Last year at TEDxCincinnatiWomen, Megs Gelfgot rode her skateboard onto the stage with gusto. She wore black leather pants, platform sneakers and her long, wavy hair was effortlessly tousled to the side. Her presence alone commanded attention, but it was her story that resonated with many in the audience.
At 29, Gelfgot had recently moved from Tucson, Arizona to Cincinnati. She was a new mom, a new wife and in a new state. Although she had already launched a successful fitness brand (Hustle & Lift), she knew the monotony of her routine wasn’t something she wanted, nor was it what she had envisioned for her life.
“Women have to check things off the box,” Gelfgot says. “We get the house, the partner, the kids. Then what? The transition can be so tough and many women are left going through a big pivot of ‘finding ourselves,’ because we were tamed to be otherwise.”
That’s why Gelfgot founded Keep Her Wild (KHW), a Cincinnati skate initiative that empowers women to overcome their fear of starting something new when barriers like age, gender and social stigma may prevent them from doing so.
Gelfgot didn’t grow up on a skateboard. For her, skateboarding was something she was always interested in, but the fear of what people would think and the fear of being a beginner held her back from taking the risk.
Until one day it didn’t.
“I had just dropped my daughter off, and I looked at all of the domestic activities on my list of things to do that day, including a list of fitness duties for my company — but none of it was life-giving. Nothing about me was about taking risks or exploring potential,” Gelfgot says. “Everything had become predictable and muted.”
So she grabbed the skateboard that was collecting dust in her garage, chucked it in her car and drove to an empty, tree-shaded parking lot — free from judgement and the commentary of passersby.
“Oh yeah, I fell,” she says. “But I felt alive.”
“My friends and family thought I was crazy,” she continues, with a laugh. “It was a hard thing — trying to reclaim my identity — but I was so afraid of my life on autopilot.”
Gelfgot started an Instagram page documenting her skateboarding journey and the ripple effect it had in other areas of her life. She acquired grit, capacity and unearthed the wild side she had long ago suppressed. Soon, other women began reaching out, sharing similar stories of wanting to skateboard but being too afraid of not knowing how or where to start.
KHW became a community of skate meetups, retreats and member support, helping people chase what they thought might be out of reach. Gelfgot not only teaches women how to skate, but she also makes learning accessible, championing the mindset that anyone at any age can explore something new. Now, KHW spans seven countries, with a base of 1,500 members and counting.
The initiative, though, has also been met with some criticism.
“Whenever we are met with pushback, it’s from the narrative that pure skateboarding culture is for those on the social fringe. Now factor in that it’s a heavily male-dominated sport with high schoolers claiming most skateparks. At a glance, soccer moms represent the opposite. Until you take a closer look and see that not everything is as straight and narrow as it appears,” Gelfgot says.
The very essence of skateboarding rebellion is what has made the movement of KHW so popular.
“I think skateboarding is for everyone. There’s lessons it teaches us that anyone can benefit from. Though I appreciate the facets and struggles many endured to help skateboarding become more mainstream,” she says.
KHW has expanded to include an online initiative called #ChasingStoke, which features stories of men and women finding the extraordinary in their everyday lives. The stories celebrate those brave enough to try new things and grow via new experiences, whether it’s losing 100 pounds, scaling a mountain, going back to college at the age of 65 or leaving the aerospace field to become a florist.
“No matter where life takes you, we all have something rolling around in the back of our mind we’ve always wanted to try. So many people dismiss it as something trivial, unimportant to the demands of our daily to-do-list-filled lives,” Gelfgot says. “Now, more than ever, this message of ‘it’s not too late to change the course’ has resonated with these audiences I present to.”
In lieu of all that is happening in the world, KHW has added a barrage of online events to keep the community connected. They’re offering digital workshops, virtual meetups and tons of interactive video content.
On Dec. 15, KHW is also launching scholarships and mentor opportunities for high school girls with an interest in entrepreneurship. The program coincides with their broader mission of empowering women to be brave in big and small ways by fostering the development of women in leadership and innovation.
“The power of our message is simply that your skateboard, your outlet, your passion is out there,” Gelfgot says. “If you’re having trouble finding it, get around people who can help inspire your creativity.”
Learn more about Keep Her Wild at keepherwildhq.com
