Advocates Try to Make Cycling in D.C. Less Black and White
From the DCist:
Two years later, Capital Bikeshare’s ubiquitous red bikes are housed at over 175 stations (up from 114 when the program started) and are credited by some as sparking a more inclusive conversation around cycling. Veronica Davis, founder of Black Women Bike D.C., remembered hearing talk in 2010 discouraging cycling east of the river.
Veronica Davis, a resident of the Hillcrest neighborhood in Ward 7, recalled thinking, “What about people like me? What am I supposed to do?” When Capital Bikeshare stations opened in the area, she registered and quickly became an advocate of the program, knocking on neighbors’ doors and spreading the word about cycling.
The following year, Davis and two fellow cyclists launched Black Women Bike D.C. on Facebook, which quickly went from an online forum to a bike community that hosts monthly rides, helps women figure out what bike to buy and even connects new cyclists to commuting buddies.
