{"id":3682,"date":"2024-04-25T22:58:25","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T02:58:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/?p=3682"},"modified":"2024-05-02T15:05:55","modified_gmt":"2024-05-02T19:05:55","slug":"the-centripetal-force-of-richard-rojas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/2024\/04\/25\/the-centripetal-force-of-richard-rojas\/","title":{"rendered":"The Centripetal Force of Richard Rojas"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3682\" class=\"elementor elementor-3682\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4475a31 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4475a31\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-42f8127 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"42f8127\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 15-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How the lifelong skateboarder is fighting to save a Staten Island skatepark in disrepair<\/span><\/em><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-91970e3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"91970e3\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0b61ed7 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"0b61ed7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 15-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-divider{--divider-border-style:none;--divider-border-width:1px;--divider-color:#0c0d0e;--divider-icon-size:20px;--divider-element-spacing:10px;--divider-pattern-height:24px;--divider-pattern-size:20px;--divider-pattern-url:none;--divider-pattern-repeat:repeat-x}.elementor-widget-divider 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.elementor-divider-separator:before{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-start .elementor-divider__element{margin-inline-start:0}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:last-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider-separator:after{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider__element{margin-inline-end:0}.elementor-widget-divider:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text):not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon) .elementor-divider-separator{border-block-start:var(--divider-border-width) var(--divider-border-style) var(--divider-color)}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern{--divider-border-style:none}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern.elementor-widget-divider--view-line .elementor-divider-separator,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not([class*=elementor-widget-divider--view]) .elementor-divider-separator{width:100%;min-height:var(--divider-pattern-height);-webkit-mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;-webkit-mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);background-color:var(--divider-color);-webkit-mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url);mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url)}.elementor-widget-divider--no-spacing{--divider-pattern-size:auto}.elementor-widget-divider--bg-round{--divider-pattern-repeat:round}.rtl .elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{direction:rtl}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-divider,.e-con>.elementor-widget-divider{width:var(--container-widget-width,100%);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-55b1b20 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"55b1b20\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-419bda9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"419bda9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Richard Rojas wants everyone to know that Ben Soto Park used to be the place to be for skateboarders on Staten Island. Decades ago, the community organizer and lifelong skateboarder used to flock to the Midland Beach skatepark to link up with skaters, BMXers and even scooter riders looking to spin their wheels. On pleasant days, he recalls, there was always music pumping from a collection of speakers, crazy ramp tricks being landed and forever bonds being formed. \u201cWe were a family,\u201d he reminisced. \u201cIt was sick.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nowadays, the park is a ghost town \u2014 entrapped in a fenced-in, desolate area. The pavement is littered with bumps and cracks, and there isn\u2019t even a half pipe anymore; just scattered, metal obstacles that look thin and dangerous. The community that used to find camaraderie and connection within the skatepark had scattered when Ben Soto was <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.change.org\/p\/restore-and-rebuild-benjamin-soto-skate-park\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">leveled by bulldozers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 2011\u2014 after the Parks Department claimed that it had become hazardous due to vandalism and misuse. The ramps that onced cradled the skater youth of Staten Island were demolished and paved over, as young skaters cried out and tried to stand in the way in protest, only to soon be gifted with the rusted metal obstacles built with recycled jungle gym parts from a playground on the Lower East Side.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-993e287 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"993e287\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b99097f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b99097f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 15-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09456-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3798\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09456-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09456-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09456-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09456-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09456-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Photo by Vic Verbalaitis<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8799cd7 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8799cd7\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c49d1a0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c49d1a0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Rojas was dismayed at how these unfit skating conditions had not improved over the years. He decided to take action through his organization<a href=\"https:\/\/linktr.ee\/skatetoelevate\">\u00a0Skate to Elevate<\/a>\u00a0to bring this issue to the attention of Staten Island officials. Since 2021, he\u2019s attended board hearings, wrote petitions, created design and budget plans and hosted events and concerts with the goal of bringing connection back to the community. To him, Ben Soto was more than just a local skatepark to meet up with friends \u2014 it was home.