Equity
Perhaps the greatest power of bicycling is how we lose ourselves in the moment; how the pressures of daily life can wash away like a cool breeze through our helmets. But, as our work with Women Bike and Equity Initiative has made clear, despite that sense of freedom, we can’t disconnect bicycling from larger social realities. That’s why we were particularly honored to welcome Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, to the National Women’s Bicycling Forum this month.
Last January, an email from someone named Hamzat Sani landed in my inbox. The message invited me to join something called an “Equity Advisory Council” at the League of American Bicyclists. I’m a joiner, so I accepted, and made travel plans to attend an in-person meeting with the nine other council members the day before the National Bike Summit in March.
In his State of the Union address last week, President Obama emphasized American energy independence. He foretold a future with fair wages, where students can find opportunity, and more families can afford to buy their homes. Does this relate to bicycling? Yes, because we ride in shared public spaces that are part of larger built environments tied together through economic, social, and ecological systems.
An innovative, bi-partisan bill in Congress, introduced by Representative Albio Sires (D-NJ), would take steps to advance equity for bicyclists and pedestrians, and boost funding for bike/ped projects low-income communities. Read more about the New Opportunities for Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure Financing Act of 2014.
The League doesn’t just organize the National Bike Summit one week per year — we have a presence on Capitol Hill all year round, advocating the best policies for bicycling nationwide. In 2014, we’re focusing on four key areas to build a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.
Last Thursday, NPR ran a story about bike share accessibility issues. The reporter, Joel Rose, shared interviews with street users in DC’s Anacostia neighborhood, a bike advocate in New York City, and a researcher in Chicago. This struck me as odd because while bike equity is a nationwide problem, it’s something being addressed differently in each of those cities.
In response to the growing consensus among bicycle advocates that we need to develop better strategies to engage with communities of color, youth, and women, the League formed an Equity Advisory Council in February 2013. We are pleased to announce that we are looking to bring on a new member in early 2014.
Devlynn Chen, a member of our Equity Advisory Council, worked with the League on an internship this summer to help us better understand what motivates youth to ride and how to engage them in advocacy. The result? A new report, authored by Chen, on “Engaging Youth in Bicycle Advocacy.”
On today’s date in 1878, Marshall “Major” Taylor was born into an African-American family in Indianapolis. Taylor went on to a groundbreaking career as a bike racer, back in the age when Madison Square Garden was a velodrome and people flocked to see bike races. In an era characterized by the twisted asymmetry of “separate but equal,” when the League’s own membership was divided over racial segregation, Major Taylor flourished as the only African-American cyclist to reach the apex of the racing world.
It’s been a busy week on Capitol Hill for bicycling. Last night, we saw the introduction of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act in Congress. Earlier yesterday, Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ) announced his intention to introduce a bill to empower underserved communities to invest in bicycling and walking networks. This forthcoming bill, he said, is inspired in part by the “The New Majority: Pedaling Toward Equity” report the League produced in partnership with the Sierra Club.