How Christian Henry is fueled by community and creativity

by Matthew Becerra

Photo of Henry by Matthew Becerra

For Christian Henry, skateboarding was never just about tricks, it was about the people around him and the creative freedom it gave him. From his early days filming with friends in Florida to building a homebase in L.A., Henry’s journey has always been rooted in community. Whether he’s designing custom jewelry, filming clips, or just hanging out with friends, everything he does is a reflection of his creative spirit and the tight-knit circles that continue to shape him.

Growing up in a smaller town in Florida Henry described his introduction to skateboarding as “figuring it out” with a tight-knit group of friends. The scene was spread out with long drives to meet up but those early days were about nothing but having fun and skating, Not thinking about sponsors or industry attention but just for the love of the culture.

“I appreciate every moment of that for sure,” Henry reflects, describing those sessions that shaped his early style and passion, “We were just skating with our friends, filming for fun, whether it was on a camera or a phone, it was fun to capture shit.”

It all started to click for him when he was in NYC at LES Skatepark. “I met a dude from out here trying to hook me up with some shit, and that’s when I was like oh, I could really get other sponsors” Henry said, “Before that it wasn’t really easy to get connected with people.”

Relocating to California opened up new opportunities. Henry found himself immersed in a community where skating, culture, and creativity collided. “Everything’s based out here, you could do a lot of things, a lot of different foods, a lot of skate spots,” he said of the move west.

“It took a couple of years after moving out here for things to really come together. It didn’t happen super fast, but I stayed patient, just trying to find a home with the right board brand. When Real came along, there were no questions asked, I jumped on it instantly. The Dickies thing followed shortly after. Before that, I was getting boards from Weekend and at one point from Skate Mental, but when the Real offer came through, it just worked. A lot of my homies were already skating there, so it felt natural. That was actually my first introduction to the team, and it was super nice. Everyone at Real is super helpful—it’s a family like brand” Henry Said.

Henry credits much of his growth and focus to the access he’s had to the Baker Boys skatepark through skating for Shake Junt. The private space has given him and his friends a safe, reliable place to push themselves. “We got the plug, like we could skate Baker Boys anytime we want,” he said. 

Video of Henry skating Baker Boys edited via his Instagram @_ChristianHenry

It’s more than just a park, it’s a place to learn, progress, and stay motivated without the usual stress that can come with public spots. “To be able to go there and just skate how we want and actually utilize it as a facility, like the gym, learn tricks, “Henry said “I would never want to get that stripped away from me.”

Beyond just the physical space, it’s the family atmosphere that keeps him grounded. As he puts it, “Baker Boys really looked out for us in so many ways—it’s just a straight family over there.” 

What drives Christian most is being surrounded by skaters who are hungry to progress, and that energy pushes him too. “I like to surround myself with people that are actually trying to get it because then it just rubs off on me,” he says. For him, that’s key not just in skating, but in life—staying around people who want their parts to be good, who want to learn, and who are always working toward something.

Henry’s connection to Baker Boys didn’t just give him a space to progress, it also opened doors for new opportunities. He’d been skating for Vans for a while, but as things started shifting there, Baker Boys played an unexpected role in what came next.

“Just from skating the Baker Boys park, I was able to meet Pete Eldridge,” Henry explains. “We were playing video games and stuff, and randomly I was explaining a situation.”

That simple conversation helped set him up with a box. “If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know—hopefully I would’ve figured something out sooner—but he was quick to help me out with a box.”

What sealed it for Henry was how genuine the Adidas skate program felt. “They actually care, their skaters really do skate stuff, whether it’s at events, giving back to cities, or however they can. I was like, shit, I want to be a part of that a hundred percent.”

Photos from the Adidas Skateboarding x Tyshawn event in New York City taken by @BenColen

For Henry, the way he approaches skating is inseparable from his creative mindset. He tries to skate as often as he can, especially when his friends are around. Sessions at Baker Boys feel like a “gym” where he can push himself and learn, surrounded by a community that motivates him. 

His filming process reflects that same mentality, trying to one-up his last part not through bigger tricks, but through more thoughtful, inventive skating. As he puts it, “Imagine all these backup dancers—everybody dances, but each one is known for something. It’s the same with skating, everybody’s known for something,” he said “Look at Foy, you think of Front Crook first try, you think of Ish, you think of a trick in space, because he loves space, he a gas giant”

That individuality shines in the way he looks at spots and lines. “Shit like that, it’s just creative. Maybe fish-eyeing a line, doing a trick up the curb—it’s right here on Santa Monica Boulevard, like a day in LA,” he explained to me while at a potential spot “That’s a clip to me, rather than like, oh, I gotta kickflip back this for my part, then go get a kickflip back five, and a kickflip back tail.” 

While Henry respects skaters who meticulously plan out their parts, what he loves most about skating is that everyone approaches it differently. “Everybody works differently—it’s crazy. That’s what makes it sick.”

Another thing he does that stands out is how he takes control of his own footage. Christian really valued all the clips he filmed while skating in Vans and didn’t want to see that footage go to waste. Rather than letting it sit unused or only in the hands of filmers, he had his friend and former roommate—one of the first filmers he ever worked with—help him edit it into something solid. Building his own platform to share the process, the trials, and the parts that matter most to him.

Christian Henry Mixtape

Henry’s creativity stretches beyond skating, carving out a unique path in jewelry design that blends his personal style with deep cultural influences. What began as making pieces for himself has evolved into crafting custom work for friends and fellow skaters. Drawing inspiration from Jamaican culture, New York street style, and ’80s-era vibes, Henry’s designs reflect a thoughtful connection to history and identity.

“I’m trying to do custom shit for the homies,” he explains. “It’s not just about what’s hot right now I want people to relate to it, like the gems I use or how I can include something like Kader’s shoe. It’s stuff people would actually want for themselves, not just because it’s a trend.”

Henry emphasizes that skating remains at the core of his work: “I still want to keep it based around skating. I want people to feel like, yeah, I want that, and it fits me.” His jewelry isn’t just fashion, it’s an extension of the culture and community he comes from.

At the heart of everything Christian Henry does—whether it’s skating, designing jewelry, or just being with friends, is a commitment to staying true to himself. His skating reflects his personality: thoughtful, creative, and unafraid to do things his own way. 

What’s clear is that for Henry, it’s all connected. The sessions at Baker Boys, the long days filming, the custom jewelry for friends—they’re all part of a bigger picture. It’s about building something personal, creating in a way that feels honest, and using skating as a platform to express who he is. As Henry puts it, “Just do your thing,.” And that’s exactly what he’s doing, on his board, in his designs, and in life.