New ‘Black Girls Do Bike’ chapter growing quickly
Founder inspired to share love of cycling with others in region
Editor’s note: During Black History Month, the Times Union is sharing stories from its archive highlighting significant people, places and events that are part of the Capital Region’s Black cultural heritage. This story was first published Aug. 9, 2020.
Troy day care center owner Allison Joseph bought a bright flamingo-pink 21-speed bike when she decided to return to the pastime she loved growing up in Guyana.
Cycling offered her a fun way to decompress after work. But Joseph seldom saw other Black bicyclists on Capital Region trails and roads.
“I remember thinking: there is no way I am the only woman of color that enjoys riding,” Joseph recalled.
She researched biking groups for Black women and came across the nationwide Black Girls Do Bike. She founded the Capital Region chapter in February 2018. It now has 85 mem
bers and Joseph is delighted by the growth. But this summer, she’s hoping teenage girls will also give her group a try, particularly if they’re navigating the busy streets in North Central Troy and Albany’s South End.
The pandemic, which is giving people unexpected free time, may also be a prompt for some girls to seek out Black Girls Do Bike.
Many city churches and mosques canceled summer youth activities and closed overnight camps where teenagers work as counselors. Joseph will eventually have more
in-person rides (masks will be worn) on trails that are more restful than a downtown street. She organized an Aug. 16 Zoom social plus virtual rides for the group’s members to share photos, video and notes of their solo journeys.