Photos and interview by Rich Whitehead

Hey Sam, what’s up?

Not much we’re having a sesh on this blazing hot day.

Yeah it’s hot as hell! Let’s get to it! Name, age, where you from, and your sponsors?

I’m Sam Bolton. I’m 22 years old I live in Linden, New Jersey and currently my sponsors are There Skateboards, New Balance, Krux, Mob, Spitfire, NJ Skateshop, and I’m about to get my first box from Dickies.

Sick! Let’s talk about the local skate scene.

The local skate scene here is pretty decent. It’s always growing. I feel like every time I come to the skate park there’s new people I’ve never seen before getting on their board for the first time. It’s not as big as if we were in the city skating but there are definitely a bunch of rippers out here, same as you would see anywhere.

I’ve known you for quite some time, I remember when you were a teenager, and basically the only female skater around for miles. What was that like growing up?

I started skating because of my older sister, watching her skate, but by the time she got to high school, she stopped skating, and then I really was the only girl that I knew of that skated around here. Skateboarding is such a male dominated sport it’s a little discouraging when you have only dudes around you. That’s why when I went to the first ever Quell Skateboarding meet up, I was basically in shock because I’d never seen that many girls on skateboards before. It was pretty crazy to see. Even now there aren’t many girl skateboarders where I live but I am starting to see more and more, and that really makes me happy. I don’t think girls or non-cis skaters should be turned away from skateboarding just because it’s primarily boys, skating is for anyone and everyone.

Just like the girl skateboarding community is growing, so is the queer skateboarding community. Which in my eyes has been one of the best things to happen in skateboarding since ‘Fully Flared’. How do you feel about it?

I’m also super hyped about the growing queer skate community. I think it’s really cool to have spaces where people can come together and only worry about having fun, not how they’re being perceived at the skate park. It’s definitely long overdue. The queer community here is still pretty nonexistent. I know in Montclair, which is a few towns over from me, a group called Boardroom Skate hosts sessions for girls and non-binary skaters every Saturday, which is pretty sick. That was really unheard of when I was growing up skating, and with There and Unity I’m starting to see and meet so many more queer skaters. Like I said, skateboarding is for anyone and everyone and it’s just easier for everyone to get on board when there are safe spaces for people to skate and simultaneously be themselves.

Believe it or not, you’re a great influence in the skate community. Who’s been a major influence on your journey?

It’s crazy to think that anybody could be influenced by me skating, I literally just come out here and do my little tricks on my board just for fun. I do have a lot of skaters that I look up to for sure. I definitely look up and try to emulate the skating of some of my favorite skaters like Leo Baker and Breana Geering. But I also get really hyped by seeing my friends skate. I think they’re the ones who honestly influence me the most. My friends here, like you and all the other people in our group chat, and definitely everyone else on There skateboards. I see everyone out here just doing their best and killing it. It gets me really hyped to try harder and do my best too.

If you’re not out skating, what are you up to?

I honestly don’t do a lot. If I’m not skating then I’m probably like cooking or tattooing. I think besides skating, one of my favorite things to do is tattoo. That’s what I am honestly pursuing in addition to skateboarding but besides that not much else. Maybe playing guitar hero or just hanging out with my girlfriend.

What are the recent trips you’ve been on and projects you’re working on?

I just got back from Copenhagen a week or two ago. The There team went for the CPH Open events but I pretty much skated street the whole time, which honestly I think I prefer. There is gonna be a Euro There video coming out soon from that trip. Some of the people on the team went to Berlin and Paris too so there’s gonna be a bunch of footage from all those places. I also plan on going to Seattle in September for Wheels of Fortune. I have another future project too, I’m working on shooting photos for an upcoming New Balance and NJ Skateshop collab so that’s gonna be really exciting. But besides that, I’m just stacking clips.

Before we end this, do you have any advice for someone wanting to skate?

Probably just to skate every day. I’m really heavy on “You skate better today if you skated yesterday”. You’re only gonna progress if you keep trying, so I think the best advice that I could give to anyone is to just go and skate as much as you can.

Very well put and thank you for your time! Wanna give any shoutouts?

Yeah, shoutout to you, shoutout to all of our homies here, Iker, Josh, Rodney. Shoutout to my girlfriend Skye. Shoutout to Jeff and everyone on the There team, and big shoutout to Steve and Chris from NJ. I love all of you guys.