Original article posted March 17, 2016 on S4 Magazine
Mike Smith is a skateboarder from Nebraska who’s making a big difference – not just locally, but across the country and even the world. I had the opportunity to sit down with the self-proclaimed professional teenager (via Skype) while he was out on the road. The interview was filmed by his team for an upcoming series about a day in his life, which got me wondering… what is a day in the life of Mike Smith like? After asking, he explained that his days can vary quite a bit. Depending on whether he’s on the road speaking at a high school or college or at home working on his non-profits, he’s staying busy.
One of the things that really stood out during the interview is how much he cares. His goal is to inspire kids and help them realize that they can make a difference whether they’re impacting a friend in school or starting a non-profit. “I love the power that our generation has with the ability to reach and connect one another. Things like that keep me super inspired and kids matter. Kids stories are important. If I can play a small role and help shape the next generation of young people, then I’m down,” Mike said. He’s truly an inspiration for me and many others. Read on to learn about the incredible things Mike Smith is doing and prepare to get your world rocked.
Mike Smith – Image from http://mikesmithlive.com/media/ At the age of 15, Mike knew he wanted to have his own warehouse where he and his friends could do things like skateboard, listen to punk music and where all the kids could come hang out. After graduating high school, an opportunity arose in Lincoln, NE to make that dream a reality. There was an indoor skatepark that was closing down and they offered the ramps to Mike if he’d keep them in town. That was the thing that really got the ball rolling and The Bay was formed. At age 26, Mike’s dream from sophomore year of high school was becoming a reality as he got his non-profit. The Bay is a place for kids to come skate, hangout, feel comfort and be inspired. It was created for kids to pursue their passions – whatever those passions would be. Mike is always in awe of his staff at The Bay and how much they are doing to help improve and expand their programs. Really though, the Bay was just the beginning.
The Bay – Image from http://mikesmithlive.com/media/ Another division of The Bay that Mike founded is called Skate for Change. It just started out as Mike riding around on his skateboard over his lunch hour giving out food and water to the homeless. Then some of his friends asked if they could go along and it’s all history from there. As a founder of a nonprofit, Mike is used to having to ask people to believe in him and donate, but he saw this opportunity to show the kids they don’t always have to ask for help, but they can also give it. This was a chance to engage skateboarders in something positive in the community. That amazing opportunity grew into Skate for Change. Mike never imagined that it was going to grow into what it is today – 80 chapters around the world and over 10,000 skaters registered. That’s a pretty huge movement that formed from simple kindness.
Skate for Change – Image from http://mikesmithlive.com/media/ Skate for Change has also had a pretty solid partnership with Yea. Nice. This collaboration promises that with each hat sold, another hat is donated. So far they’ve given out like 75,000 beanies. Check out the video to learn more about this opportunity. The next big fundraiser event is a collab between Skate for Change and Wienerschnitzel for their Hot Dogs for the Homeless Tour. This event kicks off on March 21st and they’ll be traveling around for 32 days. Each donation that’s made to the guys out touring will be matched by Wienerschnitzel and will help Skate for Change continue to give back to the homeless. Check that event out and keep up with the crew on their tour!
Believe it or not, that’s not all Mike does. He knew he couldn’t be on stage speaking every day and realized he can’t relate to each and every student, so he teamed up with Jostens to create a video series for schools called The Harbor TV. This series consists of an episode for every week of the school year and covers a ton of tough topics. With the ability to touch on a lot of issues that teachers might not be equipped to talk about – from dating violence, divorce or peer pressure. Mike uses this to bring in some of his really inspiring friends (think Ryan Sheckler, Michelle Parker, Dingo, and Rob Dyer – to name a few) and influential people to share their stories in a way that’s relevant for kids. It started just two years ago and Mike and his crew are so excited and already coming up with ideas for season 3.
Mike and a handful of others also got together and created Find Your Grind. Their mission is simple, "To curate and help navigate the 21st centurty roadmap, enabling people to discover who they are, where they're going and the first steps to get there." They offer digital experiences, live events, educational resources, quizzes, apparel and more. With the slogan, "The Future Belongs to Misfits," their goal is to help youth (and beyond) own who they are and go after their dreams.
Mike speaking to a school – Image from http://mikesmithlive.com/media/ When asked about his advice for others, his ideas are very clear. “I think my advice for everyone is if you could find what you love – it doesn’t matter what it is – if you can find what you love and you can use that to help people and you can use that to have impact in the world, I think that’s a pretty incredible way to spend your time.” He continued on explaining, “For me it was my skateboard that I’m never going to be amazing on, but I took my skateboard and I used that as an opportunity to impact people. So take what you love and use that to help people. Work hard, treat people well and I think you’ll have a pretty successful life.” So we may never see Mike’s skate part in a video, but we’re definitely going to continue to see some incredible things from him (did I mention he’s running for president in 2024??). Check out his website, Facebook or Instagram to learn more about him and follow his adventures. #MikeSmithforPresident2024