Kwami Adzitso
July 2021
‘Luckily around the same time our family applied for citizenship for the United States and after lengthy process, we were able to escape to a refugee camp and ultimately make it to the States.’
If you had a chance to be at the Olympics representing either the USA or Ghana, which country would you choose and why?
— Ghana without a question because the USA has enough people who can play that role and I would love to do that for my home country and put it on the map.
When you were 11 years young, you moved with your parents to the USA. Why?
— I moved to the USA in 2001. When I was 7 years old with my parents and the rest of my immediate family. To make a long story short, my father was a soldier for the president in Ghana at the time and after so many years of him being president the people wanted some change although the president did not want to leave office.
My dad was apart of a group who were trying to overthrow the president, once the president found out what was going on, he was looking to assassinate anyone apart of the group to overthrow him. Luckily around the same time our family applied for citizenship for the United States and after lengthy process, we were able to escape to a refugee camp and ultimately make it to the States.
In truesk8boardmag.com you stated you want to take skateboarding to Ghana and put up a skate park. From my discussions with Joshua from SkateNationGhana and Dave from BoardsforGhana it looks like skateboarding has already arrived there. However they are in constant need of decks and accessories. What connections do you have with the local skate community and were you guys able to collaborate yet?
— That is a work in process! I’m well connected with the skateboard community in Ghana and Joshua himself, we’ve had some conversations about the quality of the products they need to use with the lack of skate shops. I plan on taking a trip to Ghana in the next few months and I will have some product with me to try and help out!
’I ask myself this question often and I have no idea!’
Back to the past. What was your first pro board?
— Guy Mariano Girl Board
What was your first trick besides ollie?
— My first trick besides an Ollie was an Old School Kick flip, that’s when you jump off your skateboard flip it with your hands and jump back on. It’s been awhile since I’ve done one. (laughs)
Which pro rider inspired you most when you started skating?
— When I first started skateboarding I didn’t know much professional skateboarders until I came across Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and after learning about Kareem Campbell and Stevie Williams, they inspired me a lot!
You wanted to become an entrepreneur when you moved from Utah to California in 2016. What is your business idea?
— Great question! Currently, I am working on building myself as a brand and we are making progress. The overall goal is to use my influence to do collaborations/partnerships with other brands that won’t only benefit me but also things I am passionate about.
Another dream of yours is turning pro. Why do you think this has not happened yet?
— A lot of people would consider me a professional skateboarder but technically, you are not a pro until you have your name on a skateboard and that has not happened yet but I look forward to that day!
We have something in common. Unfortunately it is not the skate ability or the model jobs. We both work in Insurance. Do you like it or is it just about getting the paycheck?
— I do enjoy what I do for work but I do not see myself doing it forever.
You mentioned in your interviews that skateboarding has given you everything? What do you mean by that?
— What I mean by that is, everything in my life good or bad up until this point was in one way or another because of skateboarding. Whether it be the mindset I gained from skateboarding or the opportunities that have lead me where I am today, I have skateboarding fro thank for all of it!
Where would you be without it you think?
— I ask myself this question often and I have no idea!
Last question: If you could interview one person, who will it be, why and what would you ask?
— There’s a few things that interest me outside of skateboarding and one of those are books, the one person I would love to interview is the author of this book called “The Four Agreements.” Don Miguel Ruiz, his book helped me shape the way I want to live my life and after reading the book I would love to express to him the impact it had on my life. Suggest everyone pick it up and give it a read!
