Skating in NYC has always been a challenge. The city is not welcoming to a crew that just wants to grind a ledge, session a handrail, or just skate as transportation. Cars, pedestrians, shop owners and police are constant barriers for skaters, among other dangers that can lurk in the shadows. That's why it was nearly impossible to grow up skating in and around the city, especially in the early days. I have great respect for those that endured, and I believe street skating in general emerged much faster because of those that did. And thanks to the diversity of the five boroughs, street culture emerged with it. My first visit to NYC was during a Bones Brigade Tour in 1987. We parked our beat up tour van in the Lower East Side and made our way to CBGB to buy some shirts. It was frightening, especially to a kid like me who grew up in suburban San Diego where surfing and skating thrived. It was obvious that natives were assessing us as we made our way through the streets, and when we returned to the van we got a stern warning from some nearby NYPD that we were lucky it was still there at all. Through that culture shock, I got a sense that there was a burgeoning scene underneath the scary exterior; of skating, of music, of fashion, and of art, and I wished I could participate in some way. But I didn't come from there and I didn't understand the scene in a meaningful way. These days I love visiting NYC, especially the LES area. The city is vibrant and gritty, and it celebrates skateboarding. It is immersed in the city: billboards highlight skate imagery, the skate shops are among the busiest retail outlets, and there are finally skateparks in the area! This book is dedicated to those that kept skating alive through the hard times. It is a testament to the perseverance and talents of a rare breed, the ones that kept at it against all odds and paved the way for generations to come. -Tony Hawk Thank you Alex for rereleasing @fullbleedbook and getting @tonyhawk to bless us with the forward!! Psyched to have this additional photo in the book @shredmasterkeith Brooklyn Domino Park. Be sure to get your copy of the Anniversary Edited AND Get one of the Skateboard Decks 8.25”