For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been listening and learning from Black voices. I’ve chosen to inundate myself with a bunch of information, a lot that I didn’t realize before.
As far back as fifth grade, I’ve been passionate about politics and helping marginalized communities. Anyone who knows me knows this to be true. I remember Mr. Rose teaching us about Civil Rights and I wrote a poem about segregation. As a 10-year old, I couldn’t fathom why segregation was allowed and I condemned it in my elementary-school poetry.
Up to last week, I never considered myself racist. But what I realized was that I wasn’t actively Anti-Racist (a term I learned just this week). To be Anti-Racist is not just simply to be nice to Black folx. It’s not something you do overnight or with a four-year degree. It’s not just consuming information but acting on what you’ve learned. It’s taking the burden off of Black lives. It’s dismantling a system (re: white supremacy) that’s been used for over four hundred years to prevent Black folx from ever winning in society.
I’m still (will always be) learning what it means to do the work to be Anti-Racist. I know I’ll make mistakes. I already have in the past couple of weeks.
I know that there are several paths an ally (or accomplice) can take:
- Protesting
- Signing petitions
- Donating to organizations that are on the frontlines
- Learning
- Having conversations with our white friends/family
- Voting in local elections that make a bigger impact in our communities
- Monetarily supporting Black-owned businesses
- Creating art that supports the vision of the world we want to live in.
I know activist burnout is real. I know I’m feeling it simply after the past two weeks of consuming and acting upon the information I’ve learned.
We have to remember that this support for our Black friends and family cannot be a trendy hashtag. That this work will have to continue when the media finds something else to cover. That this will be a lifelong effort and we (white folx) can only do that if we don’t burn ourselves out now.
I’m working on a way to be able to sustain this activism for the rest of my life, not just for the week. It’s easy to be complacent, especially when you benefit from the system. It’s easy to be complacent when you have a ton of shit going on in your life. I ask that you (white folx) don’t.
Create an action plan that’s sustainable. That could mean
- A monthly donation to an organization that’s doing Anti-Racist work.
- Not automatically voting party lines in (local, state, and national) elections but researching what these officials have done in the past and what they plan to do in the future.
- Reading Black authors, teaching Black authors, recommending Black authors.
- No longer supporting brands that haven’t done shit in the name of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and only posted a black square for good PR.
- Doing more research about new brands before making a purchase.
- Researching Black-owned businesses in your area and shopping there instead of Amazon.
This absolutely means holding and giving space to Black folx. The list doesn’t stop there. Keep learning. Keep diversifying your friends, educators, officials, and point of view. Keep speaking out against white supremacy. Let’s keep doing the work.
This isn’t an exhaustive list. I plan to continue to add to this list. If you have something I should include please email me: grinandgrindit [at] gmail [dot] com.
Diversify your crowd— Black cyclists to follow
If your feed looks like you, acts like you, and thinks like you, it’s time to diversify your feed. Here are some Black cyclists and groups I follow:
Bicycling Magazine’s list of Black Cyclists on Instagram
Statements from the cycling industry/companies
Cycling industry amplifies ‘Black Lives Matter’ message
An incomplete list as I work on my own.
Hold the cycling industry accountable to their posts and to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Scroll to page 22 of Cyclista Zine’s Black Lives Matter Resources Guide for a template to encourage your local or major outdoor or cycling brand to take immediate anti-racist action to make the outdoors/cycling safer for all.
Watch
Quarantine Companion #9: A conversation about racial justice, with Chris Blevins and Justin Williams
In this special episode, Payson and Justin are joined by fellow pro cyclist, Christopher Blevins, for a wide ranging conversation about racial justice. Growing up as one of the only people of color in his small mountain town, Chris confronted the realities of race in America from an early age, and has gone on to study criminal justice and prison reform in college. Justin shares his own experiences of growing up in a predominantly black and Latino part of Los Angeles, and how racial inequality was apparent from his early days as an elementary school student as well.
Recolor the Outdoors by Alex Bailey
“Despite the rapidly changing demographics of the United States, the outdoors remains a non-diverse space. In his TED talk, Alex discusses the numerous benefits to spending time in nature, yet a lack of engagement for many communities of color today, particularly in the Black/African-American community, due to safety, access, relevancy, and representation.”
Reclaiming Our Time: Black Faces, White Spaces & the Possibility of Us with Dr. Carolyn Finney at Sterling College
“Look at how the natural environment has been understood, commodified, and represented by both white and black Americans.”
