A Reasonable Question...

I was talking with a co-worker about this whole "biking" thing and I mentioned that I joined a group of Black women who bike. She wanted to know why I had to join a group of "Black women", why couldn't I just join a group of bikers...

I think it's a totally fair question...

It's a STRANGE, uncomfortable feeling to be the only one in the room...the only woman, the only Black person, the only young person, the only old person...it's uncomfortable to be the one that stands out in any group. And if you're Black, this happens to you like every day, almost everywhere, in a million ways. And if you're Black and female, it's doubly uncomfortable. All of that to say - if you have an opportunity to just be YOU, in a group, to be one of many, and not the only one, it's comforting and it's important. And, if you're gonna do a new thing, like ride a bike faster and father than you've ever done before, it MEANS something to have BLACK WOMEN encouraging you, challenging you and pushing you. It's one thing to SAY "representation matters", but when it's YOU that's always standing out, when it's YOU that is always the one who is different, it MATTERS that there are groups where you're just one of the girls....

Shout out to Black Girls Do Bike: RALEIGH for the lessons, the teaching, the encouragement and the sisterhood!

#BlackGirlsDOBike #representationmatters #ButILoveAllYall

P.S. - An artist by the name of Jack Lewis created the Black Girls Do Bike logo - you can find more of his work at Deviant Art.