Were off to a fantastic start!Thanks to the incredible support of our community, weve already reached 18% of our campaign goal by welcoming 4 new Sustaining Members and inspiring 5 current Sustaining Members to increase their monthly gifts.Our goal is to welcome 20 new Sustaining Members and encourage 30 current members to increase their monthly support by just $5helping build a stronger, more resilient Bike Easy for the years ahead.Sign up to be a Sustaining Member today!Every new member. Every upgraded gift. Every dollar each month helps keep Bike Easy rolling.Thank you to everyone who has already stepped up. If you havent yet, theres still plenty of time to join us and help move us closer to our goal!Learn more about this month long campaign here.Best,Bike Easy Team

A message from Carlos Stich (Board Chair)Bike Easy is the voice for bicycle advocacy in the Greater New Orleans area. For over 20 years, weve pushed for safer streets, better bike infrastructure, and cycling education, powered by a volunteer board, dozens of committed programming volunteers, and a small staff.Right now, that work matters more than ever. Congress is drafting a new transportation bill that could strip funding for bike lanes and safety projects, while federal officials are already scrubbing bike safety guidance from government websites. Here at home, four cyclists have died in e-bike crashes since April, nearly a fifth of all traffic deaths in Orleans Parish this year. Were not backing down but we cant do this alone.Thats why this August, were launching our Sustaining Membership Drive.Bike Easy is powered by just 55 sustaining members. That number has to grow if we want to keep fighting for safer streets for the long haul, and we need your help to get there.So yes, youll hear a lot from us this month. Well be asking our community to become sustaining members. And if youre already part of that group (thank you, truly), youll hear from us too, asking if you can increase your monthly gift.Weve lined up some great incentives to thank you for stepping up, and we cant wait to share them soon. Community members, volunteers, and local businesses have already shown up in a big way to support this drive.Have an idea that could help? Reach out. Well have virtual phone and email banking opportunities throughout the month, plus matching gift opportunities to make your dollars go further.Thank you for all you do.

Were excited to launch Keep Bike Easy Rolling: Bike Easys August Sustaining Membership Campaign.For more than 23 years, Bike Easy has worked to make bicycling easy, safe, and fun for everyone in Greater New Orleans. Together, weve advocated for safer streets, taught thousands of people to ride confidently, distributed bike lights, hosted community rides, and built a stronger bicycling culture across our city.But today, nonprofits everywhere are facing a new reality:Grant funding is becoming more competitive. Government support is increasingly uncertain. While those funding sources will always remain important, they cant be the only thing that keeps Bike Easy moving forward.Thats where our community comes in.A Sustaining Member is someone who gives a small amount each month to ensure Bike Easy has dependable, unrestricted support: not just for one project, but for the everyday work that keeps our organization rolling.Become a Sustaining Member today!Whether were teaching a child to ride for the first time, advocating for safer infrastructure, organizing community events, or responding when opportunities arise, monthly supporters make that work possible. The campaign is designed to grow Bike Easys sustaining membership base and strengthen unrestricted monthly funding during a challenging funding environment.Heres what were working toward this month:Welcome 20 new Sustaining MembersEncourage current Sustaining Members to increase their monthly gift by just $5Build a stronger, more resilient Bike Easy for the years aheadTo celebrate the launch:Thanks to the generosity of Bike Easy Board Member Adam Davies, every new Sustaining Membership and every upgraded monthly gift made during August will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $1,000.As an extra thank you, everyone who starts or upgrades a Sustaining Membership this month can choose a Bike Easy water bottle or a Bike Easy bumper sticker set (To be delivered by our own Board Members!).Throughout August, well be sharing updates on our progress, celebrating new supporters, and highlighting the incredible impact that monthly giving has on our work. Keep an eye on our campaign thermometer as we get closer to our goal!Whether youre already a Sustaining Member, an annual member, a former member, or someone whos simply cheered us on from afar, theres a place for you in this campaign.Because every safer streetEvery Learn to Ride classEvery bike light handed outEvery Bicycle Second Linestarts with a community that believes this work matters.Will you help us Keep Bike Easy RollingBecome a Sustaining Member today!Thank you for believing in a safer, healthier, and more connected Greater New Orleans.With gratitude,

