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Epicly Later’d has just made part one of their interview with Arto Saari available. Arto Saari’s story is nothing short of miraculous. Obviously he’s naturally gifted and skated his ass off as a kid, but his rise to prominence is like no one else’s. If you wanted to describe it to someone who doesn’t skate, you could say: Imagine a boy from a faraway country showing up at the World Series and asking if he can play. And not only does he play, but he hits four home runs and becomes the MVP. That’s basically what Arto did; he showed up at the best place to show off your skills as a walk-on and kicked off one of the most apex (that’s Arto’s word for amazing) skate careers of all time.

After a trial period spent in Scandinavia and Russia, Ryan Lay and Zack Wallin have officially been added to the Enjoi roster. Check out Ryan’s welcome part today with Zack’s coming in tomorrow.

When Danny Way came through town to screen his new documentary Waiting for Lightning, Color sat down with the living legend to dig deeper into the mind and motivations behind one of skateboarding’s most influential icons.

The Ride Channel has rolled out a new show to its line up called SPOTS. Check out part 1 of 2 with the premiere episode featuring Jacksonville, Florida’s legendary Kona Skatepark which is still in operation today. There’s plenty of unique highlights of classic footage along with interviews to take you back 30 years or more – have a look!

Tune in each week and learn about the all-important and famous spots which have influenced and shaped skateboarding just as importantly as the individuals who skated them.

Billy Marks, Tom Asta, Chico Brenes, Rodrigo TX, Felipe Gustavo, and Tommy Sandoval skate some of Florida’s skateparks in the recent LRG tour to Florida.

X Games Real Street is back this summer with 16 professional street skaters up for the challenge and ready to drop video parts on Tuesday, June 5th.

Competing this year are: Silas Baxter-Neal, Nyjah Huston, Chad Tim Tim, Matt Bennett, Collin Provost, Aaron “Jaws” Homoki, Manny Santiago, Daryl Angel, Taylor Bingaman, Bobby Worrest, Cory Kennedy, Chris Haslam, Nick Merlino, Joey Pepper, Dan Murphy and Fred Gall – each will submit 60-second video parts for a shot at $50,000 and an X Games gold medal. After the videos air during the X Games broadcast on ESPN2 on Sunday, July 1st, a panel of judges will pick the winning X Games medal part.

But first, all 16 videos will debut on xgames.com/realstreet on June 5th, and you will be able to vote in a tournament-style bracket for your favorite part each week leading up to X Games LA 2012. The skater who racks up the most votes from skate fans wins $50,000. The fan Favorite Award is in addition to the judge’s gold medal and prize money.

“A skateboard park and school surrounded by war makes perfect sense in a senseless world, doesn’t it?” – C.R. Stecyk III

What’s it like to grow up working on the streets in a warzone, or to spend the first 15 years of your life pretending to be a boy? How does it feel to be one of the first skateboarders in a country, and at the same time a girl in a conservative Muslim society? In a nation divided along ethnic and gender lines, how do art, education and skateboarding create change?

After years of interviews, documentation and hard work, the NGO Skateistan is excited to announce the release of its very first book, revealing how a grassroots skateboarding project has made a lasting impact on the lives of Afghan youth.

Skateistan: The Tale of Skateboarding in Afghanistan shares the strange and beautiful intersection of traditional Afghan society and a new generation of Afghan skateboarders and artists. Through a balanced mix of words and photographs, the book tells the tale of ‘Skateistan’, which since 2007 has taught skateboarding and creative arts to girls and boys in Kabul, Afghanistan. Skateistan gives a rare, in-depth look into the lives of exceptional young Afghans facing incredible challenges and giving new life to a city that has been ravaged by war.

This 320-page color book features stunning, previously unpublished photographs accompanied by essays, interviews and personal stories from Skateistan’s founder Oliver Percovich and the young Afghans that have gone from being streetworking kids to teachers in the skatepark and classrooms. Full of hope, beauty, brutal honesty – and skateboards – this is a story about Afghanistan that you won’t find anywhere else.

The book’s official release date is set for June 9, 2012 in Berlin, Germany, with purchase available soon through Amazon US, the Skateistan online store, and local skateboard shops.

100% of proceeds will go towards Skateistan’s activities.

There are plenty of awesome videos out on the web right now from last Saturday’s 3rd Annual Skate For A Cause event which raised close to $87,000 for worthy charities like the A.skate Foundation. Besure to check out this etnies’ edit shot through the lens of master lensman Mike Manzoori with a special message from Sheckler himself. Etnies is giving away one of his autographed Plan B decks on Facebook. To enter, drop by etnies Facebook page and simply leave a comment about your favorite part of this Manzoori Skate for a Cause video.

When Street League announced there were five US spots open for the 2012 pro lineup, Matt Miller seized the opportunity and went all in. See how Miller submitted his video to “The Selection” qualifier and became one of the new pros selected for Street League 2012.

Today begins Vans’ “Curren Caples Week” with a lengthy exclusive interview with Flip’s golden-haired teen where he discusses meeting Geoff Rowley for the first time, getting past his nervousness when around girls, skating in contests, playing pranks on his friends, and getting beat up by a grown ass man amongst other things.