When I first saw the Matix Compton Surf Club t's on a display outside of Tyler's Surfshop in El Segundo - I didn't pay them much mind, other than to think "oh, a shameless attempt at an ironic shirt...". But oh, on the contraire.
Turns out, surf/skate brand Matix actually moved their headquarters to Compton Blvd, and were looking for a way to connect with the community. How else to do that than hook up with the Boys and Girls clubs of Compton, Watts, and Willowbrook, bring out some of Matix' pro riders (Turkey Stopnik, Chase Stopnik, and JJ Wessels), get the folks from Camp Surf to donate boards for the day, and head to El Porto for a day of beach games and surf lessons.
Below is an excerpt from Matix:
“We wanted to share the stoke of surfing with kids that live so close, but never get a chance to enjoy the beach and a chance to surf,” explained Matix Marketing Manager Gabe Clement. “Every kid stood up on a wave. That feeling of conquering something new and foreign is something these kids will take with them into the new school year and is something that can’t be measured.”
When the day was complete, the newly formed Compton Surf Club, comprised of Boys & Girls Club members, Matix and Westlife employees, and Matix team riders went home with something more magical than good school grades and finished excel spreadsheets can provide. They went home with smiles for miles and a stoke only riding waves can create!
The Compton Surf Club is an ongoing youth community outreach program, built by Matix, that aims to interact with the local Compton community and share the creative values and California surf and skate lifestyle that founded Matix. Starting in Spring 2015, Matix will be releasing a Compton Surf Club capsule collection with partial proceeds going back into the Compton community.
I stand corrected - and you can't always judge a shirt by its logo. Check out the Matix store, and support the Compton Surf Club here.
