BLACK HISTORY MONTH: A CONVERSATION WITH ELLADJ BALDÉ
Community /
February 2022
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This Black History Month, Levi’s® is shining a spotlight on Canadian changemakers who are making their mark on history. They prove that there is inherent power in being your authentic self.
In part one, we sat down with Elladj Baldé, a figure skater who gracefully executes seemingly impossible maneuvers on the ice. Wanting to stay true to his personal style and creative expression, Elladj flipped traditional figure skating on its head – literally.
Elladj is reshaping the world of figure skating and inspiring millions of people along the way. Read on to hear more about his journey and how he is making figure skating more accessible for people across the country.
Levi’s® is proud to support Elladj’s foundation, Skate Global, with a donation to help bring ice rinks to underserved communities across Canada and bridge the diversity gap within figure skating.
In part two of the series, we asked Elladj to nominate a changemaker who has inspired him along his journey. Stay tuned to learn more about his nomination and how they too are continuing to make waves in the sport of figure skating.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO FIGURE SKATING?
My mom started skating when she was young. She wanted to put me in a sport because I had so much energy as a kid; we tried a few different sports but nothing stuck - until I got on the ice. When I first started skating, I didn’t enjoy it because of the pressure. I was young, but even then the goal was to be a champion, which took the fun out of it. It wasn’t until I began learning new skills, tricks and the technical aspects, and started winning that I began to fall in love with the sport.
Throughout my career, I found joy in the beauty of figure skating, and did my best to fit the traditional mold of the sport; but when I really embraced my authenticity as a human and an artist, I began focusing on what impact I wanted to bring to the sport as both an athlete and an artist. The marriage of the two is what brought me to where I am today.
ASIDE FROM BEING AN ATHLETE, MANY OF US KNOW YOU FROM YOUR VIRAL SKATING VIDEOS ON TIKTOK. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW YOU GOT STARTED ON TIKTOK AND HOW IT HAS SHAPED OR CHANGED YOUR CAREER?
My wife is actually the one who inspired me to start making TikToks. During the pandemic I didn’t skate or perform for months, so she encouraged me to start making videos and share my love for skating on social media. I was hesitant to post at first because there weren’t many other people making these kinds of videos. But once I did and it went viral, it was so incredible to see how just being myself on the ice could bring joy to others all around the world, all while being an opportunity to share my art and message with others. Now, I’m able to use this platform to inspire the next generation of skaters to be themselves and to share their gifts with the world.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED AS A PROFESSIONAL SKATER THAT YOU CARRY WITH YOU BOTH ON AND OFF THE ICE?
I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned from skating is how to fail. There are a lot of times in life that we feel like we’ve failed, but with figure skating, failure happens almost every time you’re on the ice. We can use failure as an opportunity to reflect and overcome our fears.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU FAILED BUT WERE ABLE TO LEARN FROM IT, THEN IT WASN’T REALLY A FAILURE. ANYTHING THAT LEADS YOU TO A BETTER VERSION OF YOURSELF IS SOMETHING WORTH CELEBRATING.
WHY IS REPRESENTATION IMPORTANT IN THE SPORT OF FIGURE SKATING?
The lack of representation in skating didn’t allow me to see my fullest potential. When I was 16 years old, I saw a male Black skater compete for the first time. That moment completely shifted the perception I had about myself and my future in this sport. I didn’t realize the effect this had on me until I reflected on it much later in life. I realized I had spent years trying to be someone I wasn’t, and fit into a mold that didn’t reflect who I was. So when it comes to representation, young aspiring individuals need to see examples of themselves at the highest level to feel like they can achieve greatness. They need inspiration in the form of real people, real figures to instill values and dreams and to help guide our future. People of all diverse backgrounds need to know they belong in this sport as much as anyone else.
HOW DO YOU STAY TRUE TO YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF AS A FIGURE SKATER?
It’s really been a journey of figuring out who I am, and what I like. This took some time, but once I did it, I was able to better express myself through my art - in the way I dress, the types of music I skate to and my technique. It’s not always an easy process, but my advice would be to find the things you’re passionate about and that speak to your heart. When something speaks to you on an emotional level, it reflects outwards and begins influencing how you present yourself to the world.
AS A ROLE MODEL, HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND THE CONFIDENCE TO BE THEMSELVES IN SPACES THEY DON’T SEE REPRESENTATION IN?
I think the most important thing you can do in these moments is turn your attention inward and find the strength to say “I am enough”. Finding that inner strength gives you the courage to step into environments that don’t believe in you, and stand in them with confidence. Always remember that you are worthy of being there and that your contribution matters.
TELL US MORE ABOUT SKATE GLOBAL FOUNDATION. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT AND WHAT KIND OF WORK ARE YOU DOING TO MAKE FIGURE SKATING MORE ACCESSIBLE?
The accessibility of rinks lacks greatly in communities across Canada, which plays a huge role in opening up the sport to individuals in underserved communities. For example, when I was a kid, my mom would take me and my two sisters on public transit every morning at 5 a.m. and bring us to the rink. If my mom didn’t have the resources or time to take us every morning, I wouldn’t be where I am today. But it shouldn’t be this difficult to get access to rinks, which is why I’m so dedicated to making the sport more accessible.
The Skate Global Foundation is a project my wife and I have been thinking about for a very long time and we were finally able to bring it to life late last year. It’s built on three key pillars: equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), mental health and climate change. Our first initiative is focused on the EDI pillar to build and upgrade outdoor rinks in underserved communities across Canada. The first rink opened in December 2021 in Calgary, AB, and gives the community access to a rink and free equipment so kids can fall in love with the sport.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS A TIME TO HONOUR THE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS OF BLACK CANADIANS AND THE LEGACIES OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CULTURE AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WHAT DOES THIS MONTH MEAN TO YOU?
To me, Black history month is about the appreciation and acknowledgment of the black experience and recognizing how it intertwines with all aspects of our society. It’s a celebration of the Black people that came before us - they are the reason we are where we are today. My goal is to inspire people so younger skaters can have a different experience than skaters in my generation and the ones before me.
THE INTENTION AND ENERGY THAT IS PUT IN THIS MONTH CAN BE USED TO CELEBRATE BLACKNESS ALL YEAR ROUND.
WHAT ADVICE OR WISDOM WOULD YOU GIVE TO FUTURE CHANGEMAKERS?
It’s really about that relentless pursuit of better understanding who you are and taking actionable steps each day to reach your goals. These two concepts have made the biggest difference in my life and they are something that everyone can strive for. Having self-assurance and the strength to be authentic to yourself is something that no one can take away from you.
IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, YOU’VE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?
One thing I’m really looking forward to this year is being part of the 2022 Stars on Ice cast. I will be the first Black male to be part of the cast. I’m so proud to be part of breaking these barriers and showing the next generation of Black, Indigenous and skaters of colour that, they too, can skate at this level. This is an opportunity for representation that we’ve never seen before. When I watched Stars on Ice I never saw anyone who looked like me, so this is a huge accomplishment and something I’m truly excited about!