Night moves at FORWARD. Read Leon’s expert advice on how to create a similar scene in your own backyard here
I met Leon briefly in the classic BIGFOOT-type way. After returning from a skateboard gathering in Montana, my BFF Hudson Poston was going off about how one skater’s powerful pool shredding skills stole the show. A couple months later, we went to check out their former band Gender Confetti when they played Portland. It was clear then that Leon is one talented individual, and I didn’t even know the half!
For five years, Leon and members of the FORWARD LIVING DIY have been creating beautiful cacophony in Madison Wisconsin and as more people catch wind, their message is getting louder. “Forward” is a safe, inclusive, creative, gnarly skateboarding wonderland that keeps locals shredding throughout cold Wisconsin winters. This isn’t just a DIY skatepark; it’s a progressive group that has cooperated to create a midwest oasis; great people doing rad things with power tools and the slogan “Do It With Friends” (DIWF.) Leon has been a leading member of this super cool collective from the jump.
Also, there are certain skaters – Dorfus, Red, Jodi McDonald – that get you saying “I can’t believe it’s not butter” when you see them lock into ripping loud, satisfying, meaty grinds, and Leon is among them. They skate with a unique and powerful energy while radiating good vibes; a session with Leon makes you skate better. Take their lead and leave your mark in that pool coping. Change can happen one nail at a time. -Migz
1. Name: Leon C
2. Pronoun: They/Them
3. Age: 33
4. Hometown: Oconomowoc, WI
5. Current location: Madison, WI
6. Signature trick: hmmm… front slash or front rock
7. Catchphrase: “D.I.W.F. DO IT WITH FRIENDS!!!” & “For the love of the day”
8. Sponsors & supporters, physical and spiritual: Freedom Skateshop, Pave the Way Skateboards, Jeffrey for filming, Donut for stoking, everybody at Forward, all my friends and fam.
9. What was the last thing that you saw that made you laugh really hard? Marbie’s last krux commercial with the dummy and the b-roll of Preston’s sk8 video ‘Do It With Friend’s’…check it out on the ForwardLiving DIY youtubes.
10. If Madison WI was a cocktail, what would it be? Hmmmm, prolly a Wisconsin style Brandy Old Fashioned, sweet.
11. Three things you couldn’t live without? Skateboard, friends, snax…and powertools.
12. FAVORITE OF THE 4 ELEMENTS: EARTH, WATER, AIR OR FIRE? Prolly earth cuz i have a bunch of virgo in my chart and i like feeling grounded…but i like breathing, setting stuff on fire, and swimming too.
13. What’s something you’re excited about? Going to sk8 fdr for the 1st women’s (and queer) contest next week! And building more spots with my friends this summer! And working more building skateparks! And filming another part!
