We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Audrey Faison. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Audrey below.
Hi Audrey, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
Skateboarding has taught me so much about resilience and developing my mental, physical, and emotional strength. Skating requires consistent practice and a willingness to fail. The process of falling and failing over and over has taught me the importance of perseverance and the ability to keep trying even when things get tough.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name is Audrey Faison and I am an educator, skater, and surfer living in Venice, California. I have been an educator in South LA for the past 7 years in the communities of West Athens, Compton, and Watts and have recently transitioned into my new full-time role as the Founder and Executive Director of Concrete Queenz. Concrete Queenz is a non-profit that brings skateboarding and community to underserved girls in South Los Angeles.
We believe that skateboarding can be a powerful tool for empowering girls to be strong, independent, and confident. Our mission is to create a safe and inclusive space for girls to learn and practice skateboarding, while also building valuable life skills such as leadership, teamwork, and communication. We host weekly skateboarding programming, go on field trips to skateparks, and collaborate with stakeholders to host community events. Last year we had 25 girls in the program at Animo Mae Jemison in Compton and this year we are expanding to have another 25 girls at Animo Legacy in Willowbrook.
We are so excited about the expansion of our program and are currently looking for new sponsors and brand donors. We are also excited to announce the launch of our new corporate sponsorship program. You can visit www.concretequeenz.org to learn about the benefits of being a corporate sponsor.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
A lot of people are going to tell you “no”. Ignore them and keep going. Anything is possible if you invest time, effort, and love towards positive change in the world.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
We are always looking for new organizations to collaborate with and corporate sponsors to help fund our program. We look for organizations in almost any industry that can work with us to allow our girls to have new experiences. Some organizations we have worked with in the past focus on areas such as yoga, art, beauty, mindfullness, and equestrian care.
Our corporate sponors are a big reason our program is successul. We are so grateful for our current sponsors: Arbor Skateboards, Cariuma, Impala Skate, Triple8NYC, GrlSwirl, Indigo Garden, Pura Vida, Keen Ramps, Fat Sal’s, Mamaskate, Sean Davis and Grind Theory, Venice Skateboarding Stuff, Havalina Skate, Gold Coast Skateboards, Yowsurf, Inner Black Yoga, Venice Surfing Association, Downhill Dogs, Explore Thousand, Area F Clothing, Day Watch, Jart Skateboards, Dogtown Fundraising, Leandre Sanders aka Skate Goat, The Venice Waterfront, The Venice Ale House, Juice Magazine, and Bones Love Milk (got milk?).
We are so excited about our new corporate sponsorship program where you or your business are able to get awesome perks from us. Interested in being a Bronze sponsor by donating $2,500? You will recieve a Top Fundraisers Certificate & Personalized Thank You Letter, Logo on CQ Website & Social Media Post Announcing Sponsorship, Concrete Queenz Gift Bag (sticker, key chain, shirt, hat), Branded Storytelling on Instagram & Verbal Acknowledgement for Press. Interested in donating $50,000? As a Platiumum Sponsor you will recieve all of the above, as well as Branding on Promotional Materials for Events, A Banner with Logo to be Hung at Venice Skatepark Trip, Naming Rights to Field Trip, Naming Rights to a Skate Invitational, Skating with the CQs at Practice and A Custom Branded Board.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.concretequeenz.org
- Instagram: concretequeenz
- Youtube: concretequeenz
- Other: Donation Page: https://givebutter.com/concretequeenz
Image Credits
Victoria Craven
