ABOUT ME

Norma Ibarra is a multidisciplinary artist and storyteller maneuvering boundlessly through photography, videography, mountain-biking and skateboarding. Of these, skateboarding is a constant playground for her unique expression. Ibarra’s work is published in magazines, online editorials, commercial campaigns, photo exhibitions and recently her book - Para ti (For you). Her photo narratives connect skaters of diverse backgrounds to each other and the world around them.

 

Born on Comca’ac (Seri) territory in the city of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, Norma is of Yaqui and European settler ancestry. In 2009, she began reconnecting to her family lineage during the start of a solo journey across Turtle Island and beyond. She grabbed a skateboard at the age of 31 and while finding her balance, she also found the home she was searching for: an ever-growing community of nomads, athletes, and visual storytellers, dedicated to their craft and each other. Today, skateboarding, photography and Indigenous-led groups like Nations Skate Youth and Takeover Skateboarding have offered Norma ways to connect with her own Indigenous ancestry after generations of displacement.

 

Norma’s passion is to photograph the lesser-known stories of skaters and change-makers around the globe. Her photos tell stories of skaters as diverse, proud community builders, simultaneously challenging and independently broadening the definition of “skateboarder”. Through intentional relationships with the land, community, and her own history, Norma documents a profound youth-driven lens around inclusion, representation, equity, resilience and belonging. 

 

Combining her love for adventure, her education and her photography skills, Ibarra carved out a niche role specializing in social media marketing. Working with current clients such as Vans, Thrasher Magazine, Vice, Hootsuite, Mountain Biking BC, and Destination BC, Norma creates innovative social media programs, with at heart, implementing and fostering spaces for the stories of her communities.

  

Through volunteering, Ibarra continuously expands her community and career. She is actively involved with non-profit organizations like Skate Like a Girl and Vancouver Skateboard Coalition. While Norma is constantly working, living her passions to the fullest is most important to her. For this reason, you’ll often find her travelling, skateboarding or riding her bike, away from her computer.

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What are your passions and how can she help you? Get in touch with Norma.