Better With Bikes: Black Girls Do Bike
“Better With Bikes explores the inspiring, unknown, and behind-the-scenes stories of people changing the world with bikes — sometimes in ways you might not expect. This podcast is our way of pulling back the curtain and giving these extraordinary people a platform to share their perspective on cycling’s unique and varied culture.”
Justin Williams discusses Lance’s 30 for 30 and the perspective that it gives. He addresses rumors of Chris Froome leaving Ineos and what a Tour with him on another squad could look like.
The Difference Between Being “Not Racist” and Antiracist
“There is no such thing as being “not racist,” says author and historian Ibram X. Kendi. In this vital conversation, he defines the transformative concept of antiracism to help us more clearly recognize, take responsibility for and reject prejudices in our public policies, workplaces and personal beliefs. Learn how you can actively use this awareness to uproot injustice and inequality in the world — and replace it with love.”
Read how bikes play a part of BLM
Why We Must Talk About Race When We Talk About Bikes by Tamika Butler
“To truly make transformational change for all people who bike, we must go beyond a “Bike Month” or an occasional unity ride. We also must get beyond the narrative that only people who (too often self-righteously) make a lifestyle decision to bike are worthy of our targeted marketing campaigns, advocacy, and celebration. We must get past a strategy that assumes cisgender white maleness as the norm. We must get past an ethos of exclusion. Once we can get past these things as a bicycle community, we can finally celebrate what bicycling should truly be about—the power to be free and move freely.”
The Police Are Weaponizing Bikes. Should Brands Stop Selling to Them? By Robert Annis
“As protests against police brutality and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement have swept the nation, in response to George Floyd’s killing by a former Minnesota police officer on May 25, police officers have been caught using bikes as makeshift weapons against demonstrators.”
Silence is Agreement by Ayesha McGowan
“This outcry is the result of years of being unheard and the silence specifically within the bike/ outdoor industry is deafening. It’s time to wake up and realize that it’s okay to stand for something.”
Opinion: White cyclists, we must do better by Lily Hansen-Gillis
“This may not be your conversation topic of choice but it’s something that we must address. As white cyclists, we have a social responsibility to take direct action toward tangible change within the cycling community and the community at large. It’s not enough to simply not be racist.”
Grégory Baugé on racism in pro cycling: You suffer alone by Grégory Baugé
“‘In all walks of life you know it exists, and in cycling, yes, I’ve had to deal with it. It shouldn’t be normal, but… When are we going to get out of this? I don’t know,’ Baugé said.”
Bike Racing, White Privilege and the Coronavirus by Cinthia Pedraza
“Most amateur bike racers are likely to be white upper middle-class liberals who have a work from home setup where they are not at risk of exposure to Covid 19 or the struggle of the Black community caused by Covid 19.”
The day Yohann Gene became the first black cyclist to compete in Tour de France
“The 31-year-old Guadeloupe native broke a 108-year-old racial barrier.”
The unbearable whiteness of cycling by By Rhiannon Walker
“Over in the US, the issue of race and cycling has led to claims of institutional police racism. In Chicago in particular, it seems black cyclists have been targeted by the police for unfair treatment.”
In allegations of institutional racism, a black-British rider’s quest for change by Caley Fretz
“In his athletic prime, Russell Williams was a multi-time national champion, a sprinter, powerful on the track and the road. The type of rider who, under different circumstances, might have been pulled onto Great Britain’s national track program, supported in his training, been called up for the world championships or Olympics. He was, he claims, afforded no such assistance or opportunity.”
A conversation on racism in cycling with Dr. Tim Erwin
“Being a black cyclist — from promising junior to UCI-license holder to recreational rider as a radiologist and father now — has been fraught with discrimination for Dr. Tim Erwin.”
Back in the Frame: How to get back on your bike, whatever life throws at you by Jools Walker
“In Back in the Frame Jools talks to the other female trailblazers who are disrupting the cycling narrative as well as telling the story of how she overcame her health problems, learned how to cycle her own path and even found a love of Lycra shorts along the way.”
Seven Black Cyclists On What Protest Rides Mean To Them
“As New Yorkers have taken to the streets for the past 13 days to protest racism and the police killings of black people, bikes have played an integral role. Some cyclists have led the pack to act as shields for marchers who were on their feet, while others have slowed down NYPD vans trailing behind; the cycling community has so far hosted two massive solidarity rides with Black Lives Matter. Still, access to cycling, equity in bike lanes and public space, and strategies that exclude cyclists of color or non-conforming genders all remain issues the cycling community must tackle.”
