An Interview with Gose Gerald by Toby Brockelbank and Patrick Kigongo
Uganda photography credit: Tommy Hatwell @tommyhatwell
Nexus are super stoked to have talked to Gose Gerald of Uganda Skateboard Society again. If you follow skating, you’ve probably seen them in the news recently as their super unique park has been demolished. We’re stoked to announce that since our interview, USS have met and even exceeded their fundraising goal to build a new skatepark! Massive congrats to the crew and love to everyone in the skate community who has made this possible. You might remember that Patrick Kigongo, or Cousin P, an LA-based skater wrote the intro to our interview with USS last year. He’s returned with a bonus round of questions at the end of this interview. If you can, we strongly urge you to send over some skate equipment to USS, “even used equipment that still has life in it can make a huge difference to a young skater here” – there P.O. Box is in their insta bio. Check out the interview and go support @ugandaskateboardsociety if you aren’t already!
- Sup Gose! Catch us up, how are you doing and how’s it going at Uganda Skateboard Society?
I’m doing really well, and things at Uganda Skateboard Society are moving forward. It’s been a challenging but very exciting period for us. We’ve been focused on growing skateboarding in Uganda, supporting our skaters, and creating better opportunities for young people to skate.
2. How’s your arm going? Has it healed, and what’s the story with the slam?
My arm is doing much better now. The slam happened while I was skating a ledge and went for a frontside tailslide. The ledge was really waxed up, and when I landed, things went wrong and I came down hard on my arm.
I ended up breaking my humerus and needed surgery, where they put in a titanium plate and eight screws. It was definitely a serious injury and forced me to take a long break from skating, but the recovery has gone well. It taught me a lot about patience because, as a skater, you always want to get back on your board immediately.
3. Have you got back on a board?
Yeah, I’ve been able to get back on my board, which honestly feels amazing after everything I went through. I’m still being careful and taking things step by step, but being back skating feels like getting a part of myself back.
I’m not trying to rush the process. The main thing is to stay healthy, rebuild my confidence and strength, and enjoy skating again.
4. Your skatepark got demolished. What happened?
Yeah, that was a really difficult moment for us. The skatepark had been our home for around ten years, and we had built a really strong community around it. Eventually, the land was needed for commercial development, so the skatepark had to come down.
Obviously, it was heartbreaking to see something we had built over so many years demolished. But instead of letting that stop us, we decided to look at it as an opportunity to build something more permanent.
5. What’s the plan now?
The plan now is to keep pushing forward. Losing the old skatepark was difficult, but it also gave us the opportunity to think bigger. We’ve secured land worth 1700 square meters for the future home of the Uganda Skateboard Society, and now the focus is on building a permanent skatepark and a space where the community can grow.
We want this to be more than just a skatepark. We want it to be a place where young people can learn, train, compete, express themselves and feel like they belong.
6. How is the fundraising going and how can we help?
The fundraising has been going really well, and we’re extremely grateful for the support we’ve received so far. We’re now at the stage where every contribution makes a real difference because the goal is to actually get construction started.
We set a goal of $80k and so far with the power of global skate community we have raised $79,337, the best way people can help is by donating, sharing the fundraiser, or simply spreading the word. Even if someone can’t donate, sharing the story with someone who can is a huge help. This is a community project, and every bit of support gets us closer to giving Ugandan skaters a permanent home.
7. Have you guys seen much international support since the park was demolished?
Absolutely. The response from the international skateboarding community has honestly been incredible. When the park was demolished, people from different parts of the world reached out because they understood what that place meant to us and to the Ugandan skate community.
We’ve received support from skaters, brands, organizations and individuals around the world. Thrasher Magazine and adidas Skateboarding have been a huge part of helping us get to this point, and there are many other people who have contributed in different ways.
Anyone you want to shout out for the support?
Definitely. I want to give a huge shoutout to everyone who has supported us, whether through donations, sharing the fundraiser, giving equipment, or simply believing in what we’re doing.
Big love to Thrasher Magazine, adidas Skateboarding, Salad Days of Skateboarding, Supreme and the construction team (Wonders Around the World – WAW) which is gonna make it to support our construction soon, we also thank everyone in the international skateboarding community who has stood behind Uganda.
And of course, the biggest shoutout goes to the local skaters and community here in Uganda. They’re the reason we keep pushing.
9. Any ideas of what the new park will look like?
Yeah, we have some really exciting ideas. We want the new park to be designed around the needs of Ugandan skaters.
We’re looking at having a good mix of street and transition elements, spaces for beginners as well as advanced skaters, and facilities that make it a proper community hub.
But the most important thing is that it should have that feel like our old park. It should represent Uganda, our skate culture and the people who have built this community from the ground up.
10. The crew has been skating more street in the meantime, how’s that going?
Yeah, it’s actually been really good. Since we lost our skatepark, the crew has been spending a lot more time skating street and exploring different spots. It’s definitely been challenging because you don’t always have the perfect spot or conditions, but that’s also what makes street skating exciting.
I’ve been really happy seeing the younger skaters adapting, getting creative and pushing themselves. It reminds us that skateboarding isn’t just about having a skatepark it’s about making the most of whatever you have.
11. Best street skater in Uganda?
Haha, that’s a hard one! We have a lot of talented skaters in Uganda, and I think everyone has their own style.
