10 Questions with Angelo Devlin, president of the Ocean Beach Community Foundation

Ten Questions is a series in the Point Loma-OB Monthly that shines a spotlight on notable locals. This month’s featured personality is Angelo Devlin, president of the Ocean Beach Community Foundation.

Angelo Devlin grew up in San Diego and graduated from La Jolla High School in 2017. He attended college at Cal State Northridge, where he pursued a degree in deaf studies and American Sign Language.

When classes shifted online during the COVID-19 pandemic, he moved back to San Diego and worked at Ocean Beach Surf and Skate, where he directed the skateboarding program and managed the shop.

The following fall, Devlin took an opportunity to design Belmont Skatepark and create a summer camp that integrated the beachfront skatepark with the rides and other attractions at Belmont Park in Mission Beach, all while living out of his van.

He then found a place in Ocean Beach and has lived there since.

Today, he is an administrator at Belmont Park, where he organizes the annual Community 5K, manages seasonal programming, creates social media content and oversees the online store he launched for the park.

Last year he was elected to the board of the Ocean Beach Community Foundation, a nonprofit community engagement and advocacy organization that sponsors several annual events. Earlier this year he was chosen as its president.

With OBCF, he said, his focus is on expanding community involvement, organizing board operations and “keeping Ocean Beach’s spirit alive through events and traditions like the Ocean Beach Holiday Parade.”

In his free time, he usually can be found skating, surfing, playing music or spending time with friends and loved ones.

Now on to the 10 Questions:

Q. What attracted you to the Ocean Beach area as a place to live and/or work?

A. My connection to Ocean Beach really began with my first week at Ocean Beach Surf and Skate’s spring break camp when I was 12 years old. That experience sparked my lifelong love of skateboarding and introduced me to the laid-back, welcoming vibe that OB is known for. From then on, I kept coming back to skate, hang out and get involved in the community. That made it obvious this is where I wanted to plant roots.

Q. What do you like to do in Ocean Beach?

A. I spend most of my time surfing at the pier, skating at Robb Field and jumping into community events. I love connecting with people in the neighborhood and being part of whatever’s going on.

Q. If you could snap your fingers and have it done, how might you improve the area?

A. I’d expedite the reconstruction of the OB Pier. It’s a huge draw for both locals and visitors, bringing energy and activity to the whole area. Its closure has cost the community close to 1 million visitors per year and caused a ripple effect for local businesses and the community as a whole. Restoring it is critical for keeping OB vibrant and connected.

Q. Who or what inspires you?

A. I’m inspired by seeing ideas grow into reality through collective effort. I aim to translate good intentions into action, and I’m most motivated by people who aren’t afraid to think differently, push boundaries and build new pathways for growth.

Q. If you hosted a dinner party for five guests, who would you invite?

A. Kanye West, Matt Stone, Trey Parker and Andrew Callaghan. I respect how they question what’s considered fact or normal and aren’t afraid to put bold or uncomfortable ideas out there. To me, real progress comes from bringing strong, different perspectives together and having open conversations, even when things get uncomfortable or challenge the status quo. Growth is about letting ideas clash, rethink and evolve, not just settling for what’s easy or familiar.

My fifth choice would be my mom.

Q. Tell us about what you are currently reading or watching on TV.

A. I listen to a lot of podcasts and watch a lot of long-form YouTube videos, but Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan always stands out. What I appreciate most is that he approaches stories differently than the standard 24-hour news cycle, which profits off outrage and emotional headlines. His approach is about meeting people where they are, building trust and documenting events from the ground level rather than following the usual media playbook. It’s the closest thing I’ve found to coverage that gives viewers the space to decide what they think based on real experiences, not a pre-packaged narrative. That kind of curiosity and honesty is rare, and I find it refreshing every time.

Q. What would be your dream vacation?

A. My dream vacation would be a surf trip across the globe, where I get to chase waves, immerse myself in different cultures and build relationships everywhere I go. Experiencing new places through surfing, connecting with people and seeing how life feels in each spot would be rad.

Q. What are your five favorite movies of all time?

A. In no particular order, “Step Brothers,” “Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny,” “Office Space,” “The Matrix,” “Terminator 2.”

Q. What is your most prized possession?

A. My Heated Wheel Polarizer skateboard. It’s perfect for tight turns, smooth, surfy carves and quick runs to the liquor store. It’s a modern take on the first skateboards from the ’60s, when people would mount roller-skate trucks onto thin planks of wood. The Polarizer keeps that old-school style but uses modern wheels, bearings and bushings. When The Heated Wheel first released them, you couldn’t buy a complete setup. You had to track down every part, measure, drill and put it all together by hand. Mine took about a year to piece together, and getting it right felt like working out a puzzle. Now you can find one at your local skate shop, but I like knowing mine took real time and effort to build. Plus, the fact that they started right here in Ocean Beach gets me hyped.

Q. What is your motto or philosophy of life?

A. Life is what you make of it. Progress beats perfection, and everyone is the master of their own destiny. It’s not enough to have ideas. You have to take action.

Do you know someone you’d like us to ask 10 Questions? Send an email with your suggestion to robert.vardon@lajollalight.com.