Growing up, Alison Mariella Désir loved riding her bike as a middle schooler. Bike-riding provided a sense of freedom that she otherwise lacked in her everyday life. However, as she got older, she noticed that most people didn’t look like her. Watching the Tour de France or folks riding in Central Park, she noticed that most people on bikes were white and male.
Cycling’s racism had an impact on folks like Marshall “Major” Taylor, a Black cyclist who nonetheless became one of the greatest cyclists in the world, setting major records and winning championships all while battling racism. Today, the high cost of cycling, the lack of physical and psychological safety and unequal access to trails and roads all provide obstacles for BIPOC getting on bikes.
In this episode, Alison meets with Will Cortez, co-founder of BikePOC PNW, an organization creating intentional spaces and community for BIPOC cyclists in Portland, Oregon. As Will takes Alison on her first adventure ride, they pedal on hidden back roads and gravel paths and along forgotten train tracks. They discover both a connection with the earth beneath their wheels and to each other, finding joy in the simple act of riding.
Alison Mariella Désir
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