Community members celebrated the achievements of a group of newcomers and BIPOC women leaders who have broken through the barriers that limited their inclusion and mobility by riding with them across the beautiful Riverfront trail to the Ambassador Bridge. The ride was organized and led by Bike Windsor Essex trainers who played a vital role in teaching young women to cycle safely. The ride played host to the eighteen young women cyclists, the staff, and mentors of co-program partner Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor, Inc. (WEST) women, girls, and candidates for the upcoming municipal election.
Young Women in Motion spent the summer months learning how to cycle, how to repair a bike, and cycling safety knowledge and received virtual mentorship sessions with leading women cycling researchers, social media, branding, and media training experts. Bike Windsor Essex trainers and WEST leaders congratulated the young women on achieving all the program outcomes and rewarded each young woman with a refurbished bike, helmet, and lock for their efforts.
Many of the participants in the program did not have the opportunity to learn to bike in their home countries and were especially grateful for the opportunities the program provided to them.
Participant Ishita Bhatia moved to Canada from India to pursue her second master’s degree. She could not afford a car and was limited to using public transportation or walking to get to the university. “Being new in Canada, Young Women in Motion made me feel like I am a part of the community,” explained Bhatia. “We explored so many new places nearby on the bike while learning and I also brushed up on my interpersonal skills by promoting the program. This program helped me explore myself and made me a better person who is not scared of trying new things. I would like to thank Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor ( WEST ), Bike Windsor Essex and Kia Communities in Motion for giving me this opportunity. I want to encourage all women to have confidence in themselves and know that they can accomplish anything.”
Young Women in Motion- Breaking Barriers with Bikes was one of 9 projects selected from across Canada to be funded as part of Kia Communities in Motion, in partnership with Community Foundations Canada and the WindsorEssex Community Foundation. Kia Canada is investing $1.4M over four years to fund projects in communities that will help build inclusivity and move grassroots efforts to create a future where everyone flourishes.
Five participants from the program will be featured in photo essays on social media this September by renowned photographer Justin Wu as part of KIA’s Communities in Motion program designed to raise awareness of their efforts to recognize many communities, including immigrants, Indigenous communities, racialized communities, individuals living with disabilities and the 2SLGBTQ+ community face unique challenges in creating safe and inclusive spaces.
“Windsor’s Young Women in Motion: Breaking Barriers with Bikes project is an incredible example of the empowering work being done at the local level, showcasing how nonprofit organizations are moving communities forward through innovative programming which is what Kia Communities in Motion is all about,” says Elias El-Achab, Vice President and Chief Operating Office of Kia Canada. “The achievements of these young women are the embodiment of our company’s belief that through movement one can find inspiration.”
Earlier in August, Young Women in Motion Program invited local candidates for municipal election to a presentation and discussion on how to improve the bikefriendliness of Windsor for women where they announced seven recommendations calling for the city’s future leaders to widen existing bike lanes, add warning lights for cyclists on bike lanes that end suddenly, have one day a month for roads to be for cyclists only, create barriers separating walkers from cyclists riding on riverfront paths, creating no-car pathways for students travelling to the University of Windsor, create a safe pathway with barriers from Wyandotte to Devonshire Mall to enable women to shop by bike and increasing bike parking at the Devonshire Mall.
“This initiative has made active transportation accessible for these newcomer women through months of education, and the provision of bicycles, helmets, and locks,” said Lori Newton, Executive Director of Bike Windsor Essex. “They are now prepared to add their voices to the plea for safe streets and for Vision Zero in the City of Windsor.”
“We are so proud of our team at WEST who spent the summer going above and beyond to mentor and support the women, along with our virtual experts, and the training and leadership of Bike Windsor Essex,” said Rose Anguiano Hurst, Executive Director of Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor, Inc (WEST).
“Through our Vital Signs survey, the WECF has heard the need from within our community for improving access to bike paths and health and physical activity programs and services,” says Lisa Kolody, Executive Director of the WindsorEssex Community Foundation. “We’ve also heard that a top priority across our population is increasing opportunities to feel included and connected. Projects like this one rise up to meet these needs. Young Women in Motion – Breaking Barriers with Bikes is strengthening our community by providing practical solutions, inspiring leadership and creating a sense of belonging for program participants.”
Photos provided by WEST