Legendary photographer Atiba Jefferson to visit SDSU for Black History Month
Shaping the past, present, and future of skateboarding and media, Jefferson’s retrospective talk highlights Black excellence, creative impact and career trajectories.
Recognized as one of the most influential visual storytellers of his generation, Atiba Jefferson — an African American, skateboarding, youth culture and sports photographer — has captured defining images of such icons as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, as well as musical artists including Interpol, Turnstile and Tyler, The Creator.
In celebration of Black History Month at San Diego State University, Jefferson will discuss a retrospective of his extensive career, while offering insight into the future of skateboarding, media industries, entrepreneurship and opportunities for meaningful social change.
“Atiba Jefferson: Finding Focus,” a conversation and Q&A is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, in 011 Storm Hall West. Attendees should complete an online RSVP.
Presented by SDSU Center for Skateboarding, Action Sports, and Social Change and the Gus & Emma Thompson Black Resource Center, the talk will be moderated by assistant professor Neftalie Williams and DGK Skateboards athlete Adrianne Sloboh.
“For Black History Month I wanted to showcase Black excellence in skateboarding across a number of fields,” said Williams, director of the Center for Skateboarding, Action Sports, and Social Change. “I’m honored to bring this legendary photographer and director, who works in so many mediums, to campus.”
As director of the ESPN-produced, Emmy-nominated, Clio award-winning documentary “Monochrome,” Jefferson continues to expand his impact across mediums, exploring the intersections of culture, sport, music, and community.
With a client roster that includes cultural leaders like A$AP Rocky, Pharrell and the late Virgil Abloh, Jefferson effortlessly merges all aspects of youth culture into commercial and editorial work for such brands such as Vans, Nike, Thrasher, Reebok, Oakley, Off White and the Olympic Games.
“Atiba is one of the first people in skateboarding to branch out into every area of pop culture, while still remaining deeply connected to his skateboarding roots,” Williams said. “His place as a coveted ambassador for Canon, stands as testament of his dedication to the craft. That is a title anyone would dream of having.”
With Sloboh as co-moderator for this event, Williams hopes students will be inspired to connect their love of skateboarding to their career and academic trajectories in the future. Sloboh is a former NCAA D1 basketball player, and a break dancer whose love for skateboarding changed her focus.
Williams and Sloboh were part of a sports diplomacy tour together, and he has watched her fast become a globally recognized skateboarder.
“That drive has helped her emerge as one of the best women street skaters in the culture,” Williams said. “She’s carrying the torch for DGK skateboards, the biggest Black owned skateboarding brand, and inspiring a new generation of women to see that skateboarding can have space for an amazing Black woman to pursue her goals.”
What Williams hopes students take away from the talk is the importance of “showing your true self and forging your own path no matter what the road looks like.”
“Atiba has remained 100% authentic throughout his journey,” Williams said. “He’s never afraid to break barriers or stereotypes of the spaces where Blackness can reside. What makes him the best in the game is that he makes space for every side of his love, interests, and passion to manifest. That’s something everyone can learn from.”
The event offers a unique perspective of how skateboarding can help students build careers in business and academia as athletes, photographers and artists.
After the talk and Q&A, Williams will sign his book, “The Skateboard Life: Movers, Shakers, Makers & Rulebreakers: The Quintessential Story of Skateboard Culture” (2025, Artisan), which features, among others, a profile on Jefferson.
