In shift from tradition, BTA announces Alice Award winners prior to event

Kiel Johnson, Mr. Bike Train

Citizen activist Kiel Johnson is one of
four winners announced today.
(Photos © J. Maus)

I got an unexpected email this morning from the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. The local bike advocacy group is working on their major fundraising event of the year, The Alice Awards and Auction (set for April 23rd); but instead of announcing the winners at the gala like usual, they decided to share the winners today.

Why? Here’s how the BTA puts it:

“…These individuals did not sit back and wait for the movement to come their way. “Why wait?” they asked. Instead, they took stock of their resources, looked to their allies and partners, and seized the moment of transformation.

Inspired by the actions of these individuals, the BTA asks the same question of ourselves. “Why wait?” Why keep the knowledge to ourselves, when we are bursting to shout it out to the world?

So, without further ado, below are the 2011 Alice Award winners (a.k.a. “Bike Superheroes”):

Danielle and Alex Amarotico – Owners of Standing Stone Brewing Co. in Ashland and big supporters of bicycling in Southern Oregon. Learn more here.

SW Portland Get Together-21

Kiel Johnson (red sweater) discussing bike safety
on SW Barbur at our recent Get Together event.

Kiel Johnson – Citizen activist behind many local traffic safety and biking initiatives including the highly successful, grassroots effort for Bike Trains to local schools. Learn more here.

Sunday Parkways Southeast-56

Mia Birk signing her book outside
her home during Sunday Parkways
last year.

Mia Birk – Winner of the Bud Clark AwardMia really needs no introduction on this site. She’s the former PBOT bike coordinator turned planning consultant company CEO, and now author and public spokesperson for how cities can become more bike-friendly. Learn more here.

Eye to Eye campaign launch-1

Steph at launch of Eye to Eye safety campaign.

Steph Routh – Winner of the People’s Choice Award — If you read this site closely, you’ve surely seen an uptick in mentions of Ms. Routh. She’s involved with many grassroots bike happenings in Portland and since taking over the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition, Routh has put that group — and the issues they care about — smack dab in the center of local transportation conversations. Learn more here.

Congrats to all the winners! Your work is why Portland works for bikes.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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matt picio
13 years ago

All very worthy winners – outstanding! Congratulations!

Rebecca
Rebecca
13 years ago

Rockstars of bike advocacy, we salute you! Congrats to all.

K'Tesh
K'Tesh
13 years ago

Congrats!

Art Fuldodger
Art Fuldodger
13 years ago

congrats to all!

Joe Rowe
Joe Rowe
13 years ago

Good analogy – the music industry – rock star comparison. It’s not really about talent, not about what is best for the culture of music or bikes. It’s about awards that profit the connected people. I went to the $100 a plate event a few days after Adams changed from a 6 lane CRC to the 12 lane CRC. The BTA had him as a guest speaker. The BTA has chosen to gamble and ride the fence. I still want to help them, but I think the public needs to speak up about their silence.

Spencer Boomhower
Spencer Boomhower
13 years ago

Congratulations to all the winners! And particularly to Steph and to Mia, whose work I’m most familiar with. Though reading about Steph’s accomplishments on the BTA site, I realized I didn’t know the half of it!

adamdoug2011
adamdoug2011
13 years ago

so even bikey people like awards and recognition? sweet, I have now seen it all 😉 congrats to the worthy recipients, I will not wait for my little alice award trophy anytime soon. are we ready to launch the carl larson people’s choice 2012 campaign?