Adventure Cycling Association

We believe in the power of bicycles and the power of travel to open minds and change the world. But for that power to be recognized, it has to be available for everyone.

We acknowledge that if you cannot go on a run through your neighborhood without the possibility of being killed, or go bird watching at your own park without having the police called on you, it is unlikely that the vulnerability of traveling by bicycle through unfamiliar communities and cultures will feel safe and enjoyable.

We take ownership of the fact that Adventure Cycling is new to this conversation and that we have not shown up in the past on these issues.

We want to do better, and we will take action to do better. Read our full Black Lives Matter statement.

In the last year, Adventure Cycling has incorporated Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) work into its professional development options. We still have a long way to go,  but here are the resources we’ve read, watched, or found important to understanding our role in increasing equity and diversity in cycling.

We began learning about JEDI with two webinars taught by The Avarna Group, a consulting service that works specifically with outdoor and environmental organizations to ramp up their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The Avarna Group has its own list of resources, and we found these webinars a great place to start exploring these concepts.

Part 1: The What and Why of JEDI

Part 2: JEDI Strategies for Your Organization

In addition to a couple of in-person diversity and equity trainings with Empower Montana, some staff formed a book club and read White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, which helped us discover how our own reactions to the topic of race often work to maintain racial inequality.

As Adventure Cycling considers its next steps in our diversity and equity work, we’ve gathered up (mostly) cycling-specific resources, as well as influential voices you should follow on social media. This is by no means a comprehensive list. 

Books and Articles

White Lanes are Bike Lanes: Bicycle Advocacy and Urban Planning by Dr. Melody Hoffman
Bicycle/Race: Transportation, Culture, & Resistance  by Adonia E. Lugo, PhD
Bikequity: Money, Class & Bicycling, a book of essays edited by Elly Blue
This list of anti-racist resources, especially for parents with children
The Unlikely Thru-Hiker: An Appalachian Trail Journey by Derick Lugo
People for Bikes Equity Report
"For People of Color, Barriers to Biking Go Far Beyond Infrastructure, Study Shows" by Michael Andersen
"Bike Racing, White Privilege and the Corona Virus" by Cinthia Pedraza
Bicycle Justice and Urban Transformation by Aaron Golub, Melody L. Hoffmann, Adonia E. Lugo, Gerardo F. Sandoval

People to Follow

Courtney Williams
Ayesha McGowan
Bicycle Nomad Erick Cedeno 
Dr. Destiny Thomas
Jools Walker

Videos, Webinars, and Podcasts

Untokening Mobility: Beyond Pavement, Paint & Place Webinar
Podcasts and Videos That Every Cycling Advocate Should Listen To from Cyclista Zine
Seeing White podcast by John Biewen and Chenjerai Kumanyika
Quick Brown Foxes podcast by Ayesha McGowan