Interview by Larry Davis.

Photos by Chris Morgan.

Alright DJ first question comes from long time reader Sam Zentner, asking “what the fuck is your deal?”

Not sure how to answer that question for Sam, but I think my deal is I came here from Connecticut about eleven and a half years ago just to kind of skate and get away from the things I was doing there. Not really getting anything done, messing up in school, didn’t really have any direction. Ended up going back to school, found out I was interested in English, took that to a career in teaching and that’s what I’ve been doing for the last three years now. Before that, I was working in an after school program as a skate teacher that you got me the job for.

So is it true you’d be nowhere without me getting you that job?

I think it’s safe to say that I wouldn’t be where I am right now.

What were you doing in the after school program while you were a college student?

I did a lot of different things. I was doing just your basic after school homework help, leading recreation time out in the yard, your skate lessons, playing outside with the kids, and taking them on field trips. Did some morning programs as well with some little kids who needed somewhere to be before school started, so did activities with them in the cafeteria. And all the while I was a student teacher at the school with a 6th grade English teacher there, Mr. Johnson, getting my credential requirements out of the way.

So now you’re teaching middle school. What’s the best part about being a middle school teacher?

Best part is you never really know what to expect. The kids are at a point in their life where they’re filterless. They have a lot of opinions that they want to share with the world and you always hear something new everyday. It gets crazy and hard sometimes, but in my years working with kids, middle school has been my favorite age to work with.

Do you only get to skate one day a week?

Right now that’s been the regular routine. Every Saturday I get out and skate with my homies whether they’re going out in the streets or chilling at a ledge spot and getting a good session in.

Would you recommend being a school teacher to a kid today?

I would recommend it if you want a job where you can genuinely leave feeling fulfilled and happy. If you’re into that kind of thing. If you want to make a lot of money, have more financial stability, teaching may not be the route for that.

Why do you think everyone thinks it sucks in Connecticut?

Because it does. No, I don’t know, I mean I think people have this idea of what Connecticut is. I’ve heard people say it’s a private school that everybody went to, is it even really a state? You know? That’s not really my experience of Connecticut.

Give me a skate tourist pitch to come to Connecticut.

Definitely worth it to come check out New Haven. There’s a lot of really cool street spots. A lot better than Hartford, which is the capital. There are a lot of cool spots in Hartford, but New Haven is just a way cooler vibe. Similar to a mini New York City and home of the best pizza in the world, Pepe’s Pizza.

What’s the last movie you cried to?

Holy shit. You know I just watched this documentary with my students recently about this guy who’s an undocumented immigrant and just his path on trying to advocate for other people like him. Yeah I teared up a little bit in class, the kids noticed and it was pretty funny.

San Francisco is a really diverse city. So do you feel any type of way being a white dude trying to guide these kids?

Yeah definitely sometimes. I try to be aware of everything I say and the different experiences of all my students to not put anybody in an uncomfortable position. I definitely have to be really careful about how I form lessons and the discussions that we have, but overall I feel really comfortable. Once you get to know the kids and they understand your style, you gain a mutual respect. One thing that’s great about my school is that it’s so diverse that there isn’t much segregation. Everybody gets along together. There’s so many great advocates at my school for all cultures, genders, and all identities of any kind. It’s really nice being at a school like that.

What’s the weirdest shit kids are doing now that you had no idea about when you were their age?

Vaping, definitely. Just certain things that when I was a kid I wouldn’t have been aware of. The internet is weird. We didn’t have our phones, or our phones didn’t have access to what they have access to now, so it’s just them being exposed to all sorts of crazy shit that they can find on the internet that I wouldn’t have been aware of as a kid. Just like weird sexual stuff, and all sorts of lingo, and you know all sorts of crazy TikTok shit they’re exposed to is kind of weird.

I’m sure. Okay, I’m done. Let’s bomb Twin Peaks.

Sounds good to me!