According to reports from Transport of London, 73% of cycling journeys in 2018 and 2019 were made by men, 85% of whom were white. Clearly, women of colour are vastly underrepresented.
The charity started back in 2018 with a simple meeting at Look Mum No Hands!, a cycling café in London. Since then, WCCC has grown into a hub for women of colour and non-binary people involved in cycling across the UK.
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Since the start of the pandemic, the charity has shifted their meetings online and their numbers rose steadily throughout 2020. WCCC has now appointed a diverse board of trustees including regular cyclists Sidrah Shafag, Sara Nanayakkara and former BBC journalist Victoria Hazael, who now works for the charity Cycling UK.
The chair of WCCC, Jenni Gwiazdowski, said: “Our mission is to inspire, empower, and motivate women of colour to cycle – whether you’re new to riding a bike, or you’re a seasoned veteran, we welcome women and non-binary folks to join us.”
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“Our collective addresses the loneliness and isolation of being a minority by creating a safe space for people to be seen, support each other and grow,” Gwiazdowski added. “We are challenging the stereotype of what a cyclist looks like. We’re here to celebrate the joy that cycling brings us.”
Visit the group’s website, Facebook, or Instagram to find out more. And remember to share the road and stay on the safe side!
