Fun day with Michael Adams and the San Jose State Skate Club. https://www.instagram.com/sjsuskate/
Fun article from the San Jose State University magazine.
Judi Oyama is Unafraid to Fly By Julia Halprin Jackson Videography by Javier Duarte and Jonathan Meyer
She has a massive collection of action sports memorabilia which is a byproduct of her 50-year career as a professional skateboarder and her role as a key industry figure in the Santa Cruz skate scene. She has lived through the sport's evolution, starting in the 1970s, and has held positions as Art Director at RockShox, Giro Helmets, Zero Motorcycles, designer at CrossFit HQ, and ran her graphic design company Maximum Impact Design since 1987, that allowed her to naturally accumulate rare gear and promotional items.
The Collection: She maintains what is widely considered the largest private skate collection for a female skateboarder. Her archive includes rare clothing, contest flyers, ads, and original graphics that document the technology and art of skating since the 1970s.
NHS Skate Museum: Oyama was instrumental in helping curate the NHS Skate Museum in Santa Cruz. This museum houses a massive amount of vintage Santa Cruz Skateboards art and memorabilia, much of which Judi helped organize and verify.
The Smithsonian: Her personal artifacts, including her 1979 skating helmet and 1980 race trophy, are held in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Recent Work: In April 2026, she shared a "collection review" with museum researchers, documenting decades of skate "herstory" to separate it from other action sports like surf and bike.
Exhibition History: She curated the "Praise the Board" exhibit at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History as early as 2009.
One of my reasons for organizing and documenting my skateboard collection. I am working on a retrospective of my skate, art and graphic design for a museum exhibition fall 2026 in San Jose, California at the end of October. I will share details when it is public. I thought since I am going through all of my stuff I might as well try to get a Guinness World Record for Largest Skateboard Memorialbilia Collection for a Female.
Judi Oyama • WSG Tight Slalom Race • 2022 Photo thank you! by © Monique Soderhall
I eventually will sell, share loan items to skate museums and donate a few items to charity events for the Japanese American National Museum LA and San Jose. I donated and signed one of my white slalom skateboard racing jersey's to the JANM 2026 Gala and it will be up for on-line auction in 3 weeks. I raced with the jersey at the World Skate Games 2022 in Argentina and placed 4th overall in my sixties.
Yesterday I saw a post that the World Championships of Banked Slalom were going to be held in New Mexico. I immediately contacted Isa Ruiz a USA slalom team mate and awesome young racer who's dad puts on the race. I have always wanted to skate Ditch Slap because it's suppose to be epic.
In order to fund my racing I'm asking my sponsors to help fund my travel fees by putting brand logos on my board, helmet and jersey.
Catto's Graphics Boardroom Racing, Lenz Arts, RipTide Sports, Insta360 Santa Cruz Skateboards, Bronson Speed Bearings, MobGrip, Sk8kings Skateboards, Sk8kings Turbo Wheels, Girlsnota4letterword, Laird SuperFoods, Old Bones Therapy, 187killerpads, Old Lady Gains cool woman owned former Masters CrossFitter Kim Munoz and badass. I love her messaging and posts on her social media.
Adding more sponsors so I can update my jersey for the World Championships of banked slalom and will update again for the World Skate Games if I get more paid sponsors.
Thank you everyone who has already sent money and helped me. If I missed anyone please hit me up.
Another view.
Here is a link to the 10 foot ramp and 9 foot ramp Texas had but it got eaten by termites.
Current media links:
KAZU article on our local NPR station
I did not expect the views that the video has had about my 50 years of skateboarding. I am super honored and stoked.
YouTube video link
Thank you everyone for the support. I am beyond surprised and even more motivated to keep skating. I got mostly nice comments and did expect a few negative ones but I don't care it's social media.
315,915 views Premiered Mar 8, 2023 as of April 29, 2023
