Resources for Being An Anti-Racist Cyclist
Recently, in light of the Black Lives Matter Movement, we published our Diversity Statement of Intent. In this Statement, we noted that the cycling industry often suffers from a lack of diversity. As an organisation, we are committed to Doing Better.
‘Doing Better’, to us, means going beyond the wee black square we posted on Instagram on #BlackOutTuesday. That wee black square served as the beginning of our conscious effort and conversation to analyse what we do and how we operate, and make some changes.
We have now formed a Diversity Working Group, who meet monthly to discuss training, recruitment, online representation, our suppliers, our volunteers, development opportunities, and the co-design of our services.
Thank you for your patience whilst we take the time necessary to improve Bike for Good, and we are sorry that it has taken so long for us to formally acknowledge this.
We have put together some resources that you will find helpful on your mission to become an actively anti-racist cyclist.
Resources
Read up on Glasgow’s slave trade history and the names of the streets we cycle around.
Listen to the Quick Brown Foxes podcast – a research project that seeks to answer the question ‘how do we get women of colour on to bikes?’ by asking some incredible women of colour, how they got on to bikes.
If you’ve any doubt that we are not doing enough in the world of cycling, learn that in the 2020 Tour De France there was only ONE black cyclist out of 176 riders.
And would you believe, that whilst on a ride to promote diversity, Mani Arthur (who founded the Black Cyclists Network) was stopped and searched?
Read this incredible statement by Velo City Girl, aka Jools Walker, on what happens beyond the black squares in the cycling industry.
If Jools’ writing interests you and you want to learn more, read her book ‘Back In The Frame: How to Get Back on Your Bike No Matter What Life Throws At You’, (support your local independent bookshop!)
Educate yourself on The Colour Of Money – a report detailing how racial inequalities obstruct a fair and resilient economy.
Books like Why I Am No Longer Talking to White People About Race, So You Want To Talk About Race, and How To Argue With A Racist are excellent starting points for discussions with colleagues, friends, family, and fellow cyclists.
Have a film night and watch Wadjda, a film about a young Saudi girl who enters a competition to win the funds she desperately wants to buy the green bicycle that has captured her heart.
Take a look at these incredibly moving pictures from activists using bikes to protest racism.
Some incredible local organisations
Refuweegee is a community-led charity that gives people a way to welcome and embrace those newest to arrive, striving to ensure that people who have been forced to flee their homes arrive in Scotland to a warm welcome and some of the things that will help people to feel more at home here.
Bikes for Refugees upcycle donated bikes for free distribution to refugees and asylum seekers in Glasgow and Edinburgh, an incredible volunteer-led community project dependent upon your support. Some of our staff volunteer here in their free time; building bikes, cooking meals, and promoting the cause.
Milk Café based in Glasgow Southside works with refugee and migrant women to promote community integration and increased job skills for its volunteers through free classes, ESOL groups, volunteering placements in cafe and group outings.
Boots and Beards is a social club with the aim to unite and motivate like-minded adventurers into exploring and promoting Scotland’s natural landscape within the BME community.
Radiant and Brighter aim to bridge the gap between the needs of the growing BME refugee and migrant communities and existing support provision in Scotland. Activities and programmes include integration support, employment programme, women’s group, and multicultural children’s choir.
Saheliya is a specialist mental health and well-being support organisation for black, minority ethnic, asylum seeker, refugee and migrant women and girls (12+) in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Maryhill Integration Network runs community engagement and development activities delivered through a weekly programme focusing on integration between local asylum-seeking, refugee and migrant communities and offers information, advice and signposting.
Govanhill Community Development Trust was established by local people to develop physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration initiatives additional to the mainstream housing development programmes in the Govanhill area. GCDT’s programmes of work include a Roma support work programme, a development of ESOL programme, and integration activities.
Check out this Directory of Glasgow BME organisations.
What can I do right now?
Sign this petition to get Black history on to the curriculum in Scottish schools.
Donate to the Black Lives Matter UK Fund.
Unjust black deaths in police custody are not only happening in the USA, they happen right here in Scotland, too. You can contribute to help fund the ongoing legal costs for the family of Skeku Bayoh, who died after being held down by nine police officers in Kirkcaldy in 2015.
Sign this petition to get justice for Belly Mujinga, who was spat on by an individual who knowingly had Covid-19 during her working day, and shockingly, died.
Write to your MP to complain about the Home Office’s treatment of asylum seekers, no one should die like Mercy Baguma.
Donate to UK Black Pride, Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern descent, a grassroots movement that advocates, fights for, supports and celebrates LGBTQ people of colour.
Donate to Black LGBTQIA Therapy Fund, to fund therapy sessions for black LGBTQIA+ people, many of whom are struggling severely throughout the pandemic.
Black Lives Matter
If you have any resources we could add to this to share with our community, please email to our Communications Lead, Kimberley White.
Thanks for reading, cycle on.
Photo credit: Shawn Prigden – check out his incredible work here.