Ride graphic from Warpaint Mag on Instagram.
A ride in Portland on Saturday will be a show of support for Palestinians and their ongoing struggle against Israel. The Gaza Sunbirds Solidarity Ride will coincide with dozens of similar rides across America and the globe. The rides are being coordinated by Native Women Ride: Indigenous Cycling Collective and were inspired by Gaza Sunbirds, a team of para-cyclists based in the Gaza Strip who are raising money for war victims.
The local organizer of the ride is Ruandy Albisurez of Warpaint Mag, a Portlander we profiled in February last year.
Albisurez says the idea behind the ride is to, “Bring people together in a peaceful manner in solidarity with the Gaza Sunbirds and the Palestinian people, as we continue to advocate for a permanent ceasefire, and an end to the occupation.” The ride will also aim to raise funds for three Palestinians living in Portland who are helping families flee Gaza.
Saturday’s ride is billed as an easy, family friendly event open to everyone. The route will leave from Irving Park in northeast Portland and take participants on a 5-6 mile loop. The ride meets up at the south end of Irving Park at 1:00 pm and rolls out at 1:40 pm. Expect about an hour ride at a family pace where no one gets dropped. For more information, see Warpaint’s post on Instagram or the Shift Calendar listing.
