Community Skate @ Golden Gate: A legacy of love keeps rolling

October 7, 2025

Community Skate @ Golden Gate is a monthly roller skating event held at Golden Gate Village Park in Marin City, founded by Sharika S. Gregory following Father's Day 2025. The gathering revives the important African American tradition of roller skating while bringing together people of all ages in a space that embodies resilience, cultural expression, and community bonding.

Who is affected

Marin City residents and Golden Gate Village community members
Families and individuals of all ages who attend the monthly skating events
Young people receiving donated skates (over 50 pairs given away)
The broader African American community for whom roller skating holds cultural significance
Visitors from surrounding areas who travel to participate
The historical Black community of Marin City, which is one of only about two dozen historically Black communities remaining nationwide

What action is being taken

Sharika S. Gregory is organizing monthly Community Skate @ Golden Gate events on the third Sunday of each month at Golden Gate Village Park
Gregory is donating skates to community members, having given away more than 50 pairs so far
Professional skating coach Melinda Speer is volunteering to teach youth balance and teamwork
Connor Spence of Skate Escape in San Rafael is providing loaner skates for the events
Skate Escape will be hosting 'Community Skate @ Skate Escape' monthly from November 2025 through January 2026

Why it matters

The events preserve and revive roller skating as an important African American cultural tradition
Golden Gate Village is one of only about two dozen historically Black communities remaining in the nation out of 1,200 that once existed
With only eight roller rinks left across Northern California, these community skate events maintain an endangered recreational activity
The skating events connect current residents to the legacy of the Black shipyard workers who established Marin City after World War II
The gatherings provide a space for unity, health promotion, cultural heritage, and community building
The events create an environment where people can experience joy, freedom, and community support

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article, though the monthly events are scheduled to continue on the third Sunday of every month at Golden Gate Village, and 'Community Skate @ Skate Escape' will run from November 2025 through January 2026.

Read full article from source: San Francisco Bay View National Black Newspaper