Outride recognizes Indigenous People's Day, and Native peoples as the first inhabitants of the Americas, including the lands that later became the United States of America. We acknowledge that there are disparities in opportunities in these Indigenous Communities created by occupying the ancestral lands of their people, as well as the brutal history of the colonization of our country.
We believe in the power of bicycles to bring opportunity, agency, and freedom. We are proud to share news about the grant from the Catena Foundation to initiate 5 new Riding for Focus programs in the Four Corners Region. This represents a continued investment in these resilient communities, in addition to the 4 Riding for Focus programs and NICA teams Outride has supported in the Arizona, New Mexico, and Diné (Navajo) communities. This is an important step towards supporting more diverse student populations and communities.
Through these, we strive to learn more, deepen our partnership, and cultivate meaningful connections that support and advance these youth and communities, now and in the future.
The Riding for Focus program will include a fleet of up to 30 Specialized mountain bikes for each school. The bikes (donated by Specialized Bicycle Components) are easy to build and maintain due to their customized and durable design. Additionally, helmets, maintenance equipment, teacher training, and cycling curriculum will be provided to the schools for implementation.
“We are excited to partner with the Catena Foundation to bring cycling to five new schools and communities. This project represents a continued investment in these resilient communities, beyond the 4 Riding for Focus programs and NICA teams Outride has already supported in the Arizona, New Mexico, and Diné (Navajo) communities, and is an important step towards our goal of supporting more diverse student populations,” says Andrew Cunningham, Outride Program Manager.
“The Catena Foundation supports community health through access to cycling and development of multi-use trails. We are excited to partner with Outride’s Riding For Focus program on a unique effort to expand cycling education and promote healthy lifestyles in indigenous communities throughout the Southwest in 2021,” says Mike Wight, Restoration and Trails Program Officer for the Catena Foundation.
To further expand opportunity and build capacity, the new Riding for Focus schools can apply for additional support through the Outride Fund’s matching grant program. Grants can be used to develop or expand programs involving youth rider development, youth cycling education, and the development of local trails. Outride will also work with local stakeholders, including the regional non-profit Silver Stallion Bicycle and Coffee to provide mechanical support in an area where access to bicycle infrastructure is critically lacking. Outride is committed to supporting local efforts to grow access and capacity within these amazing communities.
The grant application for new Riding for Focus programs will open this winter. Visit outridebike.org for more information.
