- Details
- By Kaili Berg
Today, Oct. 14, the second annual Modern Matriarch Skate Jam will bring Navajo girls and women together in a celebration of sisterhood, sports, and community.
Hosted by Indigenous actress Jessica Matten, star of Rez Ball and Dark Winds, in partnership with 4KINSHIP’s Dine Skate Garden Project, the event takes place at Two Grey Hills Skate Park in New Mexico and focuses on empowering Indigenous women and girls through skateboarding, offering prizes and fostering friendships.
This year’s skate jam coincides with Indigenous Peoples Day—a day dedicated to honoring Native history, resilience, and culture. The event will raise funds to build a second skate park on the Navajo Nation reservation, giving more children access to the sport and nurturing the next generation of Indigenous athletes.
“What makes it unique is that we got sponsored by a Native matriarch, Jessica Matten,” Amy Denet Deal of 4KINSHIP shared, highlighting the importance of having a strong Indigenous role model involved. “It’s a modern matriarch actually supporting our young girls. I was floored.”
Denet Deal said having a visible and successful Native woman like Matten champion the event adds layers of significance, amplifying the message that Indigenous women can thrive in sports and in their communities.
Since its inception, 4KINSHIP’s Dine Skate Garden Project has been focused on increasing access to skateboarding for Navajo youth. Over the past year, Denet Deal and her team have distributed thousands of skateboards to Indigenous children.
“We want our kids to have the same level of events as they would in California or other urban areas with robust skate cultures,” Denet Deal said.
The skate jam is giving away cash prizes, with the top skater in each age group winning $500, along with awards for second, third, and best trick. On top of that, 150 skateboards will be distributed to children between the ages of 8 and 16, ensuring that more kids have the opportunity to skate and build their skills.
Looking ahead, Denet Deal envisions even bigger things for the Modern Matriarch Skate Jam. She hopes to bring in female skaters from other tribes and expand the event into a larger intertribal gathering.
“We want to have more outside skaters coming in and hosting them on Navajo Nation,” Denet Deal said. “Get out there. We’re here to support you. It doesn’t matter whether you win a first prize or just show up—we’re there to celebrate you. Skateboarding is about more than just competition; it’s about having fun, making friends, and building a community of support.”
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher