The Austin Peace Ride puts “eyes and feet on the street” to promote safety and positivity—StreetsBlog Chicago
By Sharon Hoyer
StreetsBlog Chicago
There’s a growing movement in Chicago towards large group bike rides in Black neighborhoods on the South and West sides with the goal of promoting public safety, wellness, and community unity. The Austin Peace Ride, which took place on Saturday morning in gorgeous weather, was a great example of that phenomenon.
About 60 riders gathered at the BUILD campus on the corner of Laramie and Harrison. BUILD, a gang intervention, violence prevention, and youth development organization, and Equiticity, a mobility justice nonprofit, teamed up to host the seven-mile slow roll through the side streets, main roads, and parks on the West Side. Divvy, the city’s bike-share system, provided free loaner bikes for anyone who needed one.
