By Danielle Parnes, Director of Community Partnerships
With lots of bittersweet feelings, I wanted to let our Bikemore community know that June 19th will be my last day at Bikemore. This fall I will begin my studies at UCLA for a degree in transportation planning.
When I came to Bikemore it was with eagerness and honestly a fair bit of naivety. I had previously been involved with non-profit work that shied away from being “too political” and I was attracted to the idea that the leadership at Bikemore wasn’t afraid of that. Bikemore understood that the policies in place and the elected officials who often have the final say are equally as important, if not more, than providing direct services.
Over the last four years, alongside our staff, board, volunteers, supporters and partners, Cranksgiving grew from 70 to over 200 riders. Our Mobile Bike Shop grew from me and a Zipcar to having a full time program manager. We passed the Complete Streets Bill and endorsed our first Mayoral candidate (who won!). We grew from three staff members to five.
Through both the wins and challenges I’ve seen Bikemore grow. We’ve questioned the idea of what bike advocacy should look like, what equity in transportation means, what authentic community organizing feels like, and who should be leading conversations. And while we’ve just touched the tip of the iceberg in this questioning of the status quo here in Baltimore and in bike advocacy across the country, these are the questions that I will bring forward with me in my future studies and work.
While we can’t rely on many of our typical rituals of transition that require us to be together in person, I’m leaving with so much gratitude. Gratitude to our staff, board, volunteers, donors, supporters and partners who have given me the opportunity to be a part of this growth, challenged me, and trusted me.