Eric Neubauer

May 13, 2014

Eric tells the story of when Alicia drove to the skatepark and told him she was pregnant with their first son.

I spent a lovely Saturday with Eric and his family this past weekend. We chatted about what he felt prepared for as well as what nobody ever tells you about being a father.

Eric helps Johnny, his second son, crest the ramp at Churchill Park, a neighborhood skatepark he lobbied to get built.

He opened up about how his dad had a rough childhood and how he was terrifying at times. Still, Eric could tell that his father didn't want to make the same mistakes. "You can see the domino effect," Eric says of how he got to be the kind of father he is to his two sons, Sammy and Johnny.

And of course we talked about being a skateboarder. It not only helped him as an adolescent, but seeps into his methods of being a father and a teacher as well.

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Bobby Taylor

April 29, 2014

Bobby Taylor was the first person I interviewed who connected the dots of absent fathers. He told me of one Father's Day a few years back, when he realized all of his friends had no positive male figure in their life to spend the day with--which is why they were all out skating.

Waiting for the crowds to clear out at Kiener Plaza, in St. Louis, MO, so he can skate.

I've been driving down to St. Louis doing follow-ups with him the last couple of years, and he's been quite open to talking about how his views have been shifting. A few months ago I proposed that he seek out his dad to talk to him.

Getting a last session in at Shitside before it is torn down this Fall.

And it was this last trip out there that he decided to do it. And we did it. He found out where his father was from his sister: in a hospital because of a hole in his lung. And they met, and it was powerful.

Moments before seeing his father for the first time in his life.

Bobby has become a very good friend of mine throughout the making of this film and has taught me a lot about taking responsibility for your life. Can't wait to share his story with all of you in the feature-length film.

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Alex Rivera

April 24, 2014

Alex Rivera is an upstanding guy from a small town on the outskirts of Rockford, Illinois.

We talked about how skateboarding was a way for him to explore the world outside of his house. I didn't mean for the conversation to turn towards his father, since I was just interviewing him to test out my new microphone and pre-amp. But lo and behold, his dad wasn't around and he was raised by his sister's mom.

Alex was able to find role models in the skateboarding world as well as in more proximal male figures, like his roommate's father. He cites skateboarding as the reason for him moving to Chicago. You'll see more of him in the film, so be on the lookout!

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Fathers Who Care

April 23, 2014

Walter and an associate leading a discussion on teen pregnancy.

In preparation for interviewing Walter, the founder of Fathers Who Care (a community social empowerment group that advocates for the importance of fathers in adolescents' lives), I spent a few hours at their headquarters in West Garfield Park.

At one point, during a group discussion (all the kids come voluntarily--they have an open door policy), Walter asks everyone whether their fathers live with them. Only half of them raised their hands.

This should prove to be an interesting interview from an experienced perspective.

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Anthony Brunson

April 22, 2014

He's still got it! He can only skate switch because of his bad ankle, but he still kills it even when skating to the store.

Anthony Brunson was one of those local legends from back in the day--just too good. Ahead of his time.

I interviewed him this past Easter Sunday about becoming a father, growing up in the projects with his mom, and the ankle injury that ended his skateboarding career.

Remember these? Time capsule of a different era.

He gave me a box of tapes from the two years prior to his ankle injury: a showcase of how unbelievably talented, persistent, and hardworking he was on the board. I've got my work cut out for me with looking through and logging all of this.

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