Finding your people and carving your identity
When Filippina Pola Rein Duyo learned to skateboard, she was taught by her boyfriend.
“It was always boys in my group skateboarding, there were no women,” she says. But then the Manila-local heard about a gang of girls skating together further north in the town of Pampanga.
There, Dane Quiambao and several of her friends had inadvertently started inspiring women around the Philippines to pick up a board and learn to skate.
The friends had just been meeting up together to skate at Clark Global City - a vast area with plenty of flat concrete to glide over. Then they’d go and grab some food to fuel up for the next skate session.
As the meet-ups became more consistent, they decided to create a name for themselves: the FT Crew.
“FT stands for Food Trip,” Dane says. “We’d eat more than we skate.” From there, they created a logo and started sharing their skating journey on Instagram.
This message, of forming a community simply through fun and learning something new, started to bloom. Their inbox became full of DMs from girls around the country wanting to join the crew.
“When I heard about the FT Crew, I saw how the girls all supported each other in their growth. Even as a beginner, everyone cheers you on and helps you improve,” Pola says.
She now helps run the Manila chapter of FT Crew. “There are a lot of girls skating here, and they want to belong to a community,” she says. “Then there are those who want to learn but are too shy to try - but they see our community are inspired and supported.”
Members of this chapter will be cruising, carving and pumping along Metro Manila’s Emerald Avenue when it’s blocked off to cars over the weekend. Otherwise, there’s not a lot of safe, empty pavements to practice skating on. The girls make the most of what they have.
Relyn Tan-Go is another leader showing up as many Sundays as she can for the ‘Sunday Skate Club’, where she hosts “Meet Cutes” on the Avenue.
It doesn’t matter if you own a skateboard or not - there’s always plenty to try and borrow. Relyn and her friends bring all their boards to share, everyone taking turns; especially important when new skateboards come with a hefty price tag. Those on the sidelines have a breather; they chat, giggle and cheer the learners on.
“We create safe spaces where women can be themselves,” Dane says.
More than 40 girls turned up to one of their Skate Clinics last month. By the end of the day, wobbles had turned to confident strides, even turns, and every single participant was able to push off and stay balanced. Every small progression is a win, and cheers and encouragement from the others follow you down the street as you skate.
“You can be a beginner or a pro, it doesn’t matter. Whoever you are, you can skate with us. Let’s eat, let’s skate, let’s share stories,” Dane says.
Photo by @purple_ast3r
Having spaces where women feel confident to learn a new sport is so important.
Traditionally, skateboarding is a sport dominated by men, but the girl gang meet-ups replace feelings of intimidation with empowerment. The allies show up, too, and are just as supportive. Male friends, boyfriends and husbands lend skateboards and helpful advice. One is a dad, his young daughter already ripping down the avenue.
“We’re just here to have fun and connect. We’re not professional skaters. You know, I’m a mom,” Dane shares.
Dane was originally inspired to hop on a board after seeing a group of women out skating during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. “I thought, whoa, those girls are so cool, I wanna be like that,” she says. After her husband heard her idea, he bought her a skateboard. She had no excuse not to try. “And the rest is history.”
Lee Ann Drew Ramos, another mom, started her skating journey with the FT Crew this year. Pola persistently encouraged her to try every time she showed up, until she eventually gave in and hopped on the board; her friends holding her hands, keeping her balanced, and encouraging her all the way.
“It’s been an amazing mental growth thing for me,” Lee Ann says. “After I tried to skate, I felt like I could do anything. It’s been a life-changing learning experience for me.”
The two mums say learning to skateboard has helped them reclaim their own identity as individuals.
“We just want to inspire people that it’s never too late to skate. And it’s okay to skate whatever level you have. It doesn’t matter if you want to learn a lot of tricks or just cruise around or carve,” Quiambao said.
“It’s about connecting with other girls, teaching them to be confident in themselves. That’s how skating helped me.”