Nestled in the heart of West Oakland is a park that looks like any other. But when Thursday evening rolls in, the court clears, the beats drop, and the whole place kicks into four-wheel drive.

"When I lace up my skates, all my troubles melt away. It's like everything bounces off you," said Tamara Copes.

Copes is one of the organizers of Panther Skate Plaza, a weekly roller jam where wheels glide and fashion flows faster than the footwork.

Michelle McNamee figured this was a good way to get her five-year-old son, Journey, to stop scrolling and start rolling.

"We live in this little apartment and I need to get them outside. I need to do something, so skating is perfect," she said.

While the dance moves may be modern, the roots run deep. It happens at Lil Bobby Hutton Park, named after the first member of the Black Panther Party, killed by police at just 17.

Once a hub for social movements, the park still brings people together, only now on wheels.

Black-led skating events, from casual street parties to organized meetups, are thriving in cities across the country and fueling a full-blown roller revival.

"Black people were kept out of a lot of recreational spaces, including skating rinks. So they started doing a soul disco night," said Copes.

To honor that legacy, these parties are about more than just skating. Each week, a free farmers market sets up beside the court, run by God's Resting Place Community Outreach and inspired by the Black Panther Party's free breakfast program.

The organizers are also raising funds to build a permanent skating rink in the park.

The skates are free too. But ask Rody Jointer, and he'll tell you the real payoff is priceless.

"The division that's happening right now, it's not good for anyone. It doesn't matter who we are and what we look like. We just need to really come together and keep doing things like this," he said.

The Panther Skate Plaza rolls out every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at DeFremery Park in West Oakland, locally known as Lil' Bobby Hutton Park.