The Buffalo Soldiers Who Rode Bikes
“Tired and hungry, their bright blue Army-issue blouses tattered and wet from rain and snow, the men of the 25th Infantry Regiment reached Alliance, Nebraska, on July 4, 1897. They had covered 1,000 miles in 21 days, having mastered the Rockies, crossed the Yellowstone and Little Bighorn rivers and surmounted drifts of hail said to be “fully 8 feet high.” The 20 buffalo soldiers, led by Second Lieutenant James A. Moss, still had another 900 miles to go, including a grueling 200-mile trek through Nebraska’s notorious sand hills. Each man carried his own rations, cooking utensils, blanket, tent and other necessities rarely toted by soldiers in the American West—extra parts for needed repairs and spare tires. Yes, tires, because these St. Louis–bound soldiers from Fort Missoula, Montana, were sitting tall on bicycle seats not saddles.”
Articles on bike advocacy and urban planning
A survey of Black and Latino residents in New Jersey reveals barriers to biking that are not discussed very often by bike-promotion pros.
The Sharpest BIPOC Minds in Bike Advocacy by Laura Kling
“Bicycle advocacy has been called out for being unbearably white. Despite all of the talented Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) who work with communities for safer streets, it’s easy to believe that bike, walk, and disability advocates are all white when you see articles like this. Articles that hold up eleven white people as the “sharpest minds.” Articles that use an ableist slur in the sub headline.”
Conquering the Unbearable Whiteness of Bike Advocacy: An Equity How-To By Tanya Snyder
“Many bicycle advocacy groups find themselves in a sticky position today: They’re increasingly aware that their membership doesn’t reflect the diversity of the broader population, but they’re not sure how to go about recruiting new members, or how to do it in a way that doesn’t amount to tokenism.”
“Low-income and minority groups are often more reliant on cheaper modes of travel such as cycling. Back in 2013, the League of American Bicyclists reported that ‘the fastest growth in bicycling is among the Hispanic, African American and Asian American populations.’ Yet these groups may find cycling to work more problematic.”
“Advocates often aim to make cycling a more accessible resource for Blacks, Latinos, and other underrepresented groups. But they may be missing one of the biggest deterrents to bicycling among this population — fear for personal safety.”
Study: Concerns About Profiling Are a Barrier to Biking in Communities of Color by John Greenfield
“Many of the questions had to do with fears that keep people out of the saddle, and concern about police harassment turned out to be a significant issue for many respondents.”
Reports on bike advocacy and urban planning
Building Equity — Race, ethnicity, class, and protected bike lanes: an idea book for fairer cities
Some of this evolution has been brutal. Today’s cities are, among other things, the result of generations of racism and classism and struggles in the face of those discriminations. As decades and centuries have gone by, racial boundaries in the United States have shifted; discrimination has remained.
“The primary aim of this project was to conduct a qualitative interview study that generated rich, narrative data regarding obstacles to routine or utilitarian cycling for women and minorities who
already see biking as a viable form of transit, but who make relatively few bike trips. A secondary aim of the project was to develop a set of specific interventions that have the potential to increase cycling trips within these demographic groups. Findings suggest that barriers for marginalized cyclists range from concerns about infrastructure limitations to overt racial and gender discrimination experienced while riding. Data also shed light on the unique social position of mothers, who often face challenges transporting children. These findings suggest that cycling mobilities are critically linked to intersecting and overlapping identities, and that efforts to increase diversity in bike ridership must acknowledge the unique challenges experienced by marginalized groups.”
New Report: Bike Equity Today by Adonia Lugo
“The terms ‘invisible rider’ and ‘invisible cyclist’ have been in circulation for about ten years. In the bike world, we use them to refer politely to the individuals out there riding who have not made their way into policy-oriented bike advocacy. These terms have given us a way to talk about low-income cyclists, immigrant populations, or other groups that bike advocates have found hard to reach.”
Fear: A Silent Barrier to Bicycling in Black and Hispanic Communities by Charles Brown, MPA
“At the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center (VTC), the fear of being robbed and assaulted while bicycling ranked as the number two barrier to bicycling, second only to the fear of a traffic collision in our most recent study of bicycle access and usage among Blacks and Hispanics in thirty-four neighborhoods throughout New Jersey.”
U.S. Bicycling Participation Study
“PeopleForBikes works to get more people riding bikes more often. Accurate information on bicycling participation is essential in evaluating progress toward that mission and effectiveness of key programs. Prior to the 2014 implementation of this survey, research on bicycling participation was hampered by a variety of methodological limitations (e.g., types of bicycling measured, context of participation questions, etc.). This research is designed to address these limitations and standardize how participation in bicycling is measured and tracked over time.”
