Photography by CJF Perú, Arissa Moreno & Ricardo Moreno
This past year marked a turning point for CJF Perú. After several years of running programs in Cerrito de la Virgen, 2024 brought a new setting—and a new chapter—in Buenos Aires, Trujillo. With a freshly built mini-ramp and a dedicated local team, CJF Perú launched two seasons of programming focused on life skills, community, and of course —skateboarding.
Thanks to the support of the CJF Education Grant, this year’s sessions offered local youth not just a space to skate, but a place to grow and connect.
Two Seasons of Edu-Skate
Between August 2024 and February 2025, CJF Perú ran two seasons of weekly Edu-Skate programming in Buenos Aires. The sessions welcomed around 40 young skaters, with nearly half of them girls—a promising step for inclusive access to the sport.
Led by local educators Arissa Moreno and Andre “Karman” Sanchez, each session combined skateboarding with life skills education. Lessons explored themes like perseverance, self-care, emotional safety, teamwork, and creativity—always connected to the day-to-day experiences of the students.
In Season 1, students created “time capsules,” defined their own community rules, and reflected on their strengths using activities like “My Personal Shield.” In Season 2, the focus shifted slightly to skill development and confidence-building, especially in the mini-ramp space.
A Space Just for Girls
Season 1 also featured weekly girls-only skate sessions. Created and led by Arissa, these sessions were based on her customized curriculum, “Programa de Skate para Chicas.” They offered a safe, empowering environment where girls could connect, reflect, and skate together.
Activities explored topics such as defining trustworthy relationships, setting personal goals, and what it means to feel emotionally and physically safe. Participation was strong, with 20 unique girls attending a total of 12 sessions.
Though girls-only classes were paused in Season 2 due to fluctuating attendance, the plan is to restart them when a consistent group is ready—something the team will be actively working towards.
More Than Classes: Community Moments
2024 was about more than weekly sessions—it was about shared experiences.
CJF Perú hosted seasonal celebrations like a Christmas “chocolatada,” gratitude circles, ceviche lunches, and graffiti parties. The year closed with a graduation event where students received school supplies and a moment to celebrate everything they’d achieved.
These moments helped strengthen community bonds and gave students time to reflect on their progress—not just as skaters, but as young people growing together.
What We Learned—and What’s Next
Like any grassroots effort, the program faced challenges. Inconsistent attendance, exposure to the elements, and limited session frequency impacted momentum at times. But these are all learnings the team is eager to build on for future seasons.
Despite the obstacles, 2024 marked a powerful step forward for youth skateboarding in Trujillo. The CJF Perú team continues to lead with care, creativity, and commitment—and we’re proud to support them as they grow.
Looking ahead to 2025, CJF Perú plans to continue weekly sessions and strengthen its local programming, with a focus on consistency, inclusion, and long-term impact. There’s more ahead!
Special Thanks
To all the youth who showed up week after week, to Arissa and Karman for their leadership, and to our community of donors and supporters such as New Line Skateparks and The Skateroom: thank you.
Together, we’re building much more than skateparks. Stay tuned for more stories from the CJF Impact Grant series.
Concrete Jungle Foundation is a non-profit organisation that builds skateparks and runs youth programmes for communities around the world.
Thank you for helping us share the joy of skateboarding and supporting local communities!
