Cory Joseph grew up skating, with both of his parents having been professional roller skaters in the 1970s and 1980s. As he puts it, he started skating at the age of 2, right after learning to walk. His love for the sport followed him into adulthood. Joseph transformed his passion into purpose by founding the Sunshine Skate Foundation. Initially intended to complement his dream of opening a roller skating rink, the foundation became a priority when he recognized a need in his community.

“My wife and I are in the process of opening a roller skating rink, and one of the things we planned to do after opening it was to establish the foundation to provide after-school programs or skate sessions for kids,” he explained. “What we decided to do was take a strong pivot and create the foundation first, bringing our mobile roller skating rink experience to schools throughout Los Angeles County.”

The foundation offers a mobile skating setup, complete with rental skates, DJs, and sound systems, bringing sessions to schools for about 2 to 3 hours. During these events, kids can unwind, listen to music, and enjoy skating. However, the sessions are not just about fun; they also include an educational component.

“We're teaching them how to fall and what perseverance looks like in terms of getting back up,” Joseph shared. “I usually leave schools with pamphlets on emotional intelligence and mental toughness, which are topics I also teach at my gym.”

Parents and health experts have long expressed concerns about the lack of physical activity among kids, largely due to the prevalence of screens and electronics, which also hinder social skill development. In California, the minimum physical activity requirement is only 200 minutes every 10 days for 1st through 6th graders, and 400 minutes for 7th through 12th graders. The Sunshine Skate Foundation helps address this gap with its active and engaging sessions.

“We’re really engaging kids in a physical activity that’s low-cost and, in this case, free for schools through the nonprofit,” Joseph noted. “It also allows kids to be vulnerable. If they’re unsure how to skate, they learn to ask for help and accept it when offered. Additionally, we emphasize emotional intelligence—teaching kids to support each other in a healthy way. When someone falls, we encourage the others to help lift them back up.”

Currently, there is only one skating rink in Los Angeles County, located in Glendale. The number of rinks has sharply declined in the past decade, with three closing in recent years. The Sunshine Skate Foundation’s five-year plan includes bringing mobile sessions to every school in LA County, focusing on Black and brown communities while remaining open to all partners. To encourage participation, they are collaborating with corporate sponsors to offer gift cards and other incentives.

“These kids today need an exchange,” Joseph explained. “The initial appeal is to get them in the door. The skating sessions eventually keep them coming back.”

Joseph sees the sessions’ positive impact firsthand. They provide kids with an alternative to staying idle at home or getting into trouble. They also introduce a healthy form of peer pressure.

“Kids are sponges when it comes to learning, and they need something they feel they can master,” he said. “When they see their friends doing something, it inspires them to try it too.”

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