You Gotta Know: Karly Moreno

Karly is pictured above wearing the fREE THE STrEETS OG Tee. Now available at Tillys! Click here to buy)

If you haven't heard of Karly Moreno by now you've probably been living under a rock somewhere because over the last year or so she has been everywhere! Not only is she a prominent fixture in the SoCal skate scene but she's also been trying her hand at many things including handling the mic duties at the Backyard Skate Battle while also making time to partner with retailers like Tillys appearing in a number of their latest campaigns. Karly is the epitome of positive energy and is constantly surrounded by good vibes and awesome people. That's why this week You Gotta Know: Karly Moreno!

GEO: You are both a super visible and inspiring person. Do you feel a responsibility to be a role model to younger skaters?

Karly: Heyy thanks! I mean I hope that I’m able to be a role model to young skaters...Everything we do carries a weight so I’m hoping that I am being the best possible version of myself and that my love for skateboarding shines through and inspires. I kinda think we all have that responsibility!

GEO: If you could go skate anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Karly: Hmmm.. I would love to skate through the streets of Tokyo, Japan! It’s been a desire of mine to go there for a while now... the culture, the SUSHI, the vibes! Are you kidding. Let’s freekin go 

GEO: You're a super talented singer-songwriter who also kicked ass on The Voice! How does writing and performing compare to skating? What do you get out of them both that's different from each other?

Karly: Thank you!! I’d say that singing and skateboarding have always gone hand in hand for me... been passionate about both for a long time! They both bring me a lot of joy, a sense of freedom and creativity in different ways.  

GEO: Have you ever made a prank phone call and if so what did you say?

Karly: Yes absolutely. Don’t remember exactly what I said but I’ve had my fair share of calling my crushes way back in the day, probably with some sort of stupid accent...Ahhh the good days!

GEO: We've been seeing you rocking one or two rad Tillys campaigns lately! How does it feel to see a major retailer like that showcase awesome skaters like you?

Karly: Well, I grew up shopping at Tillys and have always loved it... so you could say I’m pretty stoked to be able to partner with them!! 

GEO: If you could make any movie into a musical, which one would it be?

Karly: Can I be honest? Musicals have never really been my thing, so I’m not sure I’d wanna make any movie into a musical... HAHA! 

GEO: You are also a rad announcer handling the mic duties for the Backyard Skate Battle! How did you get into that?

Karly: So BSB is the brain child of my brand manager, Sheldon Lewis! He asked if I’d like to be a host for it and of course I said yes!!! It’s been such a rad experience to be a part of something like this!

GEO: What advice would you give to a new skater?

Karly: I would say just have fun!! Have grace for yourself when learning new tricks and also finding those few skate homies that encourage, support and inspire you is super important! 

GEO: If you had to listen to one song while you were skating for the rest of time, which one would it be and why?

Karly: Wowww one song? I don’t think I could pick but LATELY I have been blasting some MGK... his more recent alternative pop/punk stuff though!

GEO: It's obvious that you value family and friendship above all else and you're just naturally great with people. What advice would you give to someone feeling a little displaced or maybe a bit of social anxiety?

Karly: If someone was feeling social anxiety or displaced I would say, take a leap of faith and put yourself out there even if it’s hard. More likely than not someone will gladly welcome you! I think most of us have dealt with those feelings before so people are pretty understanding. Just remember, YOU ARE WORTHY! 

GEO: At the last fREE THE STrEETS meetup you wrote "Let Love Lead The Way" on the manny pad which was super rad. Would that be your mantra?

Karly: I’d say “Let Love lead you“ is a mantra for me absolutely. It’s not always easy but everyone deserves to be loved and to be seen. I always wanna treat people the way I wanna be treated... with love and kindness! I aspire to love people the way that Jesus does!

Karly is pictured above wearing the fREE THE STrEETS OG Tee. Now available at Tillys! Click here to buy)

Every Wednesday GEO presents a rad person or something epic we think the world should know about! Visit the site every week for a brand new feature or sign up to the GEO mailing list to get it sent straight to your inbox!