Micah Walker
Micah is an environmental and human rights activist on the Pilllar skateboarding team. But most importantly, Micah is a connector - she brings people together. An undeniable and uncanny skill no one who has met our Micah, can deny. If anyone can help us grow our community, she can.
The first time I ever touched a skateboard was at my cousin Michael's house. I was about 10 or 11 years old and really looked up to him as an older cousin- thought he was just the coolest. I still do. Funny to think about it, but I was initially drawn into skateboarding by how god damn fun it felt to be speeding down some very mellow streets of a suburb in Kentucky on his board. Which is crazy, because I hadn't even skimmed the surface of the thrill skateboarding had to offer yet. Later on, I continued to be drawn to it by the community that was brought together. Kind of weird to think that a piece of wood on wheels would mean so much to so many people, but it did. It was an escape for a lot of us. It was an outlet and a way to really push ourselves physically and mentally. There is no end goal. You're just trying to get better and better, to learn more and more tricks, to try gnarlier stuff.
I found Pilllar skateboards the way all things are found these days-- on instagram! haha. I think the algorithm was like "Skateboarding and environmentalism in one brand?! Oh we gotta show this to Micah." And so it worked it's magic. I started out just trying to help the brand trying to get into skateshops around here because I wanted more people to know about it, but eventually they actually asked me to join the team which got me so stoked! Of course, it immediately felt like a great fit.
I dont know if there was a particular moment that pushed me into a realization that I wanted to do more for the environment, but I do really think that traveling opened me up so much to an understanding of how crucial it is to be thinking and acting in such a way that eliminates entitlement to use nature for our own benefit. For all of history, we've had people carrying entitlement that has led them to believe that they can oppress other people or nature itself for their own benefit. The first explorers created awful ways of dehumanizing people to take over land and begin to build an empire. But the oppression never stopped there. We persistently oppress Mother earth to get to where we're going. Instead of seeing us all connected as one being, we create distinctions that lead to entitlement which lead to oppression. Because we don't see ourselves as a part of nature, we oppress her instead.
I am really stoked on the new Key platform and the ways we can continue to connect with each other using our individual gifts. As for myself, I plan to stay informed on the ways I can be used to help organizations that are attempting to work towards restoration. I also really look forward to using the Key platform to do more of the in-person work while getting to share connections and passion together. Some organizations are out to protect an endangered species, some are working to save the reef, some are more geared towards forest restoration. Whatever the specific goal, I know we all share the common one of protecting the place we have called home for a super long time. I am thrilled to be involved in communities who are doing that work so beautifully and hope to continue to walk alongside them in loving this spinning rock and all the stuff that gets to live on it.