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- By Kaili Berg
Navajo students will arrive by bus to the Navajo Nation Fair on Wednesday, September 3, where they’ll be greeted with music, giveaways, and rows of brand-new skateboards.
The event, part of Good Medicine Youth Day, is organized by 4KINSHIP, which will distribute 2,000 complete skateboards, 7,000 pairs of shoes, and a variety of wellness items to Native youth and families.
Now in its second year and newly rebranded as Good Medicine, the celebration centers on wellness, movement, and community care.
“We just wanted to bring a little more wellness focus to the day,” 4KINSHIP founder Amy Denet Deal (Diné) told Native News Online. “It’s about getting kids excited about physical sports and exercise. This year puts us around 7,500 skateboards we’ve distributed so far.”
The day will include a live DJ set by Navajo artist DJ Beeso, along with appearances from pro skateboarders and artists who will hand out boards and connect with kids.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren and Vice President Richelle Montoya are also expected to attend in support of the initiative.
Native Shoes is donating Star Wars and Disney-themed sneakers for children, while Baby2Baby has contributed 10 pallets of diapers and supplies for families with young children.
For Deal, skateboarding is about more than just fun—it’s a way to uplift youth and build community. Growing up under the shadow of Indian boarding schools and relocation policies, she’s made it her mission to show up for Diné youth with intention and impact. She’s helped build a skatepark in Two Grey Hills, raised over $100,000 with help from Tony Hawk, and distributed thousands of skateboards across the Navajo Nation.
“Good Medicine is really a celebration of our culture,” Deal said. “Indigenous communities have always taken care of each other—especially the next generation. Putting kids first, keeping them healthy, making sure they have joy—that’s what this is all about.”
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