At two years old, my mother introduced me to roller-skating and it has been something special that we share together ever since. Growing up, our ritual was to go skating every Friday night at "The Rink" on 87th on Chicago's South Side.
I'm considered a JB skater, which is a Chicago-style of skating. The term originates from the Godfather of Soul James Brown. Growing up, I roller-skated to James Brown music, JB tracks (also known as skate remixes), hip-hop, rock & roll, funk, house and R&B. Throughout college, I started traveling for roller-skating events which is the highlight of my skate-life. I get to wear dope outfits with my friends, thrive off of the crowd's energy, and skate all night until my legs are sore. Even though I've done so many great things with roller-skating, like class projects, performances, and videos, there is still nothing like going back home to Chicago and skating to a combination of old-school and new school music.
What some people might not realize is that roller-skating is a great workout and is partially a huge reason why I've been able to maintain my weight. It keeps my energy flowing and it's my magical getaway. The roller-skating rink not only serves as a space where you can get a full body workout but you can also become a part of a community as well. I can't go in depth about all aspects of roller-skating but here are a few reasons you should consider picking up some skates yourself.
It's a vibe year-round.
Whether you're looking for a fun way to soak up some sun, a girls' night out, date night or quality time with family, there is always a skate session available. Roller-skating is affordable and could be your next cool idea to switch-up the scenery and your routine. You can roller-skate indoors at your local rink or in the park during the summer. If you are looking for a recreational sport that allows you to clear your mind, listen to good music, and fitness, skating is for you. You can plan your next girls' trip by visiting the skategroove.com website for more details for upcoming roller-skating events.
It's a full body workout.
Courtesy of writer Sydney Blaylock
Not only is roller-skating a fun activity but it is also a good full body workout. Roller-skating helps with the reduction of body fat and calories. Skating can improve your balance, coordination and strengthen your leg muscles. It's one of the many sports that works out your entire body from head to toe. Skating helps with your heart rate which is a good method for getting healthy. If you're a beginner, there are skate lessons and workout sessions that you can attend. Skating overall is just a cute and fun way to stay in shape internally and externally. Let's strengthen your core and have a good time while doing it!
It pours back into the community.
One of the best parts about being a part of the roller-skating culture is the community outreach. The black skating community celebrates together and supports each other in many ways. There have been roller-skating events that have derived from supporting causes such as breast cancer, autism, fighting against police brutality, and keeping skating rinks open in black urban areas. Unfortunately, roller-skating rinks are closing around the world and the black urban communities are suffering from the lack of recreational sports. So support your local skating rink, get yourself a full body workout and rejuvenate your soul through music.
It's a stress-reliever.
Courtesy of writer Sydney Blaylock
Once you enter the skating rink, you leave all comparisons, expectations, and judgments at the door. It is a space for you to have fun, challenge yourself, and let things go. There are no age, sex, or body limitations.The social dynamics within the rink is also good for your mood and mental health. Skating makes you happy while helping you reduce your stress levels. Tune into your inner balance and get ya' roll on!
Featured image by Tenor
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Skylar sees things differently. At the time, she was shooting content on her iPhone. Temi came into the picture with a new perspective, an understanding of tech, and, eventually, a camera. “He doesn't give himself enough credit,” Skylar says. “He wasn't just my tripod. He wasn't just standing behind the camera and going ‘click.’ He was giving advice. He was giving me insight to how I could look at things from a different perspective. And I was like, 'Oh, he’s an artist.' I think it was maybe a heartbeat of that kind of energy of like, ‘Baby, can you take this picture?’ And it turned so quickly into, we're partners. We can work together in a way where we're advancing each other's creative thinking.”
The pair often says they’re two sides of the same coin. Skylar is an Aquarius. She attended art school, paints, and loves poetry. She’s more than happy to let the couple’s management firm and agency, Kensington Grey, handle their admin work. And, she loves to sleep in. Temi, on the other hand, wakes up early. He’s a Virgo. He loves a to-do list and regularly checks in on the couple’s brand partnerships spreadsheet to make sure everything is on track.
Because his storytelling was steeped in his love of technology, he didn’t always think of himself as a creative person. “Where I [am] the dreamer who wants to pluck things out of the sky and spend all day with my head in the clouds, Temi [is] so good at grounding me and helping me figure out how to make things make sense on paper. We just work together in such a complimentary way,” Skylar says.
It’s been more than six years since Brooklyn-based couple Temi and Skylar started dating, and nearly four since they cemented their working relationship. On TikTok and Instagram, the couple’s travel, fashion, and home content regularly rack up hundreds of thousands of views. They’ve worked with brands such as Coach, Aesop, Away, and Liquid IV, bringing their vibrant perspectives to every campaign they execute. Still, nearly two years since both Temi and Skylar committed to full-time content creation and creative directing, the couple says their romantic connection remains their priority.
“We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting,” Skylar says.
Working from home can make it hard to separate work from personal life for any entrepreneur. It can be even more challenging when your business partner is also your lover. Temi and Skylar had already used couples therapy as a tool to help them effectively communicate with one another. When they ran into challenges while working together, their therapist helped them set physical boundaries to help combat the issues.
"We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting."
“It actually took us doing very specific physical things to create boundaries between work and play in our relationship,” Skylar says. “So, for instance, we will only have conversations about work when we're out of bed or we're at the table or in the office. Initially, when we started, we had to light a candle to say that, 'Okay, this is a space where we're connecting, we’re not talking about work.' We needed really hard boundaries at the top. And then it became a little bit more organic.”
The boundaries have been crucial to implement, especially because the couple began working together so naturally. When the pair first met, Skylar was NY-based a social strategist for BuzzFeed and was using content creation to drive business to her lingerie company. She was shooting her own content. Temi was working for Microsoft in D.C. He’d recently traded in his DJing equipment for a camera. “I've always loved taking pictures,” he says. “Even when I was a kid, my African mother would wake me up at 3:00 a.m. [during a] party, and be like, 'Come take the family picture.'”
Growing up, Temi says he watched his parents support each other and be the true definition of partners. He knew he wanted the same for his own relationship. But, the couple also wanted to make sure they were being financially responsible. The pair didn’t quit their traditional jobs until they’d saved up two years' worth of their cost of living. And, Temi received his Master of Business Administration from New York University with the knowledge that it could either help him advance in his corporate career or be applicable to his business with Skylar.
Temi and SkylarCj Hart @hartbreakToday, they say their working relationship is more of a “quiet dance.” They still implement some of the boundaries they learned in therapy, but they also lean into their natural strengths and deep love for one another. When we speak, Temi has planned a date for the couple to see Princess Mononoke in 4K IMAX and added it to their Notion so they can factor it into their busy schedules. “I fully plan to date for the rest of my life,” he says.
Skylar says the couple doesn’t just wait for date nights to check in with one another, though. This often happens in the mornings, after Temi has made her peppermint tea and poured himself a cup of coffee. When they ask each other how they slept, she says, it’s not just a “nicety.” It’s a genuine question meant to foster connection.
“A lot of it happens during the day in the midst of work. We'll stop and we'll hug. Or we’ll slow dance in the kitchen,” she says. “Sometimes it's hard to set a whole date night when you have 7,000 things going on. So, we must grasp these moments and check in when we can. And I think it's become so organic to us that I actually didn't even realize how often we do it. But all day long, we're like, 'Are you good? I felt like your energy shifted,' because we're best friends, we just know. We just feel it happen.”
What’s better than being in love? Building wealth while doing it. Watch Making Cents here for real stories of couples who make money moves together.
Featured image by Cj Hart @hartbreak