My name Is Richard Rojas, I am 30 years old and a skateboarder from NYC. I recently co-founded “Skate to Elevate” a community-based organization that provides resources & safe spaces to marginalized communities. Through this, we host events, teach the youth, create global impact projects, have been approved for a brand new skatepark in Midland Beach, and much more!

Artist Name?

Rojas

How did you get your name? 

It’s my last name. In middle school there were 2 other Richards in my class so I told the teacher it would be ok for her to call me Rojas and it just stuck ever since.

How did you get into creating?

As I started to progress within skateboarding I bought myself a small “handicam” to film my friends and I. YouTube was starting to blossom and we were one of the first to make “short-form content” before reels or tik toks were even thought about. Editing these videos was a lot of fun, challenging, and rewarding when people would compliment them. Eventually, it led to dabbling into other mediums to elevate the content I was making such as photography, or making music to add to the videos.

Where are you from?

Stapleton, Staten Island, New York City

How did growing up in your neighborhood/city affect you?

I grew up in a really rough neighborhood where I felt like an outcast as a skateboarder. I used to hide my board before going to school so I wouldn’t get into fights. This led me to skate with the “punk” kids from school. That whole mentality of “not caring what other people think, or following society’s norms” stuck with me for life.

What did you do to advance your skills/knowledge?

Trial & Error. In skateboarding you can try a trick over 1000 times just to land it one time. This has carried over into other aspects of my life where I just keep trying to figure it out until I get it right. I feel like I’ll never be at a time in my life where I’m not trying to figure things out but that sense of accomplishment when it’s finally done makes it all worth it!

What does your current setup look like?

A lot of my current content is shot on an iPhone 13 Pro, and edited on a iPad Pro. I usually like to sit by the water and just get lost in my work. I am currently working on a film project where the footage is all filmed on a Sony HVX for a more cinematic look.

Who inspires you?

My biggest inspiration for everything I do is Tariq Zaid from Richmond Hood Co.
In high school I was skating at a local meet-up spot between Mckee & Curtis and my BRAND NEW set-up was stolen. I was complaining about the situation on Myspace and although they had only recently opened shop I received a message from them about hooking me up with some free product to soften the blow. From there I went on to being a loyal supporter of the shop, winning their contests, and eventually getting on their skate team. Tariq has provided me with resources to grow within my creative & professional development not only with other sponsorships but helping me with employment when my back was against the wall. Now that I started “Skate to Elevate” he has done nothing but support me back and he has no idea how appreciative I am of everything he’s done and still does for me. I hope to also be able to make that kind of impact on someone who really needs it.

What is your goal when you create?

To inspire other people to express themselves however they choose.

Why do you create?

It helps me express my emotions, ideas, and individuality in a way that is ambiguous & unique.

How has choosing your creative path affected your life?

I feel imposter syndrome at times but in reality, I am living my dreams, and working on every single thing I set out to do.

Did you have to overcome any obstacles along the way?

I stopped creating for a long time, but back a few years ago I was working at Honda and in what I considered a really serious relationship. I was having an existential crisis and very unhappy with myself because it felt as though I was settling. After quitting my job, and breaking it off with my ex it felt like I was ready to move onto a new chapter of my life.
I remember during that time my friends presented me with an opportunity to be a stakeholder in their event & creating the content for it was a lot of fun and brought me back to the times we used to make stupid YouTube videos.

Shortly afterward since I was just getting back into skating I would create other types of content for my personal Instagram that eventually got made fun of on a pretty large scale. It really got to me to the point I deleted everything off my socials and had a mental breakdown. I spiraled to the point of homelessness, & it was during that time I received a call about my friend Charlzid taking his own life. I had dealt with a lot of death previous to that but this hit me hardest, especially because I knew the feeling. It was at that point I knew what to do so I created a page as a journalist to touch on “Staten Island Skateboarding” and promote my first few projects which all now have multiple media publications covering their success including a GoFundMe to help with Charlzid’s funeral costs. Not only did I double down on skating but I now work in & contribute to communities that are marginalized, struggling, and going through the same things we did to provide them with the necessary resources to flourish. I’d rather have my back against the wall doing what I love than ever sell my soul for money again. He gave me the strength to keep going & I miss him every single day.

What's your go-to song right now and why is it important to you?

Pacífico - Disco Bahía
I’ve been trying to explore different subgenres of Spanish music & I just love this song’s vibe. Perfect for skating, a video edit, or on a long drive.

What is your dream as an artist and what steps are you taking to reach your dream?

My current dream is to just keep working on making “Skate to Elevate” more & more impactful every day.

What would you tell someone else with a dream? 

Don’t give up on it & stay true to yourself. Standing out is very important when it comes to any kind of artistry so never let anyone fully dictate how you want to express yourself.

Tell us about your most recent release.

My business partner and I recently launched a line of shirts to donate its proceeds to our program “El Chancé” an event series we designed to provide unique opportunities to the communities in Ecuador.

Check it out

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuUaUOxrycT/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Connect

Instagram: https://instagram.com/rojaskillsit?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

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