We are pausing today’s content to make a statement. As a community of people who share the love of cycling and the outdoors, we need to listen to the voices of the oppressed and I feel that we can respectfully put the day-to-day content on hold to encourage each and every one of you to reach out to your communities, reach out to your BIPOC friends, and listen.
Without putting aside our daily distractions, we cannot do this.
The injustice being documented on social media right now is heart-breaking. Protests pave the way for reform. Or at least they have in the past. From the civil rights movement to the Vietnam War, this country has bound together in the past to fight for the voices unheard.
George Floyd was the tipping point for what has happened to the Black American community since slavery. His face has become the icon for Black freedom. Breonna Taylor’s brutal killing by police and Ahmaud Arbery lynching by members of his community all paint the grim reality our country needs to overcome. These names are added to the hundreds of Black Americans killed by cops.
Black Lives Matter. Say it. Say their names. No Justice, no peace.
This is a pattern that has arisen in this country and what we’re seeing today represents the last straw for our BIPOC brothers and sisters. We need to demand accountability for the police, our legislature, our city officials, our national officials, and our own communities.
The following organizations need your eyes and support:
–Campaign Zero
–Reclaim the Block
-Please read their petition
-George Floyd’s family has a GoFundMe
–Minnesota Freedom Fund
–Brooklyn Bail Fund
-ActBlue allows you to make multiple donations between 38 community bail funds
–The Bail Project
–National Bail Fund Network
–Black Visions Collective
–Gas Mask Fund
–NAACP Legal Defense Fund
–Communities United Against Police Brutality
–Northstar Health Collective
–Free Them All for Public Health
–The Atlanta Solidarity Fund
–Know Your Rights Camp
–Fair Fight
The Radavist has donated money from its funding to support a number of these organizations this week. If you have the means to do so, we’d like to encourage you to do the same. If you don’t have the means to, don’t feel pressured. Do what you can within your community.
To make a difference within the cycling community, Bikepacking Roots has just announced a new grant program to help address racial inequalities related to access to outdoor experiences. The BIPOC Bike Adventure Grant will provide funding to recipients for an empowering bike adventure of their choosing and will help elevate the recipients’ voices. It’s a small step forward, but seeing as most of the outdoor industry has remained silent, we’re hoping that this will spur additional action.
The comments are closed for a few reasons, most importantly, you should be reading, learning, and listening elsewhere today. We’ll be back with content but right now, this needs to be addressed.
And as always join a protest if you feel that it is safe. Walk with your BIPOC community. Listen.