We hope youre having a wonderful summer and finding plenty of opportunities to get out and ride! As temperatures continue to climb, dont forget to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, and keep an eye on our social media channels for upcoming rides, classes, volunteer opportunities, and other ways to get involved.Save the Date: Bicycle Second Line Saturday, November 14Mark your calendars! Bike Easys annual Bicycle Second Line returns on Saturday, November 14.Well once again kick things off and wrap up at The Broadside, where well celebrate another year of bringing New Orleans together through music, community, and bicycling. For more than a decade, this family-friendly event has invited hundreds of riders to experience a pedal-powered version of one of our citys most beloved traditions.Stay tuned for our brass band lineup, route announcement, registration details, and morebut for now, be sure to save the date. We cant wait to celebrate with you!Were also beginning to seek event sponsors and silent auction donations to help make this event possible and keep it free and accessible for the community. If your business or organization is interested in sponsoring the Bicycle Second Line, or if youd like to donate an item, experience, or gift certificate to our silent auction, click here to learn more or simply reply to this email. Wed love to talk with you about how you can help make this years celebration our best yet!Entergy Bike Light Giveaway Campaign is UnderwayLast Saturday, we officially launched our Entergy Bike Light Giveaway Campaign! Over the next 12 months, Bike Easy will distribute 1,000 free sets of bike lights throughout all five City Council districts to help make riding at night safer and more visible.We held our first giveaway at the Marigny Farmers Market, where we distributed 21 sets of lights, and well continue hosting giveaways across the city until all 1,000 sets have found new homes. Keep an eye on our calendar and social media to find the next giveaway near you!#1 light set from 1,000!Erato Street Construction UpdateWeve been working closely with the Sewerage & Water Board and their construction team regarding the ongoing Erato Street project to improve bicycle access through the work zone.Together, weve developed a detour plan designed to make it easier and safer for people biking to navigate the area. If youre traveling through the corridor, please watch for updated signage and refer to the traffic advisory and detour map below for the latest routing information.Connecting New Orleans East Meeting RescheduledThe community meeting for the Connecting New Orleans East project originally scheduled for last week has been rescheduled to Tuesday, July 1.If youre interested in learning more about the project and sharing your feedback, please see the flyer below for updated meeting details.Thank you for continuing to support Bike Easy and helping make bicycling easy, safe, and fun for everyone in Greater New Orleans.

Were very excited to have Christina Whitehouse, the founder of Bike Lane Uprising joining us virtually to share her expertise. Well be hosting a talk with her, myself, and hopefully you at our office at 3530 Toulouse St on Thursday, June 18th from 6-7pm.We first started working with Bike Lane Uprising 3 years ago (almost to the day) and, thanks for contributions from people like you, weve collected a ton of good data. Join us this week at our office to learn more about how this data has helped communities around the country shape their advocacy efforts, and what our next steps here in New Orleans is to see some real change!If youd like to join us, heres some steps to take before the event:RSVP for the event todayIf you havent yet, please install the Bike Lane Uprising app, or sign up through the websiteUpload an obstruction (Im sure you can think of somewhere near you that a bike lane is regularly blocked)Reach out to me with any questions/topics youd like to make sure we cover during the talk

