Hi Think Tank!

Please support our efforts as a super heartfelt and organized group of go-getters to engage women, minority and delivery cyclists moving forward today. Like right now.  

A group of friends and I have started a groundbreaking new project.  It started out as the Minority Bike Coalition and just this week we decided on an official name for the group.  We are now POW! which stands for People On Wheels.

We aim to engage non-traditional groups in the world of cycling advocacy which include women, minorities and delivery guys. Please support our 1st funding effort on ioby as we launch into our pilot along the Roosevelt Ave in Queens, NY.  The goal is NOT to assume we know what's best, but to find out what the neighborhood thinks about its streets and find out what would make life better on Roosevelt Ave. 

The plan is to start in Queens, replicate our efforts in East NY, Brooklyn, share what we learn with our friends and advocates from around the USA at the National Bike Summit in 2013 and encourage both local and national action!  We notice that there is often a lot of discussion about diversity but not a ton of action.  Also minorities, women, immigrants, and delivery cyclists convene in different forums than MAMILs (Middle Aged Men In Lycra).  POW! wants to share the best practices and lessons learned from our work in order to replicate on a national level.

POW! began as a little idea at the 2nd National Youth Bike Summit this past winter.  The Youth Bike Summit was started because of an inspiration from the 2012 National Bike Summit. So we hope to come full circle and share what we learn with everyone soon.

There is a StoryTelling component in here as well as we plan on doing public photo essay display of cyclists in the target area.  

Please support our project on ioby!  On SUNDAY, April 22nd all donations made up to $22 are DOUBLED for one day.  That's right, free money for do-gooders! So please set your alarms on Sunday and start Earth Day out right by showing solidarity with the silent cyclist.  

Our hardy and well-meaning POW! core group has been and will continue to donate our blood*, sweat, tears, urban planning, and advocacy experience to this project.  But we need just a few measly things to get going.  Help us now.  

We've been really honored, humbled and dazzled by the initial outpour of support!  In our first 2 days of life, POW! has gotten encouragement and support from awesome folks at Recycle-A-Bicycle, the National Youth Bike Summit, the DOT, Streetsblog, Transportation Alternatives, Boogie Down Rides, Local Spokes, Velo City, Film Biz Recycling and Built It Green!  The west coast and Northhampton, Mass have been donating to the project and cheering us on too.  We even got a news mention!

Here it is again!  Remember, please donate this Sunday, April 22nd !! All Donations Doubled up to $22!

We were just born on Facebook and Twitter too!  You can comment about what cute newborns and like, befriend us here:

In solidarity,

Helen

*No blood or tears have actually been shed yet.  It is actually a really awesome, friendly, good looking, and productive group of do-gooders here.  If you'd like to find out more or join us, you can contact me at helenshirley@gmail.com.