Books on bike advocacy and urban planning
Bike Lanes Are White Lanes — Bicycle Advocacy and Urban Planning by Melody L. Hoffmann
“In Bike Lanes Are White Lanes, scholar Melody L. Hoffmann argues that the bicycle has varied cultural meaning as a “rolling signifier.” That is, the bicycle’s meaning changes in different spaces, with different people, and in different cultures. The rolling signification of the bicycle contributes to building community, influences gentrifying urban planning, and upholds systemic race and class barriers.”
Bicycle/Race: Transportation, Culture, & Resistance by Adonia E. Lugo, PhD
“This is a book of borderlands and intersections, a cautionary tale about the dangers of putting infrastructure before culture, and a coming-of-age story about power and identity. The colonial history of southern California is interwoven through Adonia Lugo’s story of growing up Chicana in Orange County, becoming a bicycle anthropologist, and co-founding Los Angeles’s hallmark open streets cycling event, CicLAvia, along the way. When she takes on racism in the world of national bicycle advocacy in Washington, DC, she finds her voice and heads back to LA to organize the movement for environmental justice in active transportation.”
Bikequity: Money, Class, & Bicycling by Elly Blue, et. al
“Bicycling has the radical potential of equalizing our transportation system, creating more equitable opportunities from the personal to the societal, and being a vehicle for protest and social justice. But that isn’t how it always works.”
Bicycle Justice and Urban Transformation — Biking for all? By Aaron Golub, et. al
“Bicycle Justice and Urban Transformation demonstrates that for those with privilege, bicycling can be liberatory, a lifestyle choice, whereas for those surviving at the margins, cycling is not a choice, but an often oppressive necessity. Ignoring these “invisible” cyclists skews bicycle improvements towards those with choices. This book argues that it is vital to contextualize bicycling within a broader social justice framework if investments are to serve all street users equitably. ‘Bicycle justice’ is an inclusionary social movement based on furthering material equity and the recognition that qualitative differences matter.”
Listen
Life Of Black Cyclist Major Taylor Chronicled In New Book ‘The World’s Fastest Man’
NPR’s Steve Inskeep goes back in cycling history with Michael Kranish, whose new book is “The World’s Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America’s First Black Sports Hero.”
Quick Brown Foxes by Ayesha McGowan
“Quick Brown Foxes is evolving into something new. It’s a multimedia research project that seeks to answer the question “how to get women of color into bikes?” by asking women of color, how they got into bikes. I have always believed that people of color should be given the opportunity to tell their own stories as there is a rich community of folks from all sorts of backgrounds. My story isn’t the only story, and I’m certainly not enough. Representation matters and I aim to be the change I wish to see in the world by creating this platform.”
The Sonya Looney Show – Diversity and Representation with Pro Cyclist Ayesha McGowan
“Ayesha McGowan is the first African American female Professional Cyclist, riding for Liv Cycling. She’s on a mission to advocate for representation and is an inspiration for the next generation of African American female cyclists.”
Biking while black means you’ll probably get stopped more often
“Police in Tampa wrote over 1,000 bike tickets last year, claiming they were committed to stopping a plague of bike thefts. But 70 percent of people ticketed were black. And according to a Minneapolis report, black bicyclists are stopped more often for minor violations than white bicyclists.”
Cyclista Zine lists 13 cycling podcasts/videos to listen to
Support
Courtney Williams, Chief Strategist // The Brown Bike Girl
Founder, Courtney Williams, launched The Brown Bike Girl in 2016 with the goal of assisting existing and aspiring community stewards expand their capacity to knock down the barriers between communities of color and their access and adoption of the life-changing machine known as the bicycle.
Major Taylor Association, Inc.
Prized among the Friends of Major Taylor are cycling groups across the country that are inspired by Major Taylor, support the Major Taylor Association financially and assist in our mission where the rubber meets the road.
A list of Black cycling clubs in the US.
Front Rangers Cycling Club (Colorado specific)
“The Front Rangers Cycling Club was established in January 1993, founded on the belief that direct interaction with youth will offset the influences of drugs, gang membership, crime, and other social ills facing young people today. We started out with a few special kids identified by Denver Police Officers as needing a little extra help. Twenty three years later, over 200 racially diverse kids have enjoyed our program and participated in activities designed to get them outside and moving, enhance their sense of adventure, and give them a feeling of accomplishment. Many of our original volunteers are still working with the group today, inspiring more volunteers every year. After experiencing significant growth in the past five years, we now have more than 60 Denver kids actively participating in our program this year. We are proud of our work, our volunteers, and our kids.”
