(Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
If you’ve been to one of the protests in Portland you’ve seen that the number of people on bikes is growing each night. Now community leaders have planned several bike rides that will amplify and/or spin-off the protests.
After being all but shut down due to the pandemic, rides and events are once again being posted to the BikePortland Calendar. In particular there are five on the horizon (so far) I want to make sure you’re aware of. Before making plans, please remember that the deadly Covid-19 virus is still spreading in Oregon. Wear your mask, wash your hands, keep a distance if you can, and continue to take precautions.
Tonight (Monday, 6/8)
There are two bike meet-ups and rides tonight.
The first is a meeting and ride for folks interested in helping to support the large marches and rallies that start at Revolution Hall (SE 13th and Stark). As we shared on Friday, the PDX Bike Swarm is buzzing again and they’ve got a meeting planned with protest organizers Rose City Justice to see if their services are needed and how they can best support the local Black Lives Matter movement. There will also be a solidarity/training ride that will feed into the march once it has begun. It all starts at 4:00 pm at Rev Hall. More info here.
There’s also a “Pedal for Justice” ride meeting at Irving Park (NE 7th and Fremont) at 5:00 pm. I’m not exactly sure who’s behind it or what the plan is, but word of the ride has spread like wildfire through Portland bike social media. Given the meet-up time, my hunch is the organizer wants to rally folks together and then do a mass ride that will either join the marchers or meet at the end location (which I’m not clear of yet, although they’ve ended at Irving Park the last two nights). More info here.
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Wednesday, June 10th
The Portland chapter of Black Girls Do Bike, a national nonprofit that fosters a “community of women of color who share a passion for cycling” (we interviewed their leader Keyonda McQuarters in 2017) is hosting a ride at 6:30 at Irving Park.
The ride is open to everyone and will be a fun, slow, social ride that will be perfect for beginners. More experienced riders are encouraged to come and offer support to new riders if needed. More info here.
Tuesday, June 16th
Open for whom?
Continue your journey to enlightenment about racism and urban planning with this free live webcast featuring two leading lights on the topic: Tamika Butler and Jason DeGray from urban planning firm Toole Design. Here’s the event blurb:
Crisis precipitates change. The novel Coronavirus has transformed our lived experience in the blink of an eye, generating mass uncertainty and economic upheaval while laying bare the inequities of America’s culture of white supremacy. As we witness the struggle to maintain a sense of self, purpose, and hope, it is paramount to understand that the collective utility of the street has never before played such a crucial role in determining our American destiny.
In this free webinar, Tamika Butler, Esq and Jason DeGray P.E., PTOE of Toole Design will discuss equitable, ethical, and empathetic approaches to “open streets” recovery initiatives.
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Friday, June 19th – Juneteenth
Two Portlanders are co-organizing a Black Liberation Ride to mark the annual Juneteenth Day. Juneteenth is the commemoration of the day in 1865 when news of the Emancipation Proclamation and the freeing of slaves was officially enacted in Texas. Note that this kid-friendly social ride is meant only for Black Portlanders. “Sometimes self-care means holding space with your community. Let’s get together, take up space and celebrate Black solidarity by riding around Portland. Along the way we’ll point out local Black history and end in a park for a socially distant hangout,” says the event description.
If you aren’t Black and still want to support this ride, you can Venmo one of the organizers @Jene-Etheridge to help buy snacks and ride swag (spoke cards!) and anything left over will be donated to the Portland African American Leadership Forum. More info here.
NOTE: Justice Center protests need bike support too
There was a *lot* of kettling last night. If only Portland had a long history of bike activism with people experienced in blocking traffic and clogging streets with cyclists @pedalpalooza @BikePortland @bikeloudpdx
— Cloe (@Obviously_Cloe) June 7, 2020
There’s a growing divide in Portland’s protests: A family-friendly protest on the east side led by Rose City Justice, and the nightly stand-off happening at the Justice Center downtown. And the Portland Police Bureau is driving a wedge between the two specifically to serve their PR needs. We’ve heard that protestors downtown could use more bodies on bikes to distract police, gather intel, ferry supplies, and provide support. It’s a more dangerous assignment, but if you’re interested and up for it, please consider heading downtown with your bike.
If you hear of any other bike rides or events, please send them our way so we can help boost the signal.
See you on the streets!
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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