Celcio Santos - Everything Skateboarding

We had the opportunity to sit down with Celcio, discussing the impact skateboarding has had on him and his experiences as a sponsored Liberalis skateboarder.

Within this interview, Celcio provided insight into the importance of the Birmingham skate scene and the opportunity that this provides to the community. While he also touches on his journey with Liberalis and his own brand Banter Skate.

What first attracted you to skateboarding?

I was first attracted to skateboarding by seeing people floating and flipping. The first ever time I laid my eyes on that and a skatepark, I decided that I wanted to do that as well. I eventually started going to watch people skate at that location and made friends with the people there, this then led me to start skateboarding at this same location, before receiving my first ever skateboard from a pro skateboarder.

How important has skateboarding been to your mental health?

Skateboarding has been so important to my mental health, it's like any physical activity; it makes you feel better and happier. When you don't engage in physical activity, you can feel yourself degrading and not feeling too good about yourself. I skateboard every week when possible, depending on weather. But mostly it keeps me going, brings me joy and gives me what I need to remain stable.

What is so special about the skate scene in Birmingham? Are there any other scenes that stand out right now?

I think the skate scene in Birmingham is so special, it's the second biggest city for a start. There is a lot of up and coming skaters who are great, there's many girls and young kids who are up and coming. Bournbrook has been important for the scene as a hub and it is the first ever legal DIY in the country. This city has something special going forward that lots of people are yet to see and it's exciting. Another scene that stands out is Nottingham, I love the scene and the atmosphere there, I've made lots of friends and they are a great group of people.

What direction do you think that the Birmingham skate scene will take in the next few years? Do you see the emergence of more DIY parks such as Bournbrook?

I think the direction that Birmingham will take will be amazing, Bournbrook has started something special and it's only a matter of time before more spaces like that appear. Hopefully that is the way skateboarding will move forward, inspiring people to engage with the sport like the Olympics has done. I really hope people realise that this is required and more spaces are funded and made accessible.

How would you describe your journey with Liberalis so far?

Man! My journey with Liberalis has been the best journey that I've had! If I was to compare with other brands that have supported me (with no disrespect to the others) Liberalis have given me something that I've not had before from the others, providing lots of support to keep me rolling for the last few years. I'm very grateful for the support as there is lots of kids out there who are great at skateboarding and don't have this support.

I wouldn't be riding for a brand if I didn't enjoy the products and if they weren't a particular quality. I'm still with Liberalis because they give me the freedom to be myself and do what I want, while allowing me to represent the brand in the best possible way.

What is it like running your own brand? What are your future plans for Banter?

Running my own brand is the best thing ever! Since I got into skateboarding, I was opened up to a world around me where people were starting their own brands and they were really great individuals who inspired me to do my own stuff. Around the age of 16, I was already in the mindset to start something within myself and my friends, this is basically how Banter started.

Now I'm at a stage where things have picked up so much, I'm in a place where I can use Banter to impact even more individuals and the skateboarding community as a whole.

My future plans are the same as day 1; provide a platform to these upcoming kids who have something special. These people embody what Banter is about, by doing their own thing and not really caring what anybody thinks. Making sure that you never lose that inner child and always stay young, I don't think that these plans will ever change!

I really have some great long term plans that will effect many individuals and skate scenes. One of these is to have a hub for people to skate and be themselves, allowing them not to worry about the weather. I also want to continue hooking people up with products and supporting them. Hopefully this leads to them being identified by other brands and opens up even more opportunities to them.