Let's talk about Race. With Janine Ngaio.

Girls on wheels

Today’s podcast is a very special episode with the most beautiful, courageous, heavenly human Janine.

Janine trusted me to listen to her experiences about being a black woman and what life is like for her and the everyday racism she experiences and the impact this has on her. We also speak about the barriers that exist for black people and other persons of colour to join a sport they are not represented in.

Janine and I were chatting after a recent bike event we both went to where she admitted that despite being surrounded by women, she walked away with a sense of feeling alone as she was the only black woman there and asked herself why?

We hope that by having these conversations, regardless of how difficult people may find them, will create a catalyst for change and encourage people to begin to take the small steps that will make a huge difference.

If there is anyone who would also like to share their experiences about being a person of colour in mountain biking please get in touch. Janine and I plan to continue these episodes and would love to get different perspectives. Please get in touch with either of us via DM's.

The Guest:

Having always had a deep love of bikes which stemmed from BMX and now MTB, Janine lives in North Devon with her husband, two daughters, a dog and a cat.

She jumped back into her passion of riding bikes wholeheartedly in the summer of 2021 and has been frequenting bike parks and trail centres as much as possible since then. She is happy to attack all kinds of trails but her heart lies with air time on flow and jump lines. With wishing she had more confidence when younger to do more within the BMX scene that she grew up immersed in, she has found now that fear has left the building and demonstrates a serious ‘it’s now or never’ attitude to her riding.

In being one of the few ‘socially visible’ women of colour riding MTB it is her aim to inspire and show members of minority groups what could be possible and is actively looking for ways to make trail and park riding more accessible to these communities. She is taking part in the Girls On Wheels podcasts to help raise awareness and open the conversation up further to the barriers people of colour and women face in entering the sport.

She is on the committee of a brand new bike park currently being built in North Devon and is enjoying spending time with the team in going through all the necessary motions of making it happen from taking on the licence with others for the use of private woodland for the park to council engagement, planning, membership recruitment, secretarial duties and trail building.

Janine believes that the best results in any pursuit are achieved when they are truly driven by the heart and soul and this is the exact place that she lives from with all things MTB related.

Follow Janine : Janine 's Facebook page , @janine_ngaio on Instagram

Take away's from the episode:

• Be Anti-Racist. Be an ally. Support those who are doing amazing work in this area. Diversify what you consume.

• Action over inaction. Take the time to educate yourself on this subject. There is a link to an account with a highlight reel called BLM containing accounts to follow on social media below; they provide information, education and further reading on being Anti-Racist, white privilege, racism.

• Don’t assume the reaction of a victim of racism is a true representation of how they feel. Be an ally to that person and step forward and challenge those involved.

• You can not be what you can not see.

• Equality is the first step. Equity goes further and is what is needed.

Useful Links:

Article on Equity and Equality - https://www.internationalwomensday.com/EquityEquality

https://www.instagram.com/iamlaurenmahon/ - Click on her highlight 'BLM' for so many good resources and accounts to follow. This was where I started so I am sharing it. Check out the guide to white privilege on the highlight too.

Other accounts to look up on instagram : Rachel Cargle, Gina Martin, Stand for humanity.

About Race Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/about-race-with-reni-eddo-lodge/id1353151856?fbclid=PAAaae9BDyOaLPBfva4NGN7MRhOw6gX4U4z4mpZJZiYYzf5WwQXluxWZ0IH6c

Recommended books:

Why I am no longer talking to white people about race: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Longer-Talking-White-People-About/dp/1408870584

The Mixed Race Experience by Naomi and Natalie Evans: https://amzn.eu/d/cxvOjNX This is a wonderful book from a mixed race British viewpoint.

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If you want to get out on your bike and need some riding buddies then check out some local mountain bike groups. They create opportunities for connection, a sense of belonging and friendships.

MTB Chix and Trails are really active on facebook https://m.facebook.com/groups/370678596444806/

Trail birds, a midlands based group with members all over https://en-gb.facebook.com/groups/trailbirds/about/.

Cycle sistas are based in Essex https://www.instagram.com/the_cycle_sistas/?hl=en

Girls Alive are a community aimed at getting women outdoors and hold regular mtb rides in Surrey- https://www.facebook.com/girlsaliveuk/?locale=en_GB

Get following GOW podcast at https://www.instagram.com/girlsonwheelspodcast/ or https://www.facebook.com/girlsonwheelspodcast/ and Shawnee https://www.instagram.com/_shredlikeagirl/ for news on group rides and social events.

The Pod:

Don’t forget to head on over to the GOW website https://www.girlsonwheelspodcast.co.uk/ and subscribe to the newsletter, you’ll be updated on upcoming guests and episodes and get a chance to get involved, either by suggesting topics, guests, coming on to share your story, or joining the panel for random episodes.

If you liked what you heard please rate the pod and leave me a review on podchaser https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/girls-on-wheels-4953647 and the app you listen on. It will help the show to grow and make me do a happy dance.

Don’t forget to hit subscribe on your favourite podcast app too so you don’t miss the next episode.

Huge thanks to the pods number one supporter Shawnee at Shred Like a Girl. Go check out her awesome womens mtb clothing and join the community https://shredgirl.com/

Girls on wheels coming at yaaaaaaaaaa.

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