BRADENTON – A youth empowerment movement has a unique approach to inspire teens to take care of their mental health during these uncertain times.
Launched by radio host Ryan Ries and P.O.D. lead singer Sonny Sandoval, the The Whosoevers Youth Empowerment School & Skatepark Tour works with teens who are battling depression, anxiety, or drug addiction and through the power of skateboarding reminds them to have faith.
Ries and Sandoval both use their belief, music, and passion of skateboarding to connect with the teens and hope to break barriers in the skating community.
“We want to come and give them a message of hope and let them know life doesn’t have to that way and there’s alternatives of lifestyle living,” said Ries.
The tour continued on Thursday at the Bradenton Riverwalk Skatepark where they hope to motivate the teens and inspire them through their own stories.
“We understand suicide and depression is running rapid right now in our young people. And so we want to come out here and we want nothing, we make no money,” said Sandoval. “We do nothing except love them, give away stuff man tell them God loves them that he has a plan and future for their lives. And just offer them hope man cause these are our people.”
The Whosoevers tour runs from Oct 21st to the 30th with stops in more than a dozen cities in Florida.
- Oct. 21 at 2:00 p.m. at Bro Bowl Skatepark in Tampa
- Oct. 22 at 9:00 a.m. at Charles Britt Academy in St. Petersburg
- Oct. 22 at 2:00 p.m. at Bradenton Skatepark at Bradenton
- Oct. 22 from 5 – 8 p.m. at 180 House Bradenton in Bradenton
- Oct. 23 at 2:00 p.m. at Lakeland Skatepark in Lakeland
- Oct. 23 at 6:00 p.m. at the Juvenile Detention Center in Clearwater
- Oct. 24 at 10:00 a.m. at The Dern’s Complex in Apopka
- Oct. 24 at 6:00 p.m. at Calvary Chapel Fellowship in St. Petersburg
- Oct. 25 at 10:00 a.m. at Ian Tillman Skatepark in Safety Harbor
- Oct. 25 at 2:00 p.m. Campbell Skatepark in St. Petersburg
- Oct. 26 from 2:30 – 5 p.m. at 180 House Venice in Venice
- Oct. 26 from 7 – 9 p.m. at 180 House Sarasota in Sarasota
- Oct. 27 at 6:00 p.m. at Safety Harbor Skatepark in Safety Harbor
- Oct. 28 at 2:00 p.m. at Zephyrhills Skatepark in Zephyrhills
- Oct. 29. at 10:00 a.m. at Vero Beach School in Vero Beach
- Oct. 29 at 2:00 p.m. at Vero Beach Skatepark in Vero Beach
- Oct. 29 at 5:00 p.m. at Vero Beach Youth in Vero Beach
- Oct. 30 from 2:00 p.m. at Lake David Skatepark in Groveland
- Oct. 30 at 7:00 p.m. at Coastline Community Church at Indian Harbour Beach