A letter from our Executive Director:This has been a difficult week.Over the course of just a few days, three people lost their lives while navigating New Orleans streets. One person was killed while riding a bicycle near Jackson Avenue and Claiborne. Another person was struck and killed while walking near Tulane Avenue and Norman C. Francis Parkway. Most recently, another person riding a bicycle died near St. Charles Avenue and Robert Street.Each of these tragedies occurred under different circumstances. Investigations are ongoing, and there is still much we do not know. But before we debate causes, assign fault, or search for explanations, there is a simple and painful truth: three people are gone. Three families, groups of friends, coworkers, neighbors, and communities are grieving.Ill be honest: this week broke my heart.As Bike Easys Executive Director, people often expect me to have a clear response when tragedies like these occur. The reality is that moments like this are incredibly difficult. Every fatality brings a wave of emotions: sadness, anger, frustration, fear, and sometimes even doubt. There are times when it feels like no matter how much advocacy, education, or organizing we do, change is not happening fast enough.And yet, these moments are also a reminder of why this work matters.More people than ever are relying on bicycles and walking to get around our city. For some, it is a choice. For others, it is a necessity. Every one of those people deserves to arrive home safely.One of the things Ive been reflecting on this week is how we tell these stories and how we talk about loss.Too often, conversations about traffic fatalities quickly become conversations about blame. Sometimes we rush to determine who was right, who was wrong, what rule was broken, or what decision was made. Those questions matter. But I worry that in our rush to answer them, we sometimes lose sight of the human impact.Every time someone dies on our streets, an entire circle of people is affected. Families. Friends. Coworkers. Neighbors. Entire communities are left carrying grief.Whether we are driving, biking, walking, rolling, or taking transit, there is a person behind every trip. A person behind the wheel. A person behind the handlebars. A person crossing the street. We are all vulnerable in different ways, and we all share responsibility for creating a culture of care on our streets.More than anything, I hope we can give one another grace.Grace for those who are grieving. Grace for those who are angry. Grace for those who are scared. Grace for those trying to make sense of what happened.Despite the heartbreak of this week, I still believe New Orleans is moving in the right direction. I see elected officials, public servants, advocates, and residents who genuinely care about making our streets safer. I believe progress is happening.But progress is not the same as urgency.Three lives lost in a single week is a reminder that safety must remain a priority. We need safer street designs. We need thoughtful enforcement. We need education. We need accountability. And we need to continue building a culture that values every human life, no matter how someone chooses; or needs to travel.As we continue to learn more about these incidents, Bike Easy will remain committed to advocating for safer streets and supporting efforts that make walking and biking safer for everyone.And for those who ride bicycles, I want to say this: dont let fear be the final takeaway from this week. Be cautious. Be alert. Look out for one another. But keep riding. The answer to these tragedies is not fewer people biking or walking. The answer is creating a city where people can do both safely.For now, I hope youll join me in taking a moment to remember those who lost their lives this week and the many people who are mourning them*.Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other.With gratitude,Allene La SpinaExecutive DirectorPS: I have intentionally left out the names of the individuals who died this week. Not because their identities dont matter, but because I want us to remember that these losses are not distant tragedies: they could happen to any of us or to someone we love.

Tomorrow is Election Day, and we want to encourage everyone to make a plan to vote. Polls are open Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thank you as well to everyone who already voted early: we appreciate you showing up and staying engaged in local issues that shape our streets, neighborhoods, and daily lives.Below, were sharing a helpful voter guide from the Committee for a Better New Orleans to help you prepare before heading to the polls.A few Bike Easy updates before you dive in:Our Policy & Design Committee Advisory Group met for the second month in a row, continuing conversations around infrastructure, safety, and accountability across New Orleans. One immediate success: after raising concerns about the broken light at the Lafitte Greenway and Claiborne, we learned the light was repaired on Tuesday. We appreciate the quick response and challenge the City to bring that same urgency to fixing the remaining broken lights along the Greenway. Proper lighting is critical for safety on one of the citys most-used active transportation corridors. To learn more about our Committee click hereWeve also been actively working with the Sewerage & Water Board regarding the sudden closure at Washington Avenue and Norman C. Francis Parkway. The current traffic advisory was distributed after the road closure had already begun and primarily focused on vehicular traffic detours, without meaningful guidance for people biking or walking through the corridor: even though there is an existing bike lane there. We are working with SWBNO and partners to push for an acceptable and safe detour plan. Stay tuned for updates.Lastly, if you renewed your membership during GiveNOLA Day, thank you! Weve finally finished entering all membership information into our database. If youd like to check whether your membership is current, you can do so here.And one more reminder: please make sure to vote tomorrow. Local elections matter, and your voice matters too.Click here for CBNOs voting guideHave a lovely weekend.In Service,Allene La SpinaExecutive Director

Were excited to share that the first four days of early giving for GiveNOLA Day have been an incredible start for Bike Easy! So far, weve received 29 donations totaling $3,135, including 12 new donors; making this one of our most successful early giving launches yet.Thank you to everyone who has already given and helped build this momentum. It truly means a lot.Click here to donate today!Wed also love to celebrate with you in person! Join us for our Lemonade Happy Hour in partnership with Blue Krewe and the Lafitte Greenway Partnership on Tuesday, May 5 from 46 PM at the Greenway Roundabout. Come say hello, connect with the community, and enjoy a refreshing break with us.Looking ahead to GiveNOLA Day, were aiming to keep this energy goingand you can help us go even further. One fun way to get involved is by signing up to give during a specific hour on May 5. This helps increase our chances of winning $500 lagniappe prizes throughout the day. Click on this form to sign up, and we will send you a calendar invite with a reminder and a link to donate.Thank you again for being part of this work and helping move Bike Easy forward.In gratitudeBike Easy Team

