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League Cycling Advocate (LCA) Spotlight Roundup
In our first year of hosting workshops to certify League Cycling Advocates (LCAs) in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, we’ve seen incredible engagement and enthusiasm from emerging and seasoned bike advocates from across the country.
At the LCA workshops, participants from diverse backgrounds came together to learn about many aspects of what it takes to become effective bike advocates, from understanding safety and policy to grassroots organizing and fostering a stronger biking culture in their communities. The workshops have not only empowered individuals to take action but also sparked collaborations with local organizations and government officials, laying the groundwork for lasting change. As we look ahead to the coming year, we’re excited to expand our reach, offering more workshops, building on our successes, and continuing to advocate for safer, more bikeable, liveable cities.
Below, we connected with five of the 50 LCAs around the country who are working to make bicycling a normalized transportation and recreation option. We asked them a series of questions and we are highlighting a variety of their answers below to capture the work that advocates, like yourselves, are working on at the grassroots level.
Laura Groenjes Mitchell, Board President at Our Streets (Minneapolis, MN)
Is there a moment or experience that solidified your commitment to bike advocacy?
In April 2014, I challenged myself to commute by bike every single day of the month. Bike commuting helped me realize how much the built environment impacts safety for all road users, especially people walking, biking and rolling. When I became a parent a few years later, with the most precious cargo in tow behind me in a bike trailer, the way I viewed the transportation infrastructure in my city changed. Rather than brushing things off and assuming nothing could be done, I knew I wanted better for my kids and committed to figuring out how I could help advocate for safer streets for everyone.
What’s one takeaway from the LCA Workshop that you are incorporating into your bike advocacy?
I found the policy, political engagement and data portions of the LCA workshop particularly helpful. Learning more about strategies and tools (like power mapping) to hone in on key people and institutions will help ensure I’m spending my time, effort and energy as effectively as possible which is important for everyone, but especially those of us trying to fit in advocacy on top of full-time jobs, families, friends, and hobbies. I also appreciated the opportunity to connect with and learn from so many skilled and experienced advocates doing this work across the country.
Gregory Williams, Advocacy Campaign Organizer at Bike Durham (Durham, North Carolina)
Is there a moment or experience that solidified your commitment to bike advocacy?
The moment I think that truly solidified my commitment to bike advocacy occurred during the 2024 Ride of Silence here in Durham. As I manned the Bike Durham table to chat with attendees, I felt an atmosphere so different than the previous rides I’d been on. I listened as survivors and family members shared their experiences and the full scope of my work hit all at once. The ways that I can advocate for changes can tangibly change and save lives.
What’s one takeaway from the LCA Workshop that you are incorporating into your bike advocacy?
One takeaway I find myself incorporating constantly is the section on talking to my elected officials. Being able to leverage my strong relationship with the city staff and representatives goes a long way toward demonstrating my group’s legitimacy and inspiring those who work with us.
Ben Shepler, citizen advocate in Orlando, FL
What project or campaign are you involved with right now?
I’m so new to advocacy work that I don’t have a singular project or campaign, though I have been participating in lots of small-scale projects. I was accepted into Orlando’s “Mayor’s City Academy” where I attend weekly sessions at different departments of the local government with other residents. This has been a great learning and networking experience both with city staff and other eager community members. I’ve also started volunteering with Bike/Walk Central Florida, assisting at a bike rodeo, and tabling at a pro soccer game. Additionally, I recently celebrated a tiny victory of successfully getting a bike rack repaired.
What’s one takeaway from the LCA Workshop that you are incorporating into your bike advocacy?
To me, the biggest throughline of the workshop was the need to build relationships. It seemed that every presenter touched on how important connections with other people are in our advocacy work. Whether that’s with politicians, government staff, design firms, or other members of the community, you can’t create change without the help of others.
Rob Kadota, Chair of the City of Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee (Los Angeles, CA)
What’s one takeaway from the LCA Workshop that you are incorporating into your bike advocacy?
Changing our car-centric way of life to more sustainable, healthier forms of transportation is huge and complex. For me, the importance of networking and learning from others has proven to be one of the most critical lessons reinforced. Besides the bicycle advisory committee I currently chair, I’ve prioritized getting to know and supporting the work of other safe streets and bicycle/pedestrian/transit-oriented organizations as much as possible. We each bring a slightly different set of people, priorities, opportunities and perspectives that create powerful networks of change agents.
What project or campaign are you involved with right now?
As the Paris Olympics and Paralympics closed, the world’s attention shifted to Los Angeles. We’ve got a LOT of work to do if we want to demonstrate to the world that LA is a world-class city that is accessible to all and a shining example for others to emulate, especially as it relates to mass transit and LA’s dependence on cars. Can we transform our city enough that we generate broad support for a more bike friendly, walkable, sustainable LA? One specific issue our bicycle advisory committee is working on is to get a City Council file passed (20-1469-S-1) to better notify and enforce safe alternative walk/bike routes around construction projects that close sidewalks or bike lanes.
Alexa Dobson, Executive Director at Bike Anchorage (Anchorage, Alaska)
What’s one takeaway from the LCA Workshop that you are incorporating into your bike advocacy?
The LCA workshop was the first formal advocacy training I’d ever received, and I realized that if that’s my experience as the Executive Director of an advocacy nonprofit, then people in our broader community probably aren’t getting the tools they need to be effective advocates, too. Our organization is now working on a series of advocacy trainings that are open to the community, because things like testifying at community council meetings or writing a good op-ed are skills that can be learned. They’re also fantastic opportunities to meet your fellow advocates, deepen relationships and generate new ideas!
Where do you see the future of bike advocacy heading?
Bike advocacy is part of a much larger movement toward safer streets and livable cities and intersects with some other really important advocacy areas like disability justice, affordable housing and climate change. It’s so much bigger than bikes. The design changes that make a road safer for bikes also make it safer for drivers, pedestrians, people taking transit — everyone benefits.
It’s a slow process, but institutional change is happening: federal guidelines and funding now prioritize safer bike-friendly infrastructure, more engineers, agencies, and political leaders are recognizing the value of these designs, and there’s a growing willingness at all levels of government to champion road safety. It’s gradual (and painfully slow sometimes!), but the momentum is building, and the changes are starting to take hold.
As our first year of hosting bike advocacy workshops has come to a close, we are filled with optimism and determination. The progress we’ve made, from empowering individuals to sparking collaborations, is just the beginning. The passion and commitment we’ve witnessed from participants has reinforced the importance of this work, and we are eager to build on this momentum. Looking ahead, we plan to expand our efforts, bringing even more communities into the fold and continuing to push for safer, more inclusive biking environments and empowering more local advocates.
Learn more about the LCA workshops and certification program at bikeleague.org/LCA, and register here for our next upcoming workshop in Santa Monica, California this March. Hope to see you there!