Skateboarder on Navajo Nation goes viral with her video
PHOENIX - A young woman from the Navajo Nation is gaining fame on TikTok after posting a video of her skating on red sandstone. Now, Naiomi Glasses is hoping to raise awareness about life on the reservation.
Glasses started skateboarding at just five years old, using it as her refuge from bullying. Nowadays, thanks to her skill, she has a platform is using it to hopefully bring skating to more people on the reservation.
The 24-year-old never thought her TikTok video would go viral.
"I was like, let me try it to see if I can do it, and it worked," said Glasses.
While she was looking for lost sheep on the nation, she came across the red sandstone and wanted to give it a try with her skateboard.
"A lot of people were loving it. A lot of people were talking about what a vibe it was," said Glasses.
Soon after, all eyes were on her as she quickly racked up 1.8 million views. Her other TikTok videos showcase what life is like on the Native American nation, from chopping wood to sharing her clothing and jewelry.
Glasses said her viral video happened only because there aren’t many places to skate on the reservation, so skaters like her gave to get creative with their natural surroundings.
"In an area bigger than West Virginia, we only have five skate parks total," said Glasses.
This is exactly what Glasses is bringing awareness to, hoping to bring more skate parks ro the nation so that she can give something that has given so much to her, to others on the nation.
"I would like to bring that love of skateboarding and that joy of skateboarding to so many more youth," said Glasses.
On top of bringing more awareness to skate parks, Glasses is raising awareness to water scarcity on the nation.
Naiomi Glasses
https://www.naiomiglasses.com/
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