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    Empowering Women, Embracing Diversity, and Riding for Change

    Photo Courtesy of AIDS/LIFECYCLE

    By Evan Payne, Kasha Horton, and Gonzalo Garcia–

    Teammates help make the AIDS/LifeCycle experience smooth as (chamois) butter! Being part of a team gives you access to training and fundraising support, keeping you strong, inspired, and creative as you earn your ticket to ride over the course of the season! And for a first-time participant, a team is a great way to get involved with the AIDS/LifeCycle community.

    Let’s get to know two of our teams that bring a deeper sense of community to our women, queer, nonbinary, and trans cyclists and roadies throughout the year.

    Since AIDS/LifeCycle 2019, Team Rider Dykes has created a safe space for women, queer, nonbinary, and trans folks in the cycling community. Getting into cycling can be intimidating, especially when there is an apparent gender gap within the community. Their goal is to uplift and encourage folks of marginalized communities to get involved with cycling and AIDS/LifeCycle, while also raising awareness about the women and girls that are living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.

    Team PuMadres emerged in 2022 during the pandemic as a group of moms whose families formed a close-knit pandemic pod. Chelly Espinoza Zabarsky, Angela MacKinnon, Melissa Hawkins, Victoria Folks, and Jennifer Koscielniak, though not all mothers, share a common thread of kindness, nurturing, and fierce protectiveness. As a diverse group of queer folx and allies, they believe in supporting queer causes and amplifying voices that face threats. They create safe spaces, promote visibility, and uplift women, trans people, and the LGBTQ community at large.

    PuMadres aims to be a judgment-free space for women of all ages and backgrounds, inspiring perseverance and strength in those who feel excluded. They make an impact beyond themselves, as they aim to contribute to causes that matter. https://www.aidslifecycle.org/

    Evan Payne, Kasha Horton, and Gonzalo Garcia are with AIDS/LifeCycle, which is co-produced by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

    Meet the AIDS/LifeCycle Community
    Published on November 16, 2023