I believe in inclusion, I believe in diversity, and I believe in justice. There exist social inequities in this country and worldwide that I can’t even begin to imagine. Everywhere we look in contemporary society there are attempts to enact meaningful change. The cycling world has been grappling with it as much as anywhere. Increased diversity in this sport will only provide more perspective, greater inclusion, and a more interesting, exciting community that makes for a better experience for all and that’s something I passionately support.

I’m an open book in the areas in which I have expertise. My website is a 15 year old diary, I long used a variety of social media, and even my Strava turns into a public forum. Through these mediums I’m asked perhaps a dozen questions on any given day. Most revolve around tire pressure and training techniques, while some recently have steered towards tips on child rearing adventures with Hazel.

I’ve been asked on just three occasions for my stance regarding the current social climate. All of which have been posed within the past week, which of course coincides with Jim Cummins’ inappropriate Facebook post, something I vehemently do not condone. I’ve spent the majority of my waking hours this week speaking with a wide variety of contacts in the cycling world – event coordinators, sponsors, professional and amateur cyclists, bike shop owners, friends, acquaintances, people I don’t know at all, male and female, white and black, stakeholders in the sport of cycling. By no means do these conversations average into one perspective, but they’ve helped illustrate the feelings swirling around so many contentious issues.

On May 30, I set out on a 310-mile bike ride. Now three months old, the goal of creating the DIYgravel initiative is to unite the global gravel community. The goal of my DIYgravel 310-mile ride was to show how to create and hopefully achieve a far-reaching personal challenge. There was a live feed throughout the 23-hour adventure and scrolling through the comments afterwards the majority of messages had the tone, “Thanks for doing something positive to follow during a day that feels so negative.” George Floyd’s horrific death on May 25 sparked local protests and by the time I started pedaling, they had grown nationwide. These protests are entirely founded in days old, years old, decade old, centuries old mistreatment and outrage. Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, these are names that are on the tip of our collective tongue, while the heartbreak of the BIPOC community spans generations.

Since that weekend, weeks of protests have transpired to initiate change. As of this morning, US politicians are as staunch in their positions, so constitutional change appears impossible. We are in unprecedented times as a global pandemic has people already on edge, while social justice issues are as fierce and raw as ever. It feels like teetering we’re on a precipice.

I was holding my daughter yesterday when someone sent me the Love Your Enemies speech by Martin Luther King Jr. Whether or not you believe in his theology, I highly encourage you to watch it. The core of what he says, especially in the first 5:20 brought me a standstill where all I could do was hold Hazel and cry. Given everything that has happened over the past few days and weeks and then compounding the months, years, centuries of injustice, it overwhelmed me. But to love your enemies, that’s revolutionary thinking. That’s how Dr. King lived his life. That’s how I want to raise my daughter. That’s how to influence change. 

My area of expertise revolves around the bicycle. I emphatically believe the world can be a better place with more people on bikes. From all backgrounds, all countries, all socioeconomic scenarios, the world will be a more patient, happier, healthier place as more people ride. On a bike, I stay in my lane so as to not get run over by an angry or distracted motorist. In my general stance, I tend to stay in my lane as I try to put more people on bicycles. I’m far from an expert on race relations so I generally to stick to what I know.

And yet there’s an important call to action now. There is a well known 200-mile bike ride in Kansas and it’s embroiled in controversy. I’ve found myself needing to take a stance on this event, which is why you’ve found yourself reading this far into my brain dump. It’s only recently that I learned of the animosity surrounding the name, and for anyone to feel hurt by the name of a cycling event is unacceptable. I won’t return to this event unless they change the name and until they follow through with the meaningful change which they have suggested. The two remaining race directors are good friends of mine. They’re sincere and good people. I believe in Kristi and LeLan and now with the ball in their court I’m hopeful that change will happen.

In researching throughout this week, I came across Alexandera Houchin’s article for The Radivist. I especially love the opening paragraph where Alexandera says she doesn’t believe in telling other people what to do because it instigates a physiological reaction that puts us deeper into our trenches. The irony of making my entire statement here is that I don’t expect anyone to change their opinion. Society is so steeped in our factions or paralyzed without knowing what to do, that action or inaction both create a response that seems to widen the divide. However, we are on a precipice, as a society we’re anxious. In this time that is so ripe for revolution, action starts with a heart based in love. I believe it continues with conversation, listening, and educating.

Maybe it sounds wildly idyllic, but just as I believe the world can reach a happier, healthier, more patience place with more people on bikes, I believe there can be a better world that involves love, acceptance, and diversity. We can always do better.