I have been throwing around ideas about travel equity after our trip to Mexico. For me a citizen of the US it was easy to get down there and was very affordable. I started thinking about why that was, and how it doesn't apply to everybody. Below is some suggestions that I have come up with. Most of these suggestions would really be up to the BikeBike hosts (Detroit in 2016), but the travel fund could be something we could start easily with donations. It is a rough draft and I'm looking for feedback (there has only been 5 minutes of feedback so far). Most of these ideas would take a bit of work, but I think it would be worth it to allow as many people to participate in BikeBike as possible.

let me/us know what you think,

erk

BikeBike Travel Equity:

Suggestions to Offset Inequitable Travel Cost and Barriers

 

Summary: In an aim to make BikeBike more inclusive we should help address travel inequities. Travel can be much harder/more expensive depending on what side of some imaginary lines a person was born on or what system they have to live in. We should encourage those with privilege to help those with less.

 

1.    Registration: registration fees should be very malleable. Folx that can pay more should be encouraged to support folx that cannot.

a.    For some participants the registration fee is very cheap for all the services provided, others it may be a large expense.

2.    Travel funds should be created ahead of time to help folx with Visas/other travel expenses.

a.    Donations or excess registration fees could create these funds.

b.    Example of need: A Mexican Citizen needs to pay $300 USD just to apply for a visa to the USA. If they do not get approved they do not get the money back. For a US citizen with steady work this might not seem like a huge loss, but that works out to $5,100 MEX, which could be 3 or 4 times a person’s monthly housing cost.

3.    3 meals (and snacks) a day at BikeBike.

a.    Eatting out is by default expensive, but if you come from a country with an unfavorable currency exchange it is even more so. Even without that exchange, some people don’t have money to blow on a luxury like eating out.

b.    This creates a bit more work, visiting BikeBikers should be encouraged to help cook and take any other loads off the hosts.

c.     An alternative may be providing access to the kitchen when meals cannot be provided.