Yolo Bearings Shields

MY STORY

My name is Michael Anthony Ruiz Jr, better known as Mikey. I was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas and by the time I was able to walk, my parents strapped skates to my feet. I have been skating for nearly 16 years now and out of those 16 years, I have skated competitively for 4 years. The first time I competed, I was 6 and I fell in love with the sport. By my second year of competitive skating, I had become a 2007 silver medalist for USARS. Due to some unforeseen troubles that occurred at my parents business, i was unable to compete in the coming years, but i never stopped skating. Fortunately, after a 10 year hiatus, I was able to return to my true passion and skate competitively. In 2018, I returned to the Texas Speed Team with Sonny Felter and my father as my coaches. In my first year back, I became the Junior Men’s Overall silver medalist in quads at the USARS National championships. Along with a national title, I became Skater of the Year for the US South Central Region. In my second year back, I became the Junior Men’s Overall Gold Medalist on quads  and also received a gold medal for the 100m Time Trial on quads at the US American Championships. In addition, I also set 4 new overall records in all races for the Junior Men Division, as well as a silver medal in the time trials for the 100m Time Trial on inline for the US American Championships. I was also honored to qualify for the Race of Champions Finals against some of the top skaters in the US. Entering my 3rd year back, I was honored when Mota Skates asked me to represent their brand. However, due to the Pandemic, I have not been able to compete this year, but I look forward to growing and accomplishing greater things alongside Mota Skatesand Gold Medal Company.

MY STORY

My name is Leon Armstrong and I am known as the GlitterGirl Patriot. I was born in Florida, raised in a military community because my Father was an MP in the Army. My Mother taught classes at church and both raised us to volunteer in our communities. After living in Germany for a few years, I was raised on Fort Jackson, located in Columbia, SC. I spent age 5 to 17 in the Carolinas, during this time my parents adopted my siblings and fostered many more children. Education has always been important to my family and my parents made sure all of us had a high school diploma. Once I left high school, I hitchhiked this great country. I have danced with hippies in the desert and explored the depths of island life in the keys. After my first marriage, I moved back home to raise my children with my family. I eventually met my second husband and after five years of his mental illness spiraling which gravitated to dangerous abuse, he committed suicide. I am sure he didn’t intend for me to find him, but I did. It wrecked our lives and I thought I would follow soon after him leaving my five children without a mother. Freya and Eir gave me strength. I pulled myself together and started volunteering with the Libertarian party and raising a farm of fluffy chickens. I was still hurting and didn’t know how to heal my children either. I was invited to a Roller Derby game by a former teammate. With great difficulty, I showed up to the game. I saw on the track many diverse people. Some a little gender bender like me, some women who towered like Amazon’s, old and young. All beautiful, powerful, and on wheels! It was love at first illegal block. Penalty! 30 seconds! I signed up and joined. The main thing that made me fall in love was many women from all walks of life coming together. Some also abused, with anxiety, some had to transition into their bodies, and others just want their power back. Regardless of the reasoning. It was a family. I enjoyed every bruise, bump, and “oh crap-smack on the floor” moment. My children and I would spend hours skating together at the local rink. It was therapeutic and healing for us. When I was doxed for working security for the Straight Pride parade (freedom of speech), I was kicked off my team for being a white supremacist (to an event they knew I was going to be a part of so I brought zero gear or apparel). I woke up to messages from strangers with screenshots. Not a word from my own team. We had a meeting and they let me back on the team. I was asked to forgive her, and I apologized. Afterwards, it was constant bullying. I chose to leave a practice, they kicked me off again for being a “white supremacist” and breaking a “Facebook” clause over a post that neither mentioned them or the fact the bullying restarted my grief. I was told not to mention this. I was told to change my derby name, I was told I’m racist for supporting my country, freedom of speech, my President, and standing up for conservatives who have been doxed and bullied by the far left. Many of the far left were on my team and they were not removed. I was told derby was inclusive for everyone, but they didn’t mean Patriots.

My Patriotism and Skating goes hand in hand because both represent freedom. Mota Skates has given me back my freedom after I was told “I would never derby again because Nazi’s aren’t welcome”. This statement is hurtful, but they are words. Those words they turned to action. It wasn’t a conservative or a libertarian, but a panel of “tolerable” white liberal women and one Japanese woman who had decided I was undoubtedly a white supremacist.

Yes. You read that right. I am a Black female who was labeled by white women as a Nazi.

Fortunately, I don’t scare easy and all this did was motivate me to speak out at more events (once wearing the Pink Me too hat while declaring my support for President Trump). I wondered how many more suffered because politics played a hand in a sport. An organization that says that they don’t discriminate against race, religion, and politics, but supports Black Lives Matter which is funded by George Soros and ran by “trained Marxists”.

Cancel culture is now costing people whole businesses and label them racist. I encourage more skaters to speak up and speak out! No one should be canceled over statements made, political choices, or harassed to sever personal ties because it doesn’t agree with everyone else’s. Life is most fun with variety. People come in all shapes, colors, and walks of life. All bodies are valid, and all races are matter.

For the most part, my heart is healed, I have a wonderful boyfriend and healthy children. I skate when I can, and I encourage everyone to own a pair, or own several pair. If you would have told me a couple of years ago, I would have an endorsement, love, safety, and a passion, I would have laughed at you, but now I am laughing with you! Skating saved a huge part of my life. I hope it can do the same for yours. Catch me on my wheels! How about that! Glitter on!