Brujas (skate crew)


Brujas is an American all-female skate collective based in the Bronx, New York. The name derived from a 1986 video called Skate Witches
Brujas was founded by Arianna Gil and other skaters in 2014 to host meeting places for female skaters of color who felt excluded by men. Since then, the group has become with community organizing and political activism.
About the name Brujas, Gil mentioned, "We are intersectional feminists who are interested in spirituality and the tradition of brujería in our culture. So there was more going on than just that little YouTube video."

Activism

In 2016 Brujas created Brujas x 1971, a limited edition streetwear line that was funded through Kickstarter. The 1971 in the name refers to Attica prisoner uprising, of 1971. The line raised money for prisoner rights. "We see 1971 as a combination of both the political DIY cultures that we were radicalized in the Lower East Side, anarchist organizing where people sell T-shirts and throw parties to get their friends out of prison, and the really brash street and skate wear aesthetics that have been developing for ages," said Izzy Nastasia a Bruja member.
In 2016 the New Museum in New York hosted Scamming the Patriarchy: A Youth Summit that included Brujas as one of the organizers. About their work, Sara O'Keeffe, assistant curator of the New Museum mentioned, "Brujas is a critical voice among an emerging generation of artists, writers and activists who are propelling conversations about politics and forging spaces for empowerment."