The next generation of change makers is seeking to make our world a more habitable, hospitable place, both in physical and global, social environments. With a radical set of talents, and an eye toward building a better future for generations to come, the youth set chimes in on their design for the globe passed down to them.
Maria Castle, in a college undergraduate package, harbors the dream, drive, and vision of the rising generation. Multi-hyphenate Maria is an environmental scientist with a passion (and supreme talent) for skateboarding. Through a language understood by Gen Z— media, and the global commonality of the skating community— the new guard of our culture lauds Maria as a change- maker in her own right: one of a kind, changing the world a kick flip at a time.
Maria Castle 21 years
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- Maria Castle Photographed by Ben Cope
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- Maria Castle Photographed by Ben Cope
Maria Castle Photographed by Ben Cope
How has your sport impacted your care for the environment? How has it motivated you to leave a better world for your own generation?
// We need to keep our environment clean if we want to be able to get out and enjoy it. Part of skateboarding is getting out and enjoying the outdoors, so I spend a lot of time outside. I worked in an office job for five years during high school, which made me realize I don’t want to be inside all the time. Skateboarding has motivated me to get out more.
What impact do you seek to make on the world?
// I want to use my environmental science degree and skateboarding influence to help people realize we need to make a change as a society in order to keep our environment healthy for us to enjoy.
What call to action would you echo to your peers and followers to influence positive change?
// Knowledge is power, and the more we know about our globe, the more we can do to sal- vage it, and mitigate the effects of climate change.
What plans do you have for your future?
//After I graduate this year, I see myself get- ting into climate change studies. I’ve been really interested in studying how climate change is affecting us globally. I feel like I can use skateboarding as a way to spread.
Kidd Voo harbors the dream, drive, and vision of the rising generation. Through a language understood by Gen Z— media, and the global commonality of the skating community— professional skateboarder Voo dispenses wisdom as a changemaker in his own right: one of a kind, changing the world a kick flip at a time.
Kidd Voo 26 years
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- Kidd Voo Photographed by Ben Cope
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- Kidd Voo Photographed by Ben Cope
What hope for change are you seeing from the future generation? What wisdom do they possess that past generations may not have?
// The changes I hope for the future generation is that they possess the power they know they have and take advantage of it, and do everything they can to make the world a better place. All they have to do is research hard and take advantage.
How can we give back to nature, and teach the next generation to, as well?
// Honestly, my way of saying we can give back to nature is to stop cutting all these trees down and let nature do its thing. The closer we get to nature, the better it will treat us.
How have you seen nature have a positive impact on the future generation?
// I have seen many impacts with nature on the future generation. Whether it comes to cars, clothing, or anything of the sort. They have flying cars now, cars that run on water. It amazes me. Each day, there is someone trying to change the world for the better within the new generation.
Professional skateboarder and artist Braydon Szafranski fans the flame of his passion for the sport as he passes the baton to the next generation of artists in their own right, piecing together the blocks of a brighter future.
Braydon Szafranski 40 years
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- Braydon Szafranski Photographed by Ben Cope
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- Braydon Szafranski Photographed by Ben Cope
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- Braydon Szafranski Photographed by Ben Cope
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- Braydon Szafranski Photographed by Ben Cope
How do you think the rising generation is working toward a better future?
// Now, skateboarding is a much cleaner image, especially with the Olympics. When I grew up in the 90s, there weren’t that many skaters. Everybody came from a broken home. Everyone had something a little mentally crazed going on that pushed them into that world; a lot of people were taggers. It was a destructive artistic form in itself. A lot of skaters become artists without even knowing that they’re artists. Today, there’s a greater focus on mental health, channeling that energy in a more focused way.
In what way does skating influence your approach to the environment, and how do you think we can best preserve our world for the next generation?
// All skateboarders have a way of looking at the world that most people don’t. Every day, you either choose to learn or not learn. Over the years, what type of cement is what, what type of granite is what, where it comes from in the world, where it’s put. You become an architect without even knowing you’re an architect. You can see a building and spots and things that nobody else would ever blink an eye at. Because of this, you become your own artist. I see a canvas with a bunch of things on it when everybody else sees it blank.
What call to action would you pass on to today’s youth, who will one day be our leaders?
// Maybe I’m old school. Burn it down. Do whatever makes you happy. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Everything else is go- ing to be water under the bridge. Everybody cares too much what everybody thinks. I say burn it down. Have fun. Enjoy your life. You only get one. Make every day count. You can always make money, you can always make a lot of things, but you can’t get time back. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says about it or thinks about it, you are happy. Enjoy every second of every moment. Rock and roll. Skateboarding. Spread Love. Visualize your life and take your life to another level.
