Brujas (skate crew)

Last updated
Brujas
Formation2014
HeadquartersThe Bronx, New York City, United States
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
Yes, subscription-based
Official language
English
Website brujas.nyc

Brujas (founded 2014) are a feminist skate collective and streetwear brand based in the Bronx, New York.

Contents

History

The Brujas name (English: witches) is derived and inspired by a 1986 video called Skate Witches. [1] [2] [3] Brujas was founded by Arianna Gil, Sheyla Grullon, and other skaters in 2014 to host safe meeting places for female skaters of color. [4] [5] [6] Since its inception, the Brujas collective participates in community organizing and political activism with an interest in challenging oppressive traditions. [7] Brujas hosts community events, making space for marginalized individuals and communities to skateboard. [8] As a women-run brand, the Brujas collective advocates for women and people of color, partially informed by their own experiences as women in skateboarding. [9]

In regards to the name Brujas, Gil explained: "We are intersectional feminists who are interested in spirituality and the tradition of brujería (witchcraft) in our culture. So there was more going on than just that little YouTube video." [1] In 2016 Brujas created Brujas x 1971, a limited edition streetwear line that was funded through Kickstarter. [10] The 1971 in the name refers to Attica prisoner uprising, of 1971. The line raised money for prisoner rights. "We see 1971 as a combination of both the political DIY cultures that we were radicalized in the Lower East Side, anarchist organizing where people sell T-shirts and throw parties to get their friends out of prison, and the really brash street and skate wear aesthetics that have been developing for ages," said Izzy Nastasia a Bruja member. [11] [12]

In 2016 the New Museum in New York hosted Scamming the Patriarchy: A Youth Summit that included Brujas as one of the organizers. About their work, Sara O'Keeffe, assistant curator of the New Museum mentioned, "Brujas is a critical voice among an emerging generation of artists, writers and activists who are propelling conversations about politics and forging spaces for empowerment." [11]

In 2017, Brujas presented a pop-up classroom to present their streetwear line as part of New York Fashion Week. [13] The grass-roots presentation received critical acclaim. [13] In 2018, BRUJAS presented an exhibition titled "Training Facility" at Performance Space New York where they turned the art venue into a skatepark. [14] Brujas organizes inclusive parties, including Anti-Prom and SUCIA. [15] In 2019, Brujas hosted the fourth Anti-Prom party in celebration of Pride. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Globe International</span> Australian surf and skateboard footwear and apparel manufacturer

Globe International Ltd. is an Australian footwear, clothing, and skateboard hardware company. It was founded in 1985 by three Australian brothers. Globe International's core business is divided between proprietary brands, licensed brands, and distributed brands. The company's international offices are located in Melbourne, Los Angeles, Newport Beach and San Diego, U.S.; Hossegor, France; and Shenzhen, China. It is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.

Caridad de la Luz, a.k.a. "La Bruja", is a Nuyorican poet, playwright, actress and activist. She is considered one of the leading spoken word poets in the world. In 2005, El Diario La Prensa, the largest Spanish-language newspaper in New York City, named De la Luz as one of the "Fifty Most Distinguished Latinas in the United States".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harold Hunter</span> American skateboarder and actor

Harold Atkins Hunter was an American professional skateboarder and actor. He played the role of Harold in Larry Clark's 1995 film Kids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silvia Federici</span> Italian American scholar, teacher, and feminist activist

Silvia Federici is a scholar, teacher, and feminist activist based in New York. She is a professor emerita and teaching fellow at Hofstra University in New York State, where she was a social science professor. She also taught at the University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria. In 1972, with Mariarosa Dalla Costa and Selma James, she co-founded the International Feminist Collective, the organization that launched the campaign for Wages for Housework. In 1990, Federici co-founded the Committee for Academic Freedom in Africa (CAFA), and, with Ousseina Alidou, was the editor of the CAFA bulletin for over a decade. She was also a member of the Academic Association of Africa Scholars (ACAS) and among the voices generating support for the struggles of students across the African continent and in the United States. In 1995, in the course of the campaign to demand the liberation of Mumia Abu-Jamal, she cofounded the Radical Philosophy Association (RPA) anti-death penalty project, an organization intended to help educators become a driving force towards its abolition. From 1979 to 2003, she was a member of the Midnight Notes Collective.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skate video</span> Film genre

A skate video is a movie of or about skateboarding typically showing new tricks and a series of skateboarders in a montage set to music.

Firestorm Books & Coffee is a worker-owned and self-managed "anti-capitalist business" in Asheville, North Carolina. Named after the firestorm, this infoshop operates with an eye on creating a sustainable, radical community event space. Firestorm features regular events, such as film screenings, political and economic teach-ins, local and traveling musicians and community workshops.

Womyn-born womyn (WBW) is a term developed during second-wave feminism to designate women who were assigned female at birth, were raised as girls, and identify as women. The policy is noted for exclusion of trans women. Third-wave feminism and fourth-wave feminism have generally done away with the idea of WBW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supreme (brand)</span> American skateboarding lifestyle brand

Supreme (səˈpriːm) is an American clothing and skateboarding lifestyle brand established in New York City in April 1994. The brand aims to appeal to streetwear culture in general as well as the skateboarding and hip hop scenes specifically. The company makes skateboards in addition to clothing and accessories. The red box logo with "Supreme" in white Futura Heavy Oblique is thought to be largely based on Barbara Kruger's art.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The personal is political</span> Political slogan and argument of second-wave feminism

