BikeWalkKC partners with UMKC Women’s Center to host a biking workshop

By Rachel Krause, Communications Coordinator

My bicycle helped me become a college graduate.

When I was a student, riding a bike was my main release in between the countless exams, readings and lectures. Even when I was dealing with being homesick or feeling overwhelmed, I could always hop on my bike.

Rachel and Maggie at the KC Women's Bike Summit 2014.

BikeWalkKC is reaching out to women at the University of Missouri-Kansas City with a women’s workshop as part of the Women Bike KC initiative, and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s my hope that by reaching out to UMKC students, we can empower young women to become active and healthier-both mentally and physically.

We launched the Women Bike KC initiative in May with the first KC Women’s Bike Summit at the Kauffman Foundation, and we were joined by more than 150 women to talk about what we can do to close the gender gap in bicycling here in Kansas City. In between all the workshops, panel discussions, and hands-on sessions, we asked each of the women why women aren’t biking.

We found the biggest concerns on the minds of local female individuals is a lack of confidence and a lack of a network. With that in mind, we’ve been busy planning the Women Bike KC initiative to address both issues. We’re partnering with the UMKC Women’s Center and Swinney Recreation Center, to host our first women’s class since the women’s summit, this time focusing on reaching female students, faculty, and staff at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Join us on September 25 at 4 p.m. at the Swinney Recreation Center. During the workshop, we will be talking about why women don’t bike, how we can break down these barriers, and provide resources UMKC offers for bicyclists. Afterward, we will lead an optional casual bike ride for those that are interested.

The class is open to the public, and donations are encouraged. Hope to see you there!

Register Online Here!

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