Rep. Ayanna Pressley Makes Surprise Appearance at Boston’s ‘Ride for Black Lives’

On Sunday, hundreds of riders gathered in Franklin Park for the summer's third Ride for Black Lives in Boston, which featured an appearance by Rep. Ayanna Pressley, co-chair of the Congressional Bike Caucus and a co-founder of Washington's Future of Transportation Caucus.

Before the ride started, Pressley told the crowd that "you are writing the next chapter in our country's civil rights movement right now."

"Black lives matter and another world is possible. We are in the midst of a national reckoning for racial injustice," Pressley continued. "We can build that better world: one where there is justice and accountability. One where communities are healthier and safer without a punitive carceral state. One where we choose people over profit and joy over fear and trauma."

Pressley later tweeted photos of the July 2020 edition of Bicycling magazine, which was guest-edited by Tamika Butler and features stories about how systemic racism affects Black bicyclists.

This month's ride traveled through Hyde Park to Mattapan, Dorchester and Roxbury he ride headed south on Hyde Park Ave. to check out the new protected bike lanes on Cummins Highway in Mattapan, then headed back north through Dorchester and Roxbury to end near the new "Black Lives Matter" street mural in Nubian Square.

Organizers describe the rides as protests "in solidarity with the fight against systems and acts of oppression, police brutality against, criminal injustice system against, and murder of Black people, including and especially those who are LGBTQ+', disabled, poor, and under control of the criminal justice system."

According to organizers, another ride will be scheduled soon for later in September. Follow @R4BLBOS on Twitter to get the details.