Today, it's Maya Haptas (founder of Shred Your Fears, director at The Clemente Museum).
When was the last time you skateboarded? Where was it? What was it like?
The last time I skateboarded was at Switch & Signal Skatepark the Sunday before the schools were closed down for quarantine. I had a meet-up with some friends and we got to skate and share a bunch of Onion Maiden donuts. So pretty much the perfect session and I am so grateful for that. The weekend before, I was in Brooklyn covering a skateboarding event for Bigfoot Skateboarding Magazine. Those were both amazing experiences to have and I've clung hard to those memories over the past few weeks.
How is Shred Your Fears operating these days?
Since the pandemic, we've had to cancel all of our upcoming events with plans to reschedule in the future. It was going to be a very busy spring for us. We had events planned in Pittsburgh, but also Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Chicago. Right now, I have been working to support our community in small ways, sending notes, stickers, and Toy Machine socks to skaters who have attended our events and those that would have attended our upcoming events so that we can stay connected. I've also been working with Switch & Signal, our local event partner, on some projects. I'm spending a lot of time connecting with people over on our Instagram account and sharing all the innovative ways people are skateboarding during the pandemic.
What are your most looking forward to once the stay-at-homes are lifted? Apteka? But also being able to skateboard again without the risk of taxing the health system or jeopardizing my own health if I get injured.
What's an object in your house that you've been drawn to/found significant these days?
My percolator and coffee beans from KLVN Coffee Lab near my apartment. Balancing between work, schooling kids, and other projects means I often work after my kids go to sleep. I've gotten in the habit of having a nice strong cup of coffee after dinner which helps.
What's your favorite food to make at the moment?
We've been doing lots of grilled cheeses over here. I just made some sauerkraut at the start of quarantine that's ready to go, so I'm dreaming up something to put that in.
What's an organization or charity that you'd recommend supporting?
Footbridge for Families. Footbridge provides access to short-term financial help for families to help keep them from falling into more serious financial, social, and physical danger. Of course, now the need for this is hugely compounded by the pandemic. Footbridge for Families recently won 1st place at Uprize Innovation Challenge for purpose-driven innovation and I am especially passionate about it because it was created by my friend Kim Eckel who is also the yoga teacher at all of Shred Your Fears' Pittsburgh workshops.
