Urban Playground with Skater Omar Salazar

Learn all about dedicated skater Omar Salazar in the latest episode of Toyota Tacoma's 'Urban Playground' series.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Skateboarding, like life itself, is as much about the journey as it is the destination—something that Omar Salazar understands firsthand. 

For the past 20 years, Salazar has been relentlessly tearing up the streets on his deck, and in the process catapulting himself to the upper echelon of the skate world. In this episode of Urban Playground, presented by Toyota Tacoma, we look at how his passion for the sport has been unwavering and absolute—despite all of the sponsorships and accolades that he’s racked up over that time as a professional skateboarder.

Growing up in Sacramento, Calif., skating proved to be more than just a pastime for the then-young Salazar; it provided him with an outlet to express himself in a way that other, more traditional sports failed to. Sick of being told by coaches what he could or couldn’t do, or when he could or couldn’t play, Salazar sought a sense of freedom. That drive pushed him further and further away from the field in the direction of the pavement that would eventually double as the stage for his profession.

Today, Salazar is one of the most recognizable figures in the skate sphere, though it didn’t happen by accident. A solid work ethic and the burning desire to do what others might dub impossible have put the man sometimes referred to as “O-Zar” in a category of his own. Decades after it all began, deep down, he’s that same California kid looking to find new, uncharted places to shred—and to have fun while doing it. Of course, this time around, the dude’s got a lot more tools at his disposal. This is his journey.

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