Nike SB's Brian Anderson & Lacey Baker Discuss Skateboarding, the LGBT Community & More

Nike SB athletes Brian Anderson and Lacey Baker connect for their first-ever recorded conversation for the Swoosh’s BETRUE initiative, discussing skateboarding, their creative efforts, the LGBTQ community and more. “For me, skateboarding has always represented a safe place where you can express yourself creatively,” Anderson tells Baker. “It’s helped to know what my limits are and then figure out ways to be creative after that,” Baker adds.

The exchange between Lacey and Brian, who revealed he was gay last year, has been released in support of Nike’s new EQUALITY campaign — an initiative that supports diversity and inclusion — and the sixth BETRUE collection. After checking out an excerpt below, you can read through Anderson and Baker’s entire conversation here.

BA: Exactly. For me, skateboarding has always represented a safe place where you can express yourself creatively. How do you feel creative when you skate?

LB: It’s helped to know what my limits are and then figure out ways to be creative after that. I can’t just huck my body down a big set of stairs like some skaters. It’s not something I can handle, so I have a more technical style of skating. It’s a really long process of learning tricks and trying them over and over. But that repetitive behavior is part of the creative expression for me, too. What about you?

BA: When I was a kid, I actually wanted to be in a band really, really bad. As a skateboarder, you get to do some of the things that you see musicians doing; you wear cool outfits and you have your own style. I feel a high level of satisfaction in choosing my look, from my apparel, to my footwear, to my skateboard. You can put stickers on your board and decide how you want it to look, like how a musician might want their guitar to look onstage. All of that is a direct expression of how you want to portray yourself to the world.

Early on, skate gives you that creative freedom. When you’re troubled as a kid and stuck in school, you need those outlets to express yourself. Skateboarding is so great for that. It can help somebody get through some of the toughest periods of being a young person.

LB: The DIY aspect of skateboarding is one of the biggest reasons that it’s so fun for me. Because it’s not a team thing, everyone is super individualistic. It’s amazing to do anything you want with your skateboard, to skate any spot. When you skate, you see things in ways that people don’t often see when they’re driving or just walking down the street. Someone might see a planter, but as a skater, you see endless possibilities.

Switching topics to not just representing the skate community, but the LGBT community, as well. How have you felt standing for more, including BETRUE?

BA: As I continue to speak about it, I’m still learning and having revelations and discoveries. I’m really happy to have the opportunity to stand up with our friends and with Nike and BETRUE. It’s encouraging to just go for it and not feel held back. It’s not like I’m a different person now that I’m out and doing this, but it feels really freeing to not worry about what somebody might think, and to have a lot of our friends supporting us.

The greatest feeling is to have support. Eventually you’re able to drop your fears and become more of yourself than you already were.

LB: Yeah, exploring those feelings and being in a place where you can be open is super important. It allows you to fully start to explore who you are.

I’m still having the same thoughts when it comes to my identity. At the end of the day, being able to skate and just be who I am — that’s what makes me feel true to myself.

It’s great to have the support of Nike and the EQUALITY campaign, too. It feels welcoming. I’m just really humbled and grateful for that.