Happy Friday! Im excited to share some meaningful news from last night, I was honored to receive the Womens Transportation Seminar Greater New Orleans Chapter Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award.The Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the transportation industry, while advancing the mission of WTS.This years award recipient is Allene La Spina, Executive Director of Bike Easy, New Orleans leading nonprofit advocating for safe and enjoyable bicycling. Under Allenes leadership, Bike Easy expanded its operational capacity, staff, partnerships, and geographic reach to better serve communities across Greater New Orleans. Her approach to education centers on meeting people where they are and giving them the tools to feel confident and safe.That means building curriculum that works for kids, teens, adults, and drivers. Every year, Bike Easy hosts numerous bike safety trainings, driver education workshops, community rides, and outreach events, demonstrating a deep commitment to inclusive, peoplefocused transportation education. I personally love the idea of working with both professional drivers and the public about safe driving in the People Friendly Driving classes, especially since our chapter also provides a drivers education scholarship every year.Allene is a tireless advocate for safer streets and a fearless voice for bicyclists. Whether speaking at City Hall or organizing in the community. As she so perfectly puts it: Showing up matters. If were not in the room, the needs of people who bike dont get heard.This recognition reflects the collective work of our community to advance safer, more equitable streets for everyone, and Im deeply grateful to all of you who make that work possible.As many of you head out to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, I hope youre enjoying the music, the food, and everything that makes this season so special. Remember to check the Purple Way guide as you get around the next couple of weeks for all the tips you need to know to bike there, take transit, and use bike share among other options. I plan to come out a couple of days to lend a hand to our friends at Blue Krewe at their station on Fortin Street. With all of this energy in the air, Im excited to invite you to join us at several upcoming Bike Easy events in the weeks ahead:Give NOLA Day (May 5) is right around the corner, and early giving begins April 28! This year, Bike Easy is proud to be part of this powerful community-wide effort organized by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, with a goal of raising $20,000 to support safer, more equitable streets across our region. If you believe in this work, I hope youll consider making a donation starting on April 28th, every donation helps us continue advocating, educating, and building a culture of safety for all who use our streets. Bookmark this link and set a reminder to donate As part of our Give Nola campaign, we will be co-hosting a bike ride with Blue Bikes:We are also bringing back our Lemonade Happy Hour on Tuesday, May 5th in partnership with Blue Bikes and the Lafitte Greenway Partnership at the Greenway Circle from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Come and say hello! Youll have a chance to learn about all of our organizations, donate to our Give Nola campaigns, and get some of Bike Easys merchandise, also available at Bayou Bicycles!Other upcoming events include:Bike Easy is excited to have you join our 3-PartSmart Biking Workshop.ThisFREEcourse is designed for those who want to becomesmarter, safer and more confident bike riders. To learn more and to register, click here.Bike Easys~Biking After Dark~is aFREE workshopfor those who want to learn how to be safer biking at night! Biking after dark can be fun, but it is important to plan ahead and make sure you always have the right equipment to be visible every time you get on your bike. To learn more and to register, click here.Last, but not least, we have a couple more Bike Valets at Wednesday at the Square in the next couple of weeks. Ill be there on Wednesday, April 29 to promote our Give Nola campaign and answer any questions you may have for us! So come and say hello.Thank you again for all your support and enjoy this lovely biking weather!In Service,{{broadcaster.name}}Executive Director

Early giving for GiveNOLA Day is officially open (April 28May 4), and now is the perfect time to support Bike Easy.Whether youre signing up as a member, renewing your commitment, or simply giving a little TLC to an organization you care about; your support makes a real difference.Donate TodayRight now, the landscape for nonprofit funding is shifting. Federal funding continues to dry up, and grant opportunities are becoming more competitive than ever. That means community support isnt just helpful; its essential. We need your help now to keep pushing forward safer, more equitable streets across Greater New Orleans.If Bike Easys work has meant something to you, I hope youll consider making a gift during early givingand help us build momentum heading into GiveNOLA Day.Donate HereYou can also make a big impact by sharing our GiveNOLA page with your friends, family, and networks. Every share helps grow our community of support. Share this link: https://www.givenola.org/organization/bike-easyAlso, make sure to check out some of our upcoming events:And also find us at our Bike Valet at Wednesday at The Square on Wednesday, April 29th and during our annual lemonade Happy Hour with the Greenway Partnership and Blue Bikes on Tuesday, May 5th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Greenway Circle.Thank you for being part of this work! We truly couldnt do it without you.With gratitude,Bike Easy Team