So, last week we began to have a great discussion around the idea of drafting a basis ouf unity for Women and Transfolk bike nights. We had some bike love and fixin' before we began our conversation, so we all were filled with bike love
Hi! We’re the Hamilton Womyn’s Bike Collective…
The Hamilton Womyn’s Bike Collective is an ambitious, dynamic and powerful new not-for-profit project devoted to actively engaging and transforming our Hamilton community. We focus on skill-sharing rather than merely “skill-showing”. Growing from a place of having closely aligned with Hamilton Freeskool, Hamilton Womyn’s Bike Collective also creates a space for the Hamilton community to experience social justice and environmental responsibility, both in action, and through dialogue. The Womyn’s Bike Collective is made up by a group of women-identified people who work to nourish anti-oppressive and feminist values within the community. By creating a space in which community members can work toward a common goal – participating in and maintaining sustainable, accessible transportation – The Hamilton Womyn’s Bike Collective creatively opens up an inspiring opportunity for politically-informed growth and transformation.All of our events, spaces and workshops are Women/Trans*/Femme (WTF) - friendly!
See? Amazing!
And so. We engaged in our initial conversation, and it was an amazing coming together of ideas, and opinions, and feelings. We decided to have one more night for visioning, set for next Tuesday to continue dialogue and further edit the basis of unity. But - we came up with some pretty crucial points that are important to all of us! And so, without further ado, here are some of the main points we came up with that are important to us for Women + Transfolk Bike nights!
- For any women-identified individuals of all ages, races, shapes, backgrounds, ideologies
- We aim to be an all inclusive group
- A safer, non-judgemental space
- Empowered, empowering
- A comfortable space to learn from each other and teach each other bike skills
- A space/platform/catalyst to make a better community and share all kinds of life knowledge
- Our bike space represents so much more to us than just the bikes themselves. It is a place to talk about life where we all feel comfortable.
- Environmentally minded/aware
- Proudly connected with Recycle Cycles
We are all really excited to have started this process - and excited to have more voices contribute!
Join us next week, Tuesday November 1st to continue engaging in this amazing dialogue, and to help create a draft of our basis of unity!
Also, remember that this coming Friday is Halloween Critical Mass!
(For those you who may not know, Critical Mass is a wonderful bike ride that takes place in communities all over the world, usually the last Friday of the month, to encourage the beauty and love of cycling and to help give motorists a much needed reminded of the equal rights of cyclists on our city streets. In KW, Critical Mass meets up at the bandstand in Waterloo Park on the last Friday of the month at 5:00 pm and then collectively ride through the streets in solidarity and bike friendship, ending up at Victoria Park for an empowering, end of ride bike lift (for those who can!) and general good bike cheer.) See you there - wear a costume!
