COSTA MESA, Calif.,
Jan. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/
-- Founded by entrepreneur Steve
Larosiliere and action sports personality Selema Masekela, STOKED is a
community-focused nonprofit that combines one-on-one mentorship
with the joy (and adrenaline) of action sports to help underserved
BIPOC youth realize their potential. Vans is a longtime supporter
of STOKED's message of inclusion and community-first methods,
serving as a proud partner and supporter of the organization for
over 10 years. In 2022, the Vans x STOKED partnership will expand
even further.
Based in New York, Chicago, and Los
Angeles, STOKED has worked with over 6,000 kids and 4,000
mentors since its founding, using action sports like skateboarding,
snowboarding, and surfing as "safe spaces" for learning and
personal growth. Kids who go through a STOKED program learn more
than how to kickflip or catch a wave — they're taught career
skills, life lessons, and the importance of staying active as
well.
The latest chapter in Vans' partnership with STOKED aims to
achieve two main goals: growing BIPOC participation and
representation in action sports and providing STOKED participants
with access, resources, and educational programming. To achieve
these goals, Vans is sponsoring skate activations at STOKED's NYC
and Chicago sites, supporting
STOKED's after-school leadership development programs and weekend
skateboarding/snowboarding/surfing programs, and encouraging its
employees to serve as STOKED mentors through a dynamic "Career
Pipeline'' program that shows STOKED youth some of the career
possibilities in the action sports world.
Almost 30 Vans employees have already signed on to the "Career
Pipeline" program, and Vans athletes have lent their support to
STOKED as well — pro snowboarder Patrick
Moore is a lead STOKED ambassador who's recruited other Vans
Snow team members like Jill Perkins,
Bryan Iguchi, and Hana Beaman, which helped STOKED raise an
additional $100K through its yearly
fundraising campaign in 2021. STOKED also supports Vans by leading
DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts with Vans staff and
the greater action sports industry through employee and athlete
workshops.
To learn more about STOKED, head to stoked.org.
About Vans
Vans®, a VF
Corporation (NYSE: VFC) brand, is the original action sports
footwear, apparel and accessories brand.
Vans® authentic collections
are sold in 97 countries through a network of subsidiaries,
distributors and international offices.
Vans® has over 2,000 retail locations
globally including owned, concession and partnership doors. The
Vans® brand promotes creative
self-expression in youth culture across action sports, art, music
and street culture, and delivers progressive platforms such as the
Vans Checkerboard Day, Vans Park Series, Vans Triple
Crown of Surfing®, Vans Custom
Culture, and Vans' cultural hub and international music
venue, House of Vans.
Vans, "Off The Wall" Since '66
www.vans.com
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SOURCE Vans