The Story Riders program advances racial justice and equity in outdoor recreation by shifting resources to, building agency with, and centering the leadership of Indigenous and Mexicano/Chicano peoples through helping to develop comprehensive cycling infrastructure and high quality programming throughout the state.

The core purpose of Story Riders is to support a culture of health through regular physical activity through cycling, cultural and ecological connection, and community-led programming. We partner directly with (Black/Indigenous/People of Color) BIPOC communities and organizations to co-develop cycling programs that reflect local values, knowledge, and priorities—building long-term wellness and capacity from within.

Over the last eight years, Story Riders has cultivated a love of cycling and outdoor connection in BIPOC and Spanish-speaking communities across New Mexico. We offer our flagship program (~30 hours of direct education with youth, ages 9-18), weekend mountain rides, Adelitas sessions for Spanish-speaking women, and in-school cycling program development. Through deep partnerships with pueblos like Isleta and Jemez, we’ve learned that sustainable impact means training and resourcing local staff alongside running youth programs. We’re now offering cycling mechanics training while co-developing programs with our partners across the state. Our goal is not just to bring in a great program—it’s to help create one that each community can eventually carry on independently.

Our Train-the-Trainer program fosters long-term cycling sustainability, improved health outcomes in BIPOC youth and their families, and job readiness for Story Riders trainees. This is especially critical, as there is little to no local resources for bike repair in rural communities in NM and the skills developed can be applied not only to developing high-quality youth programming, but also to develop cycling businesses and cultural tourism opportunities that are BIPOC-led.

All Story Riders programming follows a three-tiered educational framework (Bici, Bosque, and Belonging) which provides functional bike skills, ecological literacy, and cultural connection. This framework guides program development with each partner and elements are tailored to meet the needs of each community.

Bici (Bike): Participants receive a bike and helmet to keep, learn bike safety, and gain basic mechanics skills.
Bosque (Nature): Rides incorporate ecology, land-based knowledge, and traditional healing shared by local educators and cultural bearers.
Belonging: Cultural storytelling, art, and intergenerational learning help affirm identity and strengthen community connection.

All the bikes in our programs are donated by community members and refurbished by staff, youth interns and volunteers to the highest safety standard.