Trips for Kids (Colorado specific)
“Trips for Kids Denver Metro is to empower at-risk and disadvantaged youth, using the bicycle as a tool to foster positive life skills, healthy youth development, and a sense of fun and adventure.”
Wish for Wheels (Colorado specific)
“Wish for Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that gives brand new bicycles and helmets to kids in low income communities. Founded in 2004, our first giveaway made it clear that the bikes bring health and happiness into these kids’ lives and for that reason, we are committed to making a difference.”
Other cycling and outdoor guides to dive into and take action on
The Melanin Base Camp Guide To Outdoor Allyship
“Is it possible to use your white privilege for good? Short answer is yes. If you are white and male you can use your privilege to speak up without fear of harassment in spaces where people of color—especially womxn of color are attacked or ignored. You absolutely do have a role to play in dismantling systems which deliberately silence and disenfranchise people of color, gender non-conforming folks, people with disabilities etc. And there’s no better place to start than yourself.”
A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement
“It is important to understand the longstanding history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history.”
Cyclista Zine Black Lives Matter Resource
A thorough guide covering links to Zines, books/articles, and templates to use when contacting representatives and companies.
“A working resource page for women, transgender, femme, and/or non-binary cyclists and allies who use their bicycles to roam and explore. Their aim is to co-create a resource that is of, by, and for the community.”
Resources for Education & Inclusivity in the Outdoor Industry
“Privilege is the ability for us to escape to the woods and “tune it out,” the writers of this post included. Admitting that doesn’t make us bad people, but it means we need to be more open to understanding that not everyone has this privilege. We need to utilize our voices and platforms to generate change.”
Resources for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Cycling
“Here are the resources we’ve read, watched, or found important to understanding our role in increasing equity and diversity in cycling.”
General anti-racist resources and guides (not cycling related but incredibly insightful):
“The resources below are a good starting point so that you can remove your fears and educate yourself. Please note that my desire here is to point you to Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) educators and activists, not to share my own voice. I compiled this resource from the heaps of wonderful, educational materials they’ve already created. Also, this is a starting point. We have a lot to learn and un-learn — consider this part of our lifelong journey of anti-racism. Let’s get started!”
Within this guide you will find:
-Guides for creating and organizing dialogues and action.
-Toolkits for racial equity tactics.
-Information on workshops, convenings, and training curricula.
-Relevant books, articles, essays, booklets, and magazines.
-Information on related research and advocacy organizations.
-Recommended documentaries and videos on issues of race and ethnicity.
-A glossary of terms frequently used in talking about racial equity and racial healing.
-Websites for all entries with more detailed contact information.
Guidelines for Being Strong White Allies
by Paul Kivel
Adapted from Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Social Justice
Anti-Racism Resources for White People
By Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alyssa Klein
This document is intended to serve as a resource to white people and parents to deepen our anti-racism work. If you haven’t engaged in anti-racism work in the past, start now.
“This list of resources is intended to help white people gain a deeper understanding of racism and the anti-racist work that needs to be done. To be anti-racist is to be actively opposed to racism. It means confronting our white privilege and admitting our place in a system of oppression. Having difficult conversations with our white friends, families, co-workers and communities. Calling out those who abuse their power and holding them accountable. Showing up for our Black* friends, now and always. Striving for racial justice. Read to act. Read to organise.”
75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
“Achieving racial justice is a marathon, not a sprint. Our work to fix what we broke and left broken isn’t done until Black folks tell us it’s done.”
Questions to ask yourself:
Inspired by The Trek’s questions:
- Do the brands I buy gear from hire and fairly pay Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)? Are there any BIPOC in leadership at the company? Are their marketing materials diverse? Do they sponsor Black athletes or other athletes of color?
- What can I do to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in my cycling community? What would that look like?
- What are (or aren’t) local cycling associations and organizations doing to diversify cycling? How can I hold them accountable?
- Do the accounts I follow on social media all look like me? How can I diversify my feed?
- How can I educate myself on diversity in and the history of cycling or sports in general?
- How can I use the knowledge I gain through my efforts to have meaningful conversations with my friends, family, and cycling peers?
- How am I being anti-racist? What’s something I can do every day to be anti-racist? How can I work to understand how we got to this place?
Questions posed to us by Tamika Butler:
- Do I understand that not being racist isn’t the same as being anti-racist?
- Why am I so afraid to be brave enough to confront my power and privilege?
- What am I waiting for to decenter whiteness and realize just because I have never experienced it (or seen the research to prove it) doesn’t mean it isn’t real?
- What am I doing every single day to force myself to think about racism and white supremacy?
- What am I doing every single day to stop the killing of black people?
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