Most of the women — Dede Lovelace, 23; Moonbear , 27; Nina Moran, 23; Ajani Russell, 21; and Rachelle Vinberg, 22 — were still teenagers when they received their first taste of broader exposure, in a 2016 short film by Crystal Moselle.
Between setups, they practiced new tricks, cracked inside jokes, shot silly videos — in one, Vinberg and Moonbear took turns pretending to slip on a banana peel — and generally played around like the tight-knit group that they are, their bonds born from coming up as outsiders in a culture dominated by skate-bros.
Moselle first encountered Moran and Vinberg on the G train in Brooklyn, a chance meeting that eventually led to a fertile, ongoing collaboration.
In “Betty,” which returns for its six-episode second season on Friday, they glide through the streets of Brooklyn while navigating the pressures of both young adulthood and a historical crisis.
In an interview after the photo shoot, the cast members discussed the new season of “Betty,” pandemic-era New York and why skating is a universal language.
NINA MORAN My parents bought a house in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens a long time ago, and I’ve been in the neighborhood the whole time.
I think a lot of people who were gentrifying the neighborhood left because they weren’t strong enough to be here during Covid.
They just come from everywhere, and then you can just hang out with them and skate next to them even if you don’t speak the same language.
People come to me and say, “I started skating because of the show.’” For me personally, I want girl skaters to take away that if they want to skate, they can skate.
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LOVELACE Also, understanding and remembering the importance of community, not just among skateboarders but in every aspect and with different groups, whether it’s in the corporate world or in a more recreational sense.
I think that’s a part of growing up: You come into yourself and realize, Oh, maybe I don’t wanna hang out with these people — maybe these other people will treat me better and like me for who I am without having to put on so much of a show.
I am learning how to communicate what I want and not be afraid to ask for things I deserve.
Spending so much time together, that intimately, allows you to really get to know each other’s habits — what they really mean, what they’re not saying.
I’m older now, and dealing with the changes that come with the beginning of adulthood — friends coming and going, figuring out my priorities.
MORAN I care a lot about mental health issues being less taboo because that reduces stigma and assumptions, which can be very hurtful to people that suffer from mental illness.
I took a break from doing these things called “girl sessions” for a while because Covid was really bad — a girl session is when I post a flyer like “Open Skate,” and then whoever wants to come comes.
The things that were being advertised and pushed on us, like long blond hair, blue eyes, bald with tattoos — I didn’t see a place for myself there, and it is discouraging when it’s something you’re interested in and you don’t see anybody that looks like you in that field.
VINBERG I’m going to post my skating on Instagram.
I was doing a kickflip challenge, and I still haven’t completed it yet, but people were watching to see if I got it or not.
Because things get really busy on my end, but I really try to make sure that I’m going out and skateboarding and meeting new people, whether it’s boys or girls, whatever.
VINBERG People say to us sometimes: “You guys aren’t pros.” And it’s like, “Why would we be pro skateboarders walking around? We’re normal girls, and that’s OK.” We don’t need to be the best of the best, and that’s not the point.