The personal is political, also termed The private is political, is a political argument used as a rallying slogan of student movement and second-wave feminism from the late 1960s. In the context of the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s, it was a challenge to the nuclear family and family values. The phrase was popularized by the publication of a 1969 essay by feminist Carol Hanisch under the title "The Personal Is Political" in 1970, and has been repeatedly described as a defining characterization of second-wave feminism, radical feminism, women's studies, or feminism in general. It has also been used by some women artists as the underlying philosophy for their art practice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Lewis (artist)</span> Activist artist

Ann Lewis is a multidisciplinary activist artist often working in public spaces. She focuses her attention on social justice and environmental issues and is best known for her politically charged and sometimes uncommissioned takeovers of public space. She is a 2018 artist-in-residence at the Santa Fe Art Institute Residency for Equal Justice. She lives and works between Detroit, MI and Brooklyn, NY.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chloë Bass</span> American artist

Chloë Bass is an American conceptual artist who works in performance and social practice. Bass' work focuses on intimacy. She was a founding co-lead organizer of Arts in Bushwick from 2007-2011, the group that organizes Bushwick Open Studios. She is an Assistant Professor of Art and Social Practice at Queens College, CUNY, and holds a BA from Yale University and an MFA from Brooklyn College. Bass was a regular contributor to Hyperallergic until 2018. She is represented by Alexander Gray Associates.

A list of skateparks in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palace Skateboards</span> British skateboard brand & shop

Palace Skateboards is a London-based skateboarding and clothing brand established in 2009. The brand was founded by Levent Tanju and his skate team, the Palace Wayward Boys Choir, along with Gareth Skewis. Palace focuses on skate-wear with heavy 90s and pop culture influences alongside VHS style clothing advertisements. The skate team promotes its branded content and skate videos. Palace has flagship stores in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Tokyo, and launches new products every Friday morning during their five seasonal periods: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Ultimo. The brand has gained popularity within the streetwear community, presumably for its uniqueness and limited availability.

William Strobeck is an American filmmaker, director, videographer, and photographer based out of New York City. Strobeck directed the skate videos: cherry (2014), BLESSED (2018), CANDYLAND (2019), STALLION (2021) and PLAY DEAD (2022). According to various sources William Strobeck’s net worth is $49 Million, making him one of the most successful video producers in the skateboarding business.

Pablo Ramirez was a regular-footed American skateboarder, artist, and musician from New York City, who lived and skated in San Francisco.

Briana King is a goofy-footed American skateboarder, community organizer, model and actress.

Noah is an American men's clothing brand founded by Brendon Babenzien. Its flagship store is at 195 Mulberry St. in Soho, New York City. The brand draws from a range of influences streetwear and new wave to seaside Long Island. Responsible sourcing and other socially conscious issues have been a focus for the brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NYC Skateboard Coalition</span> Skateboarding organization

NYC Skateboard Coalition, established in 2017, is a community organization that advocates for New York City's skateparks and hosts NYC-based skateboard events. The NYC Skateboard Coalition supports the skateboarding community of New York City through hosting skate jams and skatepark clean-ups throughout the city.

Jason Dill is an American professional skateboarder, photographer, and co-founder of Fucking Awesome—an American skate company.

Keith Hufnagel was an American skateboarding professional, entrepreneur, and fashion designer, the founder of the streetwear brand HUF.

References

  1. 1 2 Garcia, Patricia (2016-07-01). "Meet Brujas: The Feminist Skate Crew From the Bronx We've All Been Waiting For". Vogue. Archived from the original on 2017-02-10. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  2. ↑ Maguire, Talia (2016-09-16). "Brujas From The Block". Maggie Semple. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  3. ↑ Ramirez, Juan Diego (2016-11-01). "The Bronx-Based BRUJAS Feminist Skate Collective Heads Out West". Latino Rebels. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  4. ↑ Weiss, Alexandra (2018-01-13). "Meet Brujas, The All-Femme Skateboard Crew And Freeform Feminist Project". Oyster Magazine. Archived from the original on 2018-01-12. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  5. ↑ "The Best Don't Get Caught: The Case of Supreme". www.culturedmag.com. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  6. ↑ Crase, Jason (22 May 2017). "Rise of Feminist Witches Disrupts New York City Patriarchy". Archived from the original on 2022-01-02. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  7. ↑ Remnick, Noah (2016-07-29). "Sisterhood of the Skateboard". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2018-03-04.
  8. ↑ Dazed (2015-11-27). "Meet the 'skate witches' fighting NYC's gentrification". Dazed. Retrieved 2018-03-04.
  9. ↑ Thomas, Amara. "Make Skating Radical Again". The FADER. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  10. ↑ Petrarca, Emilia. "These Witchy Punks Are Behind a New Virgil Abloh-Approved Street Wear Label". W Magazine. Retrieved 2018-03-04.
  11. 1 2 Hine, Samuel (2016-11-17). "Meet Brujas, the Bronx Skate Crew Making Streetwear for Post-Election America". GQ. Retrieved 2018-03-04.
  12. ↑ Haines, Ashley. "The Brujas Skate Crew Is Radicalizing More Than Just Skateboarding". HYPEBAE. Archived from the original on 2016-10-17. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  13. 1 2 "This Radical Skate Crew Put on NYFW's Best Grassroots Presentation". GQ. 2017-09-11. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  14. ↑ Hill, Eli (2018-06-12). "Why This Feminist Collective Turned an Art Space into a Skate Park". Artsy. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  15. ↑ "NY Skate Crew Brujas Is Smashing the Patriarchy on the West Coast for 2-Week Tour". Remezcla. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  16. ↑ "BRUJAS' Anti-Prom party kicks off Pride". The Face. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.