But if you force me to pick, I’d say Bryan Bukenya is definitely one of the guys who stands out in street skating. There are also a lot of younger skaters coming up, so I think Uganda’s street scene is only going to get stronger.
12. You guys have been competing internationally, where has the crew been and how have those comps gone?
Yeah, we’ve been lucky to get opportunities to represent Uganda internationally. We’ve been to different countries for competitions, training and skate exchanges, including Russia, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, Dubai, Ethiopia and other places.
It hasn’t always been easy, especially with visas and funding, but every international trip has been valuable. We get to compete against some of the best skaters, learn from them and bring that experience back home.
For me, the biggest win is seeing Ugandan skaters realise that they can compete on an international level. We’re still developing, but we’re definitely moving forward.
13. How have your travels been?
The travels have been amazing. Skateboarding has taken me to places I honestly never imagined I would visit, and I’ve met so many incredible people through it.
At the same time, traveling from Uganda as a skateboarder comes with challenges visas, funding, logistics and sometimes just getting the right opportunities. But I always try to look at the positive side.
14. Would Uganda beat Kenya in a game of S.K.A.T.E.?
Ohhh, now you’re trying to create problems!
Kenya has some really good skaters and we have a lot of respect for them, but if it’s Uganda versus Kenya in S.K.A.T.E., I’ve got to go neutral cos it’s an East African derby 😂
Let’s stop talking about it and actually make the game happen. Then we’ll see who really has the letters!
15. How was your recent interview with Chad Muska for ABC News?
Besides that, Chad has always been a good friend of mine and a great supporter of what we’re doing in Uganda. Even before this interview, he was always sending me products from his own one-man company to help support our skate community.
So having that history with him made the interview even more special. It wasn’t just meeting someone I looked up to. it was catching up with a friend who has genuinely supported our community over the years.
16. Has the skate scene grown in Uganda since our last interview?
Yeah, definitely. The scene has grown a lot since our last interview. We have more young people getting into skateboarding, more skaters coming up, and more people understanding what skateboarding is and what it can do for the community.
Even though we lost our skatepark, the scene didn’t stop. If anything, it pushed people to skate more street and explore different places. We’re seeing new faces coming into the community all the time, and that’s probably the most exciting part for me.
17. What else has changed over the last year?
A lot has happened. We’ve had more international exposure, our skaters have travelled and competed in different countries, and we’ve continued building relationships with the international skateboarding community.
The biggest change, though, is that we’ve secured land for the future home of the Uganda Skateboard Society. So now we’re moving from just trying to maintain the scene to actually thinking about the future and building something permanent.
We’ve also seen more recognition for skateboarding in Uganda, and that gives us a lot of motivation to keep pushing.
18. How can we support Uganda Skateboard Society with the necessary skate equipment?
Equipment is still one of the biggest needs for us. Skateboarding can be expensive, especially in Uganda, because most equipment has to come from outside the country.
The easiest way people can support is by donating complete skateboards, decks, trucks, wheels, bearings and protective equipment. Even used equipment that still has life in it can make a huge difference to a young skater here.
We’re also open to working with brands and organizations that want to support us with regular equipment programs. The goal is to make sure that a kid who wants to skate doesn’t have to stop simply because they can’t afford a board.
19. We know you’re super involved in international skating. How’s the skate scene growing across Africa?
The African skate scene is growing really fast, and it’s exciting to be part of it. We’re seeing strong communities developing in countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, Botswana and many other places.
What I really love is that each country has its own identity and its own style, but we’re also becoming more connected through competitions, skate trips and cultural exchanges.
There’s a lot of talent in Africa. The biggest challenge is access, access to good skateparks, equipment, funding and international opportunities. If we can improve those things, I really believe we’ll see African skaters competing at the highest level in the world.
For me, it’s not just about Uganda anymore. I want to see the whole African skateboarding community grow.
20. Any countries or crews we should keep an eye on?
I don’t want to be too specific or single out any particular country. I’d say just keep an eye on Africa as a whole. There’s a lot happening across the continent, and I think people are going to be surprised by the amount of talent and growth coming out of Africa. The scene is developing, and there’s a lot more to come.
21. Anything else you want to mention or final words for readers?
I just want to say thank you to everyone who has supported skateboarding in Uganda, especially the people who have been there from the beginning and everyone around the world who continues to believe in what we’re building.
We’ve been through a lot, including losing our skatepark, but we’re still here and we’re building something bigger. So keep watching Uganda, keep supporting African skateboarding, and hopefully we’ll see you at the new park soon.
And now for Patrick’s quick-fire round:
Now that Uganda has the world’s attention, what’s next for your scene?
I think the next step is to build something that can sustain the attention we’re getting. We’ve secured the land, so now the big goal is getting the new skatepark built and creating a permanent home for skateboarding in Uganda.
But beyond the park, we want to develop more skaters, create more opportunities, and connect Uganda with the rest of the African and international skate scene. The attention is great, but for me, what matters most is turning that attention into something that lasts.
What is your dream skate trip?
Honestly, my dream skate trip would be to take a crew from Uganda and travel around the world skating different cities, meeting local skaters and experiencing different skate cultures.
I’d love it to be a proper long-term trip not just going somewhere for a competition, but actually spending time with the local scene, skating spots, filming and creating something together. That would be amazing.
Do you prefer skating in trousers or shorts?
Shorts, always. 😂
