With each post, we are unveiling to you the audience, our story and purpose. I know it’s been a slow intro to Planet thisfunctional, and it’ll probably stay like that for the time being, but I encourage you to stay following; we appreciate your support and look forward to sharing with you this laid back lifestyle that is thisfunctional.

As a native Southern Californian (moved to San Diego from the Philippiness in 89), I’ve been exposed to skateboarding pretty much all of my life. These days, who isn’t? There’s no denying that skate culture has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity and social acceptance in the recent years. The industry has come a long way, and key players such as The Berrics, Thrasher, Transworld and The Skateboard Mag, as well as Street League skating have done an amazing job promoting the culture, sport and art form that is the modern skateboard movement.

The Willy Santos Foundation, lead by professional skateboarder Willy Santos (20 years pro! congrats Pare!) and his wife Shalihe, have been steady grinding on doing their part to help the awareness and advancement of skateboarding in San Diego. In its first year, the group has been hard at work promoting the foundation and raising money for their first project: building a wheel friendly skate plaza in the town of Mira Mesa. I’ve been a volunteer since the beginning (we unofficially got things started almost 3 years ago now) and this Friday we’ve got a little something brewing in Downtown SD.

We’ve gathered submissions from about 20 different local artists that have donated their time and talent to be raffled off at Keep Pushing: an art show featuring work using skateboard decks as the medium.  Doors promptly at 7p, and I’d love to see you and a fresh $20 from the ATM.  All proceeds go toward the Willy Santos Foundation.  It should be a fun event, and from hanging out with the Workshop family the last couple years it’ll definitely be a fun night downtown.

See you there!