This bike-focused series seeks to examine how modern-day power structures, and the standards built within them, influence the personal agency of all kinds of cyclists in a changing world. The last three years have been incredible in so many ways: they tanked economies, collapsed supply chains, upended governments and educational structures, and brought social justice and systemic racism to the forefront of our cultural conscience. All of this has us examining the structures and systems that ushered in this unique moment in our collective history.
Across six episodes, we will investigate those structures both through the story of one woman’s experiences as an activist as well as a journalistic dive into their foundations. We use cycling as a lens to focus these stories around a common theme and provide listeners with a new way of viewing themselves as recreationists within a larger cultural landscape; full of systems that define our lives and have been revealed as fragile or inequitable throughout the tumult of the last several years.
For show notes, visit frictionshift.org (https://www.frictionshift.org/).
Tamika Butler joins us to continue our discussion about urban planning and the importance of meeting communities where they are before breaking ground. Silvia Ascarelli tells us the story of teaching her neighbor, Shahreen Raman, and her two young daughters how to ride bikes for the first time, and take back their independence from the confines of COVID lockdown. Featured in this episode: Tamika Butler, Silvia Ascarelli, Shahreen Raman and her two daughters Zoriah and Zebba For...
5 Jan 2024
Episode 5: Best Laid Plans
Episode five begins a two-part exploration of how cycling and pedestrian infrastructure impact our autonomy and agency as cyclists. In this episode, we hear from two people intimately familiar with the greater Washington DC metro area, and a project in Anacostia county that could serve as a blueprint for equitable infrastructure plans across the country. Featured in this episode: Lena Tibebe, Vaughn Perry, and Jonathan StaffordFor show notes, visit frictionshift.org.
5 Jan 2024
Episode 4: Escape From COVID
For our fourth episode, we’re tackling COVID. We hear from three folks who tried to find themselves a new bike during the great bike buy-up of 2020. Todd Cravens of QBP talks to us about the collapse in the bike part supply chain, and a bike shop manager details how both of these changes – a heavy increase in demand coupled with a collapse in supply – impacted the shop’s ability to serve its community. Featured in this episode: Lena Tibebe, Alex Strickland, Cat Weichmann, Brian Bonh...
5 Jan 2024
Episode 2: A Run-In With the Law
Our second episode is all about bike and pedestrian law, who it’s meant to protect, and whether or not it’s out there doing its job. A close look at modern-day mobility issues segues into the story of how New York City eventually came to legalize the e-bike after years of inequitable enforcement practices. Featured in this episode: Lena Tibebe, Charles T. Brown, Julianne Cuba, Adam White, and Dr. Do Jun LeeFor show notes, visit frictionshift.org.
5 Jan 2024
Episode 1: Authority Figures
In our first episode, we’ll explore what we recognize in 2023 as the industry standards for recreating: where did they come from, who are they meant to serve, why we trust them (or don’t trust them), when they rose to prominence, and what promises they make to the recreational community. Who’s really in charge here, and why? Featured in this episode: Lena Tibebe, Dr. Carolyn Finney, Dr. Rachel Gross, and Devin Cowens For show notes, visit frictionshift.org.
5 Jan 2024
Episode 3: Pedaling to Protest
For this episode, we wanted to focus on the bike as a tool for advocacy and social change. Lena Tibebe, who you’ve been hearing at the top of each episode, is the founder and orchestrator of Ride to DC, an annual protest ride centered on the protection and celebration of black lives. You’ll hear captured audio and in-person interviews from the 2021 event, as well as the event’s origin story from Lena herself. Featured in this episode: Lena Tibebe, Ella Whickham, Alex Wesser, and Rid...
14 Nov 2023
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