Cycle Sisters
The concept of Cycle Sisters was created by Kristel Porter a native North Minneapolis resident who used biking as a mode of transportation while raising her children alone in poverty. An environmentalist and community activist at heart, Porter found a way to fund the Cycle Sisters through a grant from Our Streets Mpls. She wanted to show other BIPOC women that biking as a mode of transportation didn’t have to be something to be ashamed of, but instead, it could be stylish and cool. She also selfishly wanted a group of female friends that she could relate to, share all the beautiful back road sights and trails that North Minneapolis had to offer while showing them the value of supporting the few small, local, and minority-owned businesses in the community.
At first Cycle Sisters started as a small group of 10 applicants who had requirements. The bi-weekly rides would be slower-paced, introductory rides that would provide water, snacks, and cold towels. If they joined every group ride by the end of the Summer, they would receive a Bianchi Milano (provided by Grand Performance in St. Paul, MN), a helmet, and lights. By year two, Cycle Sisters owned a fleet of used bikes for ladies who did not own a bike that wanted to join the rides. Mothers got child carriers, all participants received racks or baskets for cargo, lights, helmets, water bottles, and water bottle holders. Cycle Sisters also partnered with Free Bikes for Kids in order to equip the ladies with bikes, helmets, and lights for their kiddos. Everything they needed to transport themselves and their dependents to wherever they needed to go!
The first 10 ladies that arrived at a group ride always received a gift card to the local business we were supporting that day. Ladies were instructed to tag the business on their Instagram and/or Facebook along with a picture. The businesses were very grateful for our support and many times brought them to tears. North Minneapolis has very few businesses to enjoy and most of them are very scattered across the northside. Because of this, a business could be present for years, yet a neighbor one block away might not even know that the business is there. This is caused by so many years of inaccessibility that the community sticks to their route; to work and back, to cash their check and shop outside of Minneapolis, etc.
Cycle Sisters would coordinate their final ride of the summer with other biking groups like Slow Roll and Las Bici Chicas, which would end at an outdoor stage. Local, up-and-coming performing artists would perform on stage, a DJ from the neighborhood, a couple of small food vendors like; Rollin’ Nolans BBQ and Quiet Cat Bakery would all be extended the opportunity to come.
All performers and Ride Marshalls were people of color and were given stipends for every single ride. In fact, our three Ride Marshalls are all Black and Indigenous women who are either bicycle or motorcycle mechanics.
The most beautiful outcome was the deep and long-lasting friendships Cycle Sisters created between women in the community and the sense of pride they had when they got on their bikes to run to the store. 2020 has been a difficult year due to COVID-19 and civil unrest. We have been limiting our rides to under 15 riders, staying safe distances from each other, providing a handwashing station with hand sanitizer, and wearing a mask whenever essential. We lost a lot of the businesses that we did have, yet we found creative ways to support the community. One ride in June, during the time curfews, were imposed on Minneapolis, we coordinated a ride to a gentleman’s house in the Willard Hay neighborhood. He had tables and chairs set up outside and catered all the riders with burgers, corn on the cob, watermelon, and wine. This gentleman lost his job as a chef in an upscale restaurant due to the pandemic. Since that was such a success, we thought of other ways we could provide rides that addressed a very basic need for a unique neighborhood like ours; low AMI, limited access to transportation, very high unemployment rate, during a pandemic, and after an alarming amount of civil unrest. So we hosted a clothing swap bike ride. Each lady brought a bike and a bag of women’s and children’s clothes, accessories, and toiletries. We found volunteers to organize the clothes like a boutique and when we all returned from our ride, we were able to go shopping. To make things even more amazing; we identified another community member who catered Jamaican cuisine. So the ladies were able to support another chef who lost their income due to the pandemic. Once again, we were thanked with tears.