After studying abroad in Cuba his final semester of college, Mr. Miles Jackson and fellow student Ms. Lauren Bradley started Cuba Skate. During this time, Mr. Jackson gained valuable experience as a Smithsonian Intern and later became a Project Analyst at the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. After two years of work for HHS, he resigned and fully pursued his work with Cuba Skate. In just over four years, Mr. Jackson has traveled 11 times to Cuba and received praise and recognition for the efforts of Cuba Skate in various media platforms. He is also a Board Member for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and as a lifelong diabetic he is committed to helping the Foundation find a cure. The Cuba Skate mission is threefold: bring skateboarding materials to the Cuban youth, renovate local skateparks, and create self-sufficiency for a group of skaters that rely tremendously on outside help. Through two-way cultural exchanges, Cuba Skate seeks to connect Cubans with the international skate community. Mr. Jackson is from Washington, DC and received a B.A. in American Culture from the University of Michigan in 2010.