League Welcomes New Equity Advisory Council

The League aims to be the voice for everyone who rides a bike in the U.S., but we recognize that many important voices are still missing from our membership and leadership. Not only are women, youth and people of color underrepresented in policy discussions that impact their neighborhood health and economic development; they are also missing in many bicycle advocacy discussions — particularly at the national level.

One of the League’s priorities in 2013 — and beyond — is to change the face of bicycling and work toward true equity and inclusion in the movement. For years, diversity has been a buzz word, a one-hour conference topic. We need to do more. To address equity, an organization has to commit dedicated staff, time and funding.

So that’s what the League is doing.

We’re excited to announce the launch of a strategic process engaging diverse leaders and advocates to assist in addressing equity and inclusion within our organization, its programs and external efforts. This work will be informed, developed and led by the newly convened Equity Advisory Council, comprised of 10 diverse leaders from different backgrounds working in their communities to get more people on bikes.

Our hope is that the work of the Equity Advisory Council will not only benefit the League but will also be a tool for local cycling organizations to utilize in developing their own initiatives, ultimately building a Bicycle Friendly America that promotes and protects the rights of ALL cyclists.

The Equity Advisory Council will be formally announced at the National Bike Summit in March but we wanted to give you a preview of the individuals that make up this dedicated group of changemakers:

Brian Drayton is the founder and executive director of Richmond Spokes, a non-profit, entrepreneurial youth training program located in Richmond, Calif., that empowers young entrepreneurs to use cycling and sustainable transportation to enable physical, personal, and professional mobility.

Anthony Garcia is Principal of The Street Plans Collaborative and is a leader in the field of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. A member of the faculty at the University of Miami- School of Architecture, Anthony has a strong background in urban planning urban design, policy writing and code analysis.

Eboni Hawkins is the founder of the Chicago chapter of Red, Bike and Green, an organization that promotes biking for improve health, economic vitality, and environmental sustainability in the African American community.

Helen Ho is an advocate and thought leader in fields ranging from alternative transportation and waste management to environmental education and community empowerment. Helen currently serves as the Development Director for Recycle-A-Bicycle and is Co-Founder of the Youth Bike Summit.

Keith Holt is the Executive Director of Milwaukee Bike Works, which sees bicycling as a tool for sustainable change in the community. Keith has been advocating for trails and bicycling in large urban communities for almost a decade, emphasizing ridership in communities of color.

Adonia E. Lugo is the co-founder of City of Lights/ Ciudad de Luces and CicLAvia. A doctoral candidate at the University of California, Irvine, Adonia uses ethnographic research on bicycling to advocate for social justice in urban sustainability through the Bicicultures Research Network and her blog Urban Adonia.

Sara Pelerin is an 18-year-old intern at Recycle-A-Bicycle, where she designs and produces recycled bicycle jewelry and is helping to plan and organize the 2013 Youth Bike Summit. Sara is a resident of the Ali Forney Center and plans on attending college this fall to major in Environmental Science.

Anthony Taylor is a founding member of the Major Taylor Bicycling Club of Minnesota, a nonprofit social/recreational club that promotes safe and fun cycling geared toward the African-American communities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. He is also the Vice President of the National Brotherhood of Cyclists, a group of grassroots African American cycling clubs from around the country.

Neil Walker is a leading League Cycling Instructor Coach, a youth program coordinator for Metro Atlanta Cycling Club, and founder of Cycles and Change.

Elizabeth Williams is a bike advocate and League Cycling Instructor (LCI) focused on empowering underserved communities, particularly women and youth, to live healthy, active and green lifestyles through cycling. Elizabeth lives in Long Beach, California and is the Founder & President of Cali Bike Tours.

Come to the National Bike Summit to meet the Council in person — and look for some great things to come out of this group as we work to make cycling inviting and accessible for everyone on the saddle.