Diversity and Representation with Pro Cyclist Ayesha McGowan
Episode description
Ayesha McGowan is the first African American female Professional Cyclist, riding for Liv Cycling. She's on a mission to advocate for representation and is an inspiration for the next generation of African American female cyclists. Her bicycle has been a tool to not only help her accomplish her dreams, but as a vehicle for storytelling and social change. Ayesha noticed that our sport of competitive cycling was being represented in the media by white men and she took action. Her tagline is "Representation Matters." Her voice and mission have created diversity across brands, media, teams, and organizations. She's been on the cover of Outside Magazine, partnered with Nike's Dream Bigger video series, and has spoken on stages, podcasts, and articles on why it's important to have representation in sport, in the media, and in the industry.
Recently, Ayesha was named to the Top 50 most influential people in cycling by CyclingNews for being an advocate for women of color in the bike industry.
Check out her most recent blog posts:
“In the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Topics Discussed in the Podcast- how Ayesha found bike racing and mentors
- journey into road racing/how road racing works
- women's racing inspiration
- representation vs tokenism
- equality vs equity
- why you shouldn't say "I don't see color" & implicit biases
- sea otter comments
- brand support
- Do Better Together
Resources
- Ayesha McGowan's Website: A Quick Brown Fox
- Join the Challenge: DoBetterRide.com
- Half the Road documentary
- Sea Otter Article she wrote
- Follow Ayesha on Instagram
- Her Nike Project: Dream Crazier
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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.