Allyson McCalla inspires others to follow a passion for bicycling .
Pedal Power
Bike Newport launches its first Rhode Island Chapter of Black Girls Do Bike to encourage women and girls of color to foster and follow a passion for bicycling . By Andrea E . McHugh
While bicycling around her native Newport , Allyson McCalla noticed something : She rarely saw anyone who looked like her on a bike . So she ’ s set out to change that .
Attending a national bike summit in her role as director of community relations and administration at Bike Newport , a bicycle advocacy organization that promotes bike safety and accessibility , McCalla saw a presentation by Monica Garrison , the founder of Black Girls Do Bike ( BGDB ), and knew immediately Rhode Island deserved a chapter .
“ I just feel like women of color are underrepresented on bicycles . So what better way to represent us than get a group of us out there so other women can see us riding and join ?” BGDB ’ s interest is growing a community of women and girls of color , and their supporters , who share a passion for bicycling at any level .
McCalla says there are myriad reasons women might feel uncomfortable or intimidated on a bike , ranging from lack of confidence , not knowing how to ride and fear regarding personal safety . They also may not feel physically fit enough to start , have body image issues and , often , simply not have a bike or equipment . “ You see people strapped up in their bike gear — they have their helmets , their biking shoes , their biking shorts , their biking shirt — and it ’ s like , ‘ I don ’ t have any of that so I can ’ t get on a bike ,’” says McCalla . “ Well , that ’ s not what it ’ s about . It ’ s about the joy of it — the experience of getting to where you want to get to with a bike .”
Since launching the chapter last fall , BGBD Newport has attracted interest from across the state and hosted its inaugural ride to align with Martin Luther King Jr . Day . Nearly 300 people belong to the chapter ’ s Facebook group and additional rides on the East Bay Bike Path , Blackstone River
Bikeway and other areas in Rhode Island are in the works .
McCalla envisions individuals or other community organizations creating BGBD chapters in Rhode Island , where together , they can join forces to ride , inspire , encourage and empower . “ It ’ s fun to ride with people , meet new people and have conversations . That ’ s a great piece of it : encouraging physical health as well as mental health ,” says McCalla . “ Newport is the first and hopefully the first of many .”
Like Bike Newport itself , BGDB invites riders of all skill levels to discover , or rediscover , the joy of bicycling . “ Although Black Girls Do Bike addresses women of color , we welcome all women who want to get back on their bikes , have never been on a bike or aren ’ t feeling especially confident about it , so there ’ s just a lot of being with other people like yourself no matter how often you ride or who you ride with ,” says Bari Freeman , Bike Newport ’ s executive director . “ Anybody should be able to bike . It ’ s freeing .” bikenewport ri . org / black-girls-do-bike-newport
PHOTOGRAPH ( THIS PAGE ) COURTESY OF BIKE NEWPORT ; ( OPPOSITE PAGE ) COURTESY OF BUTTERBANG AND GINA MASTROSTEFANO .
16 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l APRIL 2021