Longboarding for Peace, a coexistence initiative started in Jaffa, spreads to cities like Houston, where gang members are putting down their guns and picking up skating. People who love longboarding say there’s nothing quite as liberating as cruising on a board. It’s a state of physical and mental zen that’s not just a sport but a way of life — a concrete jungle art form. And riding a longboard — a skateboard that’s longer, more stable, and has more traction than its traditional counterpart — isn’t so different from the balance and harmony needed to achieve peace, Michael Brooke, the founder of Longboarding for Peace (LB4P), told The Times of Israel recently.

The inspiration struck in early 2011, as surf and skate enthusiast David Hendrickson was paddling around on his longboard with his dog, William, adopted three years earlier from an animal shelter in Orange County, Calif. During the adoption process, Hendrickson was told the pup–whose mother was poisoned by cleaning supplies while pregnant–had only a month to live. William survived, but at a cost: Hendrickson ended up dropping out of college to work three jobs in order to pay $20,000 in veterinary bills. It was during this rough patch that he had his on-board epiphany. “I was just holding [William] out in the water, and I realized I wanted to take my passion for art and design, longboarding and helping animals and combine them,” he says.

Longboarding for Peace, an organization that promotes tolerance through skateboarding, previously took on the Arab-Israeli conflict and worked with youth gangs in Houston. Next week, the organization hopes to bring its unique brand of conflict resolution to Amesbury Middle School in Toronto. The Post‘s Sarah Petz asked founder Michael Brooke, the 49-year-old publisher of longboarding magazine Concrete Wave, about how skateboards can make the world a better place.

Tyler Bainbridge’s second annual Longboard for Life event is back for 2013! Tyler and the organizers are hosting the slide jam to raise money for the American Cancer Society. There will be a 10-15 dollar entry fee for all those hoping to compete. Last year the event raised $1500 dollars, and with double the attendees expected this year, the event should raise far more. The event will be completely sanctioned, meaning no cars and no cops to ruin our fun. With a very high level of competition last year, the jam will be split up into a “pro” division for those seasoned riders, and a grom/amateur division for the less experienced.

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Joining a pond of playful performers, the Poke is the latest incarnation of the Fish and Ceviche, mellow-mannered cousin of the Kanthaka, and little sibling to the Fattail. Nimble, highly pumpable, and freestyle-friendly, this versatile city commuter keeps up with your every whim and makes each outing a creative, dynamic adventure. The Poke features radial concave aggressive enough for quick and controlled transitions from rail to rail but comfortable enough for commuting. Slight rocker creates a subtle cradling effect, which is enhanced by mellow wheel well flares at either end of the standing platform.