We can never understand, but we will stand.
As women in the sport of cycling, we are oftentimes considered a part of the minority among mostly white males. We are at times afforded less opportunities, less income, less prize money and even sometimes, less credibility. It can be a frustrating, uphill battle towards equality.
That said, while we cannot possibly imagine or understand what Black Americans are experiencing right now in this country, we have a duty to stand up for what is right - to use our voice and our platform to help move the world forward. We recognize our privilege and we won’t be silent. Change must happen and we must do what we can to help move the needle.
Black women are 2.8 times as likely to be arrested by police than white women*. To represent that statistic, our riders are committing to riding a total of 2,800 miles (taking us from NY to LA in distance) with the goal of raising $1 per mile for a total of $2,800 from June 24th through July 5th in our LLG Coast to Coast for NAACP challenge.
Where will the funds go?
All funds raised will be donated to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education fund: a legal organization that through litigation, advocacy, and public education, seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans.
Impact
We recognize that Black women are oftentimes left out of the discussion on racial inequality, and as a women's cycling team, we believe it is especially important to bring awareness to the racial injustices that Black women face and take action for change. And as a team with riders from all across the country (and Canada!), it was important for us that while we aren't together and racing right now, we wanted to remain united and ride virtual miles across the country.
How You Can Help
Our riders are committing to riding a whole lot of miles in this 12-day period, and hope you can consider donating to help reach our goal of $2,800 raised ($1 dollar for each mile ridden across the country). Please share with friends, family, coworkers! You can donate RIGHT HERE!
Sponsors
Every individual that makes a donation will be entered into a giveaway to win prizes from one of our sponsors – Levine Law Group, Eliel Cycling, and more!
Updates
Check back in to our Instagram (@llgwomenscycling), Facebook (Levine Law Group Elite Women’s Cycling Team), or Twitter (@LLGcycling) for periodic updates on where we currently are on our route from NY to LA.
Thank you all for your support and contributions. Please send a message on social media or reach out to Allison Schroeder if you have any questions!
* https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p10.pdf