The Black Foxes Present: Industry Talks - the making of a gravel race

With the support of Hammerhead, Liv Cycling, and Giant Bikes, I (Alexa) had the opportunity to chat with a few industry leaders from Lincoln, Nebraska, about making a more inclusive and equitable gravel cycling event with Grounded Nebraska. For this episode of Industry Talks, I captured that very discussion while riding bikes on the rolling gravel roads outside of “Roca”

-on Stolen land of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Pâri (Pawnee), and Jiwere-

before the inaugural event took place.

In this video. The Black Foxes (Alexa) are in conversation with:

Susan Cronin (she/her/hers) | Co-Event Organizer, Grounded NE

Cait Dumas-Hein (she/her) | Co-Event Organizer/Marketing, Grounded NE

Derick Gaspard (he/him/his) | Vegan Chef & Restauranteur, Gravel Cyclist, Father & Activist, Juju’s Vegan

Since this discussion, the event has taken place and with great success! All of the effort to make space for every kind of rider did not go unnoticed. I heard rave reviews from participants feeling more comfortable and more able to find like-minded—and like-paced—people than at any other gravel event. By having an FTWNB led shake-out ride, a queer welcome party, and gender expansive and non binary race category, they set clear intentions of who belongs in this space.

Photo by Alexa Everson (@rockcognoscente)

Through the entire weekend, I never felt that tension of unbelonging.. of feeling like I have to code-switch to fit in.. of feeling like I have to completely wreck myself to try to be as fast as others. Rather, I felt empowered, uplifted, and supported. After weeks of being on the road and working intently to support Thee Abundance Project, I was feeling the exhaustion and my body was not spry to my 60-mile ride on these rolling gravel roads. Although, I was tired for good reason so I figured I would just keep it moving and ride the race to train.

However, I was so motivated by everyone’s positive energy to push through and complete the challenge regardless of how slow I would be. I finished because I know how inaccessible this kind of activity is for people like me—for women of color and other similarly oppressed groups. And I really wanted to honor how much work went into making this space for us by returning the energy showing fellow women of color that it’s not impossible.

Highlights of race day at Grounded Nebraska 2022 with Alexa Everson.

I left this race weekend with a full heart. I watched my BIPOC, queer and nonbinary friends smile so big across the finish line. I watched the kids shred their Strider bikes in the same gravel with so much joy. I learned about the local community and how cycling is so intricately woven into all of our lives whether you’re in marketing, medicine, academia, hospitality, culinary arts, advocacy, science, sports, photography, social services, whatever! I got to meet so many friends in the middle here from all of our respective homes across the country without the barrier of lodging. The option to camp on-site was not only cost-effective, but it was a great opportunity for strangers to exchange their wisdom and excitement, and ponder how good that packed-dirt double track was amidst a warm, peak summer sunset.

This weekend markedly felt like the beginning—the beginning of a shift in what has already been a nebulous sport without much regulation or universal structure aside from the hypermasculine, white-washed culture that gravel has been established under. It feels like high-time to steer this growing sport in the right directions for ALL people to ALWAYS be able to participate. With other event organizers from Gravel Worlds and Unbound present at Grounded, it gives me hope that these intentions set by the Grounded team will translate to other events. That change cannot come without the input of the marginalized. So if you are an industry leader in the business of events, ask us what we need to succeed. You can’t assume if you haven’t experienced it yourself. And just as Susan says, “You can never start too early.”