A conversation on DEI with local teams

Since the Fall of 2017, SVBC has been working to make its commitment to cultural humility and social justice central to the organization and its work. It is a big challenge and a huge learning curve overcoming a long legacy of inequities in the bike movement, and in biking. We are still learning and invite you to learn along with us and let us know if we mess up. To share this journey, learn new perspectives, and start conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) with members, SVBC’s last Biketevist forum focused on the organization’s DEI work. 

Sep 15 Biketivist Forum: Diversity-Equity-Inclusion

What SVBC is doing to advance, and to underscore that this work is core.

The forum began with how DEI relates to bike advocacy. SVBC’s goal is to have 10% of trips by bike by 2025. And currently the rate is 1.5% on average across both counties (US Census). Clearly, we’re far off from the goal. Why is that?

SVBC did a public opinion poll at the beginning of the pandemic which provided some statistics – 70% more men ride than women and only 29% of people of Latino/a origin own a bike. So, can SVBC really achieve its goal if the vast majority of the folks attracted to biking are of a certain demographic? Also, is SVBC doing a good job getting the right folks around this table, and educating ourselves well enough about the needs of all different types of people so that SVBC can achieve its goals? 

The forum covered three primary pieces – 

• The history of SVBC’s DEI journey

• Why diversity, equity, and inclusion are important to get more people riding bikes for more trips

• SVBC’s DEI plan and structures/systems to ensure SVBC is moving forward

Shiloh Ballard, SVBC’s Executive Director highlighted specific examples of how DEI can show up in the bike movement starting with the familiar refrain, “take the lane.” This is a common directive in getting folks comfortable riding a bike on streets. However, we know from the same public opinion research referenced above that women are far more afraid of riding on streets, so taking a lane may be more daunting to the ladies. Women in the forum also chimed in that because ladies are socialized to put others before them, taking a lane and then inconveniencing others (drivers) is uncomfortable. This all begs the question that if the people who are advocating for bike infrastructure aren’t familiar with other perspectives, if the composition of local teams is not reflective of the Valley, we end up with the above referenced statistic that 70% more men ride than women.  

The forum further discussed some of the DEI Plan goals relevant to local teams. The good news is the organization met its goal of establishing ten teams by the end of 2021. However, the composition of the teams is the next frontier. Now that the teams have been set up, the organization is working to make sure the teams are representative of the Valley. Goals from the Plan that relate to the local teams include:

• Build a culturally humble community of members and volunteers who reflect diverse communities and strengthen our community accountability.

• Work in solidarity with systematically excluded communities (SECs) and social justice organizations to build community power around bike advocacy and other shared interests

With that in mind, the group broke into small zoom rooms to revisit the current local team work through a DEI lens. The individual rooms had great discussions, lots of reflections and thinking, followed by some wonderful ideas to make the teams more diverse and representative of perspectives of the Valley. While SVBC may not always get it right and is constantly learning, the organization tries to pedal into a community with ears and eyes open as opposed to arriving with fully baked solutions.

You can find the presentation here and the recording here.

Let us know if you have any thoughts/ideas/suggestions. Thank you!