Meet Walk N' Roll, the roller skater teaching joy on wheels
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Mangrum showing his moves near Chess Pavilion. Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios
If you've noticed a roller skater gliding along the lakefront, stop him and ask for a lesson.
The big picture: Brandon Mangrum, aka Walk N' Roll, has skated more than 1,000 miles since 2022, when he started logging his miles.
- You can often find him rolling along the lake near North Avenue Beach wearing a sweatshirt with a big QR code advertising his lessons.
Zoom out: Roller skating has been more universally embraced in recent years, but it has long been woven into the fabric of Black American life.
- Chicago is also the birthplace of JB Skating, based on the music and gliding moves of James Brown.
How it works: Each lesson costs $10 an hour, and Mangrum recommends two-hour lessons.
- He prefers to teach outside, ideally on a tennis court, but sometimes teaches at Fleetwood Roller Rink in Summit.
- He also customizes skates.
The vibe: Pure joy. Mangrum always elicits smiles, head bobs and claps when he pulls out a spin or dip.
What they're saying: "Some people see a man skating or woman skating and be having a good time and it hypes them up," Mangrum tells Axios. "It's that dopamine boost, you know, that quick excitement you get."