The tragic death of George Floyd and so many before him is calling us to action through the upwelling voices of Black Lives Matter. Cycle Oregon condemns racism, bigotry and acts of violence of any kind. As an organization and as individuals, we must speak out against the injustice that Black people have been facing for generations. Being silent is not an option. Cycle Oregon stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.
As a nonprofit working to transform individuals and communities through bicycling, we must do more to be part of the work to dismantle systemic racism. We were formed to help support not just those included as part of our events, but simply those in need. Thirty-two years ago we chose to stand for something and now is the time to stand for even more. We are taking time for deep introspection into every aspect of our organization. We are listening to and learning from organizations and individual leaders, such as the Coalition for the Communities of Color, who are tirelessly advocating for systemic reform to overcome institutional racism and inequity.
Within our own organization, we are committed to taking the following steps to ensure equal access to our programs, and create a more welcome and inclusive community for all cyclists.
We acknowledge our privilege as a primarily White organization, and commit to work to dismantle systemic racism.
We will review our grant process to ensure that the process is equitable, innovative, and addresses the needs of a changing world. We will continue to improve our method of allocating grant funding to communities and organizations that have been impacted by historic inequities.
As an organization of avid bicyclists, we know the benefits that cycling has on our mental and physical health. And we believe everyone deserves to access this sport and do it in a way that feels safe and comfortable. To help create a safe and inclusive cycling community in Oregon and beyond, we will connect with Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities to understand barriers to cycling and strengthen partnerships with organizations working to increase access to cycling and the outdoors among these communities.
We will review our own event planning guidelines and work to ensure all Cycle Oregon events are welcoming and create a safe and inclusive space for every participant.
We recognize the more diverse our organization, the better we can serve our community. We commit to increasing racial and ethnic representation across Cycle Oregon, including on our board of directors, in our operations, among our contracted vendors, in our communications, and in our advocacy work.
We are committed to doing the hard work required to make real change, starting with us. We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.
Read More
Silence Is Not An Option – People For Bikes
Why We Must Talk About Race When We Talk About Bikes – Bicycling
Race and Accessibility In The Cycling Community – CyclingTips
A Conversation on Racism in Cycling with Dr. Tim Erwin – VeloNews