Black yoyoers appreciation

yes, Magl33to had also participated in the official video of a pop singer… I’ve been looking for him for half an hour but I can’t find him … do you remember him ???
(also @Markmont had participated in a video of a song)

3 Likes

Joshua Ray!

12 Likes

miss this guy so much

3 Likes

I love that performance. So satisfying to watch

3 Likes

Mark Mangarin… :heart_eyes:

8 Likes

Big big big appreciation to those who doled out props and started threads on channels; much much much respect and thanks.

Also yes

It’s very much a let down to see yet another positively intended black appreciation thread see ‘all lives matter’ based commentary. I honestly haven’t come across any threads that ‘didn’t’ have this happen. The clear unfortunate reality is that there exist a serious amount of people who very much ‘do’ find literal issue with blacks being given a moment of appreciation - this applies to society as a whole. Hella unfortunate.

32 Likes

It is so frustrating, and represents either a deliberate smokescreen or cluelessness.
Until we, as a society, demonstrate that BLACK lives matter, then we are failing to prove that ALL lives matter. So if you’re saying all lives matter in response, you’re either a) intending to defuse or diminish a statement you disagree with OR b) you just don’t get or believe that systemic racism - and specifically lethal, racist police brutality, documented again and again - is actually an issue. That Black lives are threatened and/or taken in grossly disproportionate numbers. In this day and age, I have to believe that either a or b represents a choice; a refusal to accept what is clear and present because it requires an inconvenient or painful self-examination.

The function of nearly this whole forum is to celebrate and discuss “all yoyoers”. To have a space dedicated specifically to Black throwers should not even be a political statement. All the individuals we could think of could fit in about a 4-inch space as @EOS44 typed it out. It’s not a huge swath of our community. Players need to see other players who look like them, or have a touchstone which makes them feel less isolated in what remains (in the US) a very homogenous scene.

EDIT: Oh, and while I’m here, nice to remember Troy Talbot who ran Sorry Yo-Yo’s. A super great guy with great ideas who was taken from the community (and the world) far too soon.

27 Likes

Horrible way to get here but it’s amazing to finally see these issues being recognized in a real way. I just hope it leads to meaningful change. I won’t speak on people posting all lives matter because I think it’s been covered well by everyone else. Hopefully it’s a learning experience and maybe they can understand why it’s so inappropriate in this thread.

7 Likes

@Markmont has really been inspiring my developing technique lately. I really like the aesthetic and flow of redirects and love the way he incorporates this in his throwing.
He talks specifically about this with @DocPop here: https://youtu.be/32brHdXH1io
Edit: he takes the concept of redirects further and uses the term “direction change” here to illustrate the stark shift in motion. Beautiful.

10 Likes

Colin, Mark, Ed, and others said important things that needed to be said that a mere “like” does not do justice.

I’m really struggling to find the words that I want to say here, and instead I just want to emphasize these points said better than I could…

9 Likes

Added more players.

8 Likes

They’ve already been mentioned, but I’m huge fans of William Murphy, Caleb Fisher, Colin. Rick is an amazing dude. Obviously MarkMont and I go way back. Our styles couldn’t be any more different, but he’s always been a huge inspiration to me. Every time we hang out I feel like I’ve just re-discovered what yo-yoing is about.
A few up and coming players I like to follow on IG:

One more shout out to Joshua Ray. I don’t think they are still actively throwing, but this video is so dope

19 Likes

@Ant.G is the man!!! Had the pleasure of riding from GA to OH with him for worlds last year!

6 Likes

I appreciate Black yoyoers :heart:

Also, putting this here:

11 Likes

Much appreciated!!

6 Likes

Thanks Ed!!

5 Likes

https://instagram.com/noel_vermilli0n?igshid=aw84h322mrz

From my local yoyo group.

Also the late Troy Talbot, the creator of the original ratchet yoyo.

7 Likes

Rick Wyatt made me rethink and practice straightening my throw in the early 2000s. A perfectly smooth and straight throw is fundamental but often overlooked. Much respect for the man!

5 Likes

Absolutely correct

8 Likes

Don’t know what to say other than y’all are awesome. Much love in this difficult time, yo-yos can bring us together :yo-yo::hugs:

and a shout out to the forum mods including @jhb8426

14 Likes