Ayesha McGowan presents Thee Abundance Summit, a virtual celebration for Black joy in the outdoors
McGowan is a satellite rider for Liv Racing and an advocate for racial representation in cycling.
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Liv Cycling’s Ayesha McGowan is launching a virtual celebration of Black and Brown joy in the outdoors. Thee Abundance Summit was created by and for people of color, yet McGowan says that anyone is welcome to attend.
Ayesha McGowan launches her inaugural Thee Abundance Summit, a virtual celebration, and convening of Black and Brown folks in the outdoors. The event is for, by, and about Black and Brown folks, though everyone is welcome and invited to attend. https://t.co/QHcaM6Tets pic.twitter.com/kqZagXsJrl
— Ayesha Rosena Anna McGowan (Diversity Tsar) 🦊 (@ayesuppose) February 26, 2021
“I think it’s absolutely necessary that I host a celebration of joy,” McGowan said. “All too often we are only invited to share our pain, our struggles, and our sorrows. This is a space where we, as Black and Brown people in the cycling and outdoor communities, can bring our full selves with the sole purpose of having a good time.”
Ayesha McGowan is the first Black professional road cyclist and will join Liv Racing as a satellite rider in 2021. She is a notable advocate for better representation of people of color in cycling.
McGowan will co-host the summit with British cyclist, commentator, and author Jools Walker and bike mechanic and advocate Olivia Williams.
Topics from the summit will include:
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A keynote from Courtney Williams of The Brown Bike Girl and the NYC Bike Mayor
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Workshops including: Storytelling on Instagram with Rachel Olzer, Basic Photography with Eric Arce, How to Purchase a Bike with Laura Solís, and Creating Zines with Christina Torres
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Panels with insights from youth cyclists and long-time adventurers in the outdoors, including U.S. Olympic silver medalist Nelson Vails
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A group ride on Zwift led by The Black Foxes
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Tea Time with Ayesha McGowan featuring special guests
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A Live DJ Dance Party with DJ Black Daria
The Abundance Summit is supported by Zwift, Liv Cycling, SRAM, and Backcountry.com. The event is free and will be streamed on YouTube on Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27. There will be an opportunity for voluntary donations to a mini-grant program McGowan is developing to help provide a pathway to inspiration, experience, and upgrade points for Black and Brown women who are amateur or beginner road racers.
All panels and workshops will be accessible to the hearing impaired. For more information, visit www.aquickbrownfox.com.