Legend Heath Kirchart walked away from skating at the height of his career. He’s gone from pushing his physical limits on a board to a new life of death-defying travel missions.
VICE’s Taji Ameen Revisits His Skate Past – JENKEM
Over the past few years, Taji’s work with VICE and the upper echelons of New York Media took him away from his skateboarding past a little bit. We wanted to have him reconnect with skating and reminisce on those early days, so JENKEM met up with him and his old friend Billy to skate, catch up, and freestyle a little bit.
Skater Gonzi’s Fight with Borderline Schizophrenia – VICE
Polish skater and artist Gonzi has been vocal about his fight against depression and borderline schizophrenia.
Gonzi picked up a skateboard at the age of five and started hanging out with older skaters in his hometown of Łódź, exposing him to a life of parties and drug use at a young age.
He smoked his first joint at 13, and was 17 when he experienced a psychotic break due to drug use and was diagnosed with borderline paranoid schizophrenia. He thanks skateboarding, his friends, and art for still being here today. – Vice
Ben Raemers’ Tragic Death Sparked a Mental Health Movement | Skating and Talking – VICE
In May 2019, the skateboarding industry was left devastated by the news that British pro skater Ben Raemers had died by suicide at the age of 28. Ben’s approach to skateboarding – with his unique blend of transition and street skating – meant that he was one of a small number of British skaters to gain an international reputation over the past decade.
In this film, friends and family reflect on Ben’s rise to US sponsorship, and the struggles that came later as his mental health deteriorated. His tragic death sparked a mental health reckoning within the skate community, with other pro-skaters now questioning their assumptions about mental health and sharing stories of their own.
The Ben Raemers Foundation was founded in an attempt to end the stigma that prevents skaters from discussing mental health issues and to provide much-needed education about suicide prevention.
You can find out more about The Ben Raemers Foundation and donate HERE.
Inside the Palestinian Skate Scene | Post Radical Episode 2
The Middle East: a volatile and complicated place. A wall separates two beautiful countries as groups of skateboarders work towards transcending religious and cultural boundaries.
Skateboarding’s Most Iconic & Controversial Sneaker
The Osiris D3 is one of the most successful yet divisive skate shoes of all time. The shoe was adored by the masses, but was also considered ugly and impractical by many skateboarding purists. It’s unsurprising that the story behind the creation of the Osiris D3 has just as much drama as the shoe itself. VICE met creators of the Osiris D3 to learn how the notorious sneaker came to be and the fallout that resulted in the wake of its success.
Street Skateboarders of Singapore (360° Video)
VICE meets up with Hafiz Salleh, one of the co-founders of Skate SG, a community based project that empowers kids to take up skateboarding as more than just a hobby. We also meet Ooloo Island, an up-and-coming crew in Singapore – who show us around a couple of skate spots, talk about the culture and what the future of skateboarding in Singapore looks like.
VICE – Building a Skatepark of YouTube Comments | Can You Skate It?
Taji’s skate videos have received some hate in the comments. 
In this episode of Can You Skate It?, Taji and veteren pro-skater Fred Gall turn your negative comments into a DIY skate park… to skate the hate.
Pro Skaters break in to an Abandoned Asylum | Can You Skate It? – VICE
Taji Ameen and pro skaters Eby Ghafarian and Leo Gutman head to explore the remains of an abandoned mental hospital at an undisclosed location in search of answering the age long question: can you skate it?
I Visited the Anarchist’s Skateboarding Utopia – VICE
Taji has always dreamed of visiting Skatopia, the skateboarding mecca in the middle of 88 acres of farmland in Ohio. Today his dream becomes reality.
Pro Skaters Rush Area 51: Can You Skate It? – VICE
Taji Ameen takes a team of professional skaters including Riley Hawk, Taylor Kirby, and Richie Jackson deep into the deserts of Nevada to answer a critical question: Can You Skate Area 51?
Preparing Professional Skaters for the 2020 Olympics – VICE
With skateboarding now an official sport in the 2020 Olympics, unofficial assistant Coach Taji brought legendary Olympic Coach Ron, who has coached more than 40 Olympians over the years. Can Taji and Ron get these skaters prepared for the big day?