Community Leader Green Fondo 2024
“Participating in the Green Fondo weekend as a Community Leader Awardee is deeply meaningful to me because I believe in the healing power of movement. Movement is medicine. I’ve experienced profound solace, connection, and healing in outdoor activities and, more recently, in cycling with friends and community in affinity groups.”
Photo credit: Emily Bei Cheng.
“Despite limited exposure and resources for cycling in my upbringing and considering myself a ‘late bloomer’ in outdoor recreation, I’ve eagerly embraced challenges like 100-mile weekend rides and transformative bike-packing trips with organizations such as the California Field School and Trail Mixed Collective.
I draw parallels between my cycling journey and my community work in breaking down barriers within climbing through ‘@EscalemosOrg,’ a grassroots collective focused on rock climbing inclusivity and representation. As a first-generation immigrant and a Disabled, petite woman of color, I’m committed to showcasing that we not only belong in the outdoors but can also assume leadership roles, challenging norms and paving the way for others.
Participating in the Green Fondo weekend as a Community Leader Awardee is deeply meaningful to me because I believe in the healing power of movement. Movement is medicine. I’ve experienced profound solace, connection, and healing in outdoor activities and, more recently, in cycling with friends and community in affinity groups.
I hope that my participation serves as a reminder that regardless of background, everyone can find belonging and thrive in the cycling community.”
Karen Mia Rodriguez-Ponciano