
"Lizzie is one of the best female skateboarders right now. She's done amazing things for the female skate community." - Atita Verghese
"We're going to be messing with concrete and we're going to teach a girls clinic" - Lizzie Armanto
"Once these girls see what's possible, they're going to have new aspirations and dreams that she's going to ignite in them" - Atita Verghese
“I’m skating for last two years with Atita and I would love to skate with Lizzie.”
- Avani
“When I found out that Lizzie was coming to Bangalore for the workshop I got super excited.”
- Anam
“I started skating three months ago. It’s my first time skating at the ramp. I usually skate on the road.”
- Naphisa
“People look astonished to see me skating. But I don’t have any problem.”
- Mini
"It was cool to see all the different levels of the girls. And most of my group, everyone learned a trick." - LIZZIE ARMANTO
"Skateboarding, in general, allows you that freedom to just choose whatever, be whatever, do whatever." - Atita Verghese

Featuring

Atita Verghese

In most countries there can be a big gender gap when it comes to skateboarding and life in general, and in India this divide can be much more pronounced. All of these roadblocks were completely shattered for Atita when she found skating at the age of 19, in Goa, India. Since that discovery she has made it her mission to introduce more girls to the benefits of skateboarding and has taken on the task of championing the burgeoning girls skate scene in India. Spend a little time with Atita and you’ll get an amazing glimpse into how skateboarding can change lives and be used as a means of empowerment.

@rattyatty

Lizzie Armanto

There have always been amazingly talented women skateboarders but there’s no denying that Vans Pro and Tony Hawk protégé, Lizzie Armanto, is one of the most groundbreaking ladies in skateboard history. In 2016 she became the 1st woman to ever grace the cover of Transworld, then in 2017 she dropped Thrasher & Birdhouse parts and was the 3rd woman to make the cover of Thrasher (and the first one since 1994). The truth is, Santa Monica native, Lizzie Armanto, is flat out gnarlier than half the dudes out there.

@lizziearmanto