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- By Kaili Berg
The event, a fusion of skateboarding and heavy metal music, aims to register young Indigenous voters ahead of the upcoming election, creating a platform for cultural expression and political engagement.
Founded in 2020 and led by Diné activist Allie Young, Protect the Sacred advocates for Native voter participation. Since its creation, the organization has launched the Ride to the Polls campaign, using cultural events to inspire young Native people to register and vote.
This campaign started with horseback rides to polling places and has since evolved to embrace other forms of transportation, like skateboarding, to engage younger generations of Native voters.
“In 2020, we launched Ride to the Polls with the presidential election, and in 2022, we expanded it. We really wanted to meet our young voters where they are and where their interests and passions lie,” Young told Native News Online. “Skateboarding culture has really boomed in recent years, and we saw it as an opportunity to engage Indigenous youth through something they love.”
Skateboarding holds a special place in many Native communities, especially in the Navajo Nation. Over the past few years, the building of skate parks has surged across reservations, giving young people new spaces to gather and express themselves.
“Skateboarding is a passion for many of our native young people,” Young said. “It’s just about getting out there and riding, being a part of a community.”
The event will kick off at noon MDT with a skateboarding competition at Louise Yellowman County Park. Skaters can compete in three age groups—12 and under, 13-17, and 18 and up—with a dedicated girls’ category. The competition, operated by Apache Skateboards, is open to all experience levels, with prizes awarded to the top three participants.
Registration is free, and all participants will receive a custom-designed shirt created by Diné artist Ryan Allison (Neon Navajo), featuring the slogan “Pop an Ollie, Drop a Vote.”
Following the competition, participants will head to Greyhills Academy High School Auditorium for a high-energy metal concert. Local favorites Under Exile, Lilith, and Sage Bond will perform, blending skate culture and music.
“We’re tapping into these subcultures, skate culture and metalheads, to show that Native American communities aren’t a monolith,” Young said. “There’s incredible diversity within our communities, and Skate for Democracy is a way to celebrate that while encouraging civic engagement.”
The event also marks the beginning of Protect the Sacred’s voter registration tour, covering various rural reservation communities across the Navajo Nation.
“After Skate for Democracy, we’ll continue with a six-day horseback trail ride, making stops in communities to help people register to vote,” Young said. “We’re focused on voter registration now because Arizona has an early deadline of October 7, and we want to make sure our people are prepared.”
Arizona has become a critical battleground state, making voter participation even more important. With over 400,000 Indigenous people in the state, including large populations from the Navajo, Hopi, and Apache tribes, mobilizing Native voters could have a significant impact on election outcomes.
However, recent changes to Arizona’s voting laws have posed additional challenges. In 2023, the Supreme Court upheld a new law requiring proof of citizenship for newly registered voters.
“This new law is a slap in the face to Indigenous people, asking us to prove our citizenship on our own ancestral homelands,” said Young. “But it’s the law in Arizona now, and we want to ensure that our voters have the right documents so they don’t face issues when registering.”
By combining skateboarding and voter registration, Protect the Sacred hopes to engage young people in a fun and meaningful way.
“I want our youth to walk away realizing how powerful they are, and that by voting, they’re making sure they’re represented,” Young said. “Our influence is growing, and Skate for Democracy is just one way we’re reminding them of that.”
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