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u201cSkateboarding has always stuck with me because throughout all the hardships in my life, it was the only thing that was constant,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s why this Ben Soto thing is so important to me. When I was homeless, the first place that I thought to go to sleep was Ben Soto \u2014 the pillow was my skateboard.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8f64959 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8f64959\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b453ff5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b453ff5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09607-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3808\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09607-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09607-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09607-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09607-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09607-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Photo by Vic Verbalaitis<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-08853d3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"08853d3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>It\u2019s been over two years since\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepetitionsite.com\/293\/362\/316\/petition-to-reconstruct-the-ben-soto-skatepark-midland-beach-staten-island-to-a-modern-concrete-park\/\">Rojas\u2019 first petition to restore Ben Soto went live<\/a>, but the issue is over a decade long. The fight is long and stressful, as Rojas sees funding going into commercial and tourism-centered projects on the Island and the skatepark only gets neglected further. Counting Ben Soto, and a more up-kept park in the Port Richmond neighborhood\u00a0 \u2014 Faber Park, there are currently only two outdoor skateparks on Staten Island. In Brooklyn alone, there are 20 skateparks that, according to Rojas, have better upkeep. Commissioners have stated that the shutdown and long-pending repairs were for the safety of children, but he feels there needs to be some place for them to go in the meantime.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>When a local block party reached out to him to host a teaching class for young kids, Rojas and his team reached out to the community for supplies and learned to build over 20 skateboards specially for the occasion \u2014 \u201cevery single nut and bolt.\u201d After a successful turnout, Rojas wants to set up camps and scholarships for young skaters who don\u2019t have access to proper resources, inspiring them to reach whatever pathway they choose.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Within Skate to Elevate, he sells shirts for skating communities in Ecuador who are affected by unsafe conditions and curfews. \u201cI\u2019m Ecuadorian, so I wanted to provide them with the same resources I was giving here. Everything I do has an intention; I\u2019m reinvesting back into communities.\u201d In October of last year, Rojas helped put on Female Centric Faber \u2014 a festival hosted in Faber Park \u2014 that platformed female-fronted rock, indie and punk bands and small businesses. As the band\u2019s screaming guitars thrashed and reverbed throughout the afternoon, young riders parked their scooters and boards to watch \u2014 reminiscent of the times at Ben Soto where loud music backdropped the packed park on sunny days. Rojas is inspired by the budding cohort of young creatives of Staten Island\u2019s present he\u2019s met \u2014 who give him the inspiration he needs to keep on going in his mission.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bc24b3c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bc24b3c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09612-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3810\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09612-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09612-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09612-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09612-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09612-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Photo by Vic Verbalaitis<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-91db69a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"91db69a\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a462b30 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a462b30\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Rojas and crew\u2019s most recent effort started in January of this year, when Skate to Elevate\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C2iMMxhR04b\/?img_index=1\">proposed a plan<\/a>\u00a0for five new skatepark locations to open up on the island. In an Instagram post detailing the layout and metrics, they emphasize why an increase in the number \u2014 along with better designs and treatment of the ones that are open now \u2014 would be beneficial to the population. \u201cWe aim to provide safe spaces for marginalized communities &amp; beginners by providing utilization of the skateparks here,\u201d the post reads, and the comments are filled with community members happily agreeing. \u201cBuild a skatepark,\u201d one commenter said. \u201cIt\u2019s the safest place for kids to be!\u201d<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>On a recent trip to Florida, Rojas wanted to meet people in the area. Upon landing, the first thing he did was head to the nearest skatepark. \u201cI knew I would make friends. That\u2019s just always how it works out at parks, and how sick the community is.\u201d He aspires for the day where the officials decide to take action, when he no longer has to reminisce about Ben Soto Skatepark\u2019s prime. \u201cThey don&#8217;t understand that this place is home to us,\u201d he said. \u201cThat&#8217;s where we met all of our friends \u2014\u00a0 our chosen family. Now that everyone\u2019s gone their separate ways, we have left is memories.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b743cd e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1b743cd\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-761bb09 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"761bb09\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09385-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3794\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09385-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09385-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09385-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09385-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/editorsvision.com\/collage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC09385-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Photo by Vic Verbalaitis<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How the lifelong skateboarder is fighting to save a Staten Island skatepark in disrepair<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":3801,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - 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