BAZILLIONS
2800
ORDEM
PROGRESSO
F
It wasn't long after I moved to Los Angeles
when I began to recognize a group of kids
at a lot of the same sessions and events I
went to. Although they didn't say much,
they all skated good and always seemed to
be smiling and having a good time. Even more
interesting, they would shake everyone's hand
every time they left a session.
"Those are the Brazilians," someone told me.
"There's a bunch of them around here."
As I made friends with the Brazilians, I
learned that it wasn't just a handful of
friends, but a whole network
BRAZILIANS
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY MICHAEL BURNETT
OROORS
of guys that have come to
California to skate, learn
English, and have a good
time. Some of them are
pros, but others are just
regular kids. What unites
them is their love for
skating, their optimism
and their friendliness.
ROORS
JOBS
How long have you lived here?
Alysson Castro: Almost a year.
What is the biggest difference between Brazil
and the United States?
Where I come from, there are no good spots to
skate. The only mini-ramp is broken. I had no place
to skate, so I came here.
And you live with your mom and sister?
Yeah.
What do you dislike most about the US?
Sometimes people are kind of cold, not very friend-
ly. When somebody sees you, they say, "Hey, what's
up? Not much." If you go to Brazil, they will know
about you if you are American or anyplace, so they
want to be your friend. They want to show you spots.
They want to show you liberty. This is kind of a
tropical thing. The tropical way.
What is the most common question you get
about Brazil from Americans?
"Do they have monkeys on the street in Brazil?
Flows
Elephants?" My friend one time asked if we ride
elephants on the streets, if we have elephant
parking.
And they think we speak Spanish, so
they try to speak Spanish to me and other
Brazilians. But we speak Portuguese.
What has surprised you most about the US?
Surprised?
What was unusual to you?
People have too much respect for each other and
old people.
Too much respect?
For old people, that ride wheelchairs. They
respect them. I like it.
Do you have any sponsors?
I skate for Clockwork and Nice shoes.
What should people know about Brazil?
Brazil is a good place to skate, to know people,
to make friends. And Brazilian people are too
friendly. Also, the girls are so hot. So hot. I miss
that sometimes.
persolo
SEQUENCE: OUT OF THE 157.8 MILLION PEOPLE IN BRAZIL,
ONLY LINCOLN LEDA CAN DO AN ALLEY-OOP HEELFLIP INDY
THIS HIGH AND WITH THIS MUCH GRACE.
60 THRASHER
THRASHED
ABOVE THE SEQUENCE: ALYSSON
CASTRO DOESN'T RIDE ELEPHANTS,
BUT HE WILL RIDE OUT A BACKSIDE
50/50 DOWN AN 8-STAIR HANDRAIL.
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