“I am doing this work so those that come after me can simply be themselves without facing the discrimination that I dealt with over three decades in sport and business. Let me take the heat now so that others don’t have to.”
— Molly Cameron, Founder RIDE
About RIDE
RIDE advocates for the human rights, equality, respect, representation, privacy, and dignity of the LGBTQIA+ community within sport and outdoor industries.
Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) are not just words to describe policies and regulations that corporate HR departments and social justice warriors use regularly. DEI means embracing different people and their communities, and RIDE is bridging the diverse parts of the athletic and business communities.
RIDE was launched during the response to a wave of disinformation and discriminatory legislation being considered across the United States targeting human rights, access to health care, to youth and scholastic sport, and the fundamental freedoms of LGBTQ+ citizens.
The current political climate has created the space for business leaders to engage their organizations in constructive dialogues and non-performative actions on social issues.
DEI is more than just a regulatory acronym in business. Good leadership embraces difference as a competitive advantage. It is more important than ever to make DEI work a core metric of your workforce strategy. Working together with businesses and communities, RIDE negotiates the emotional and human components of these issues through lived experience, empathy, and understanding.
We are Riders Inspiring Diversity and Equality.
RIDE Founder
Molly Cameron
she/her
Molly Cameron is an internationally respected transgender athlete with a twenty-year background in business, marketing, and sports management.
A trusted and authentic voice in the cycling industry, her organization's mission is to improve the experience of all LGBTQ+ people in bicycling and to educate and guide outdoor industries and sport to improved awareness, inclusion, and representation of all marginalized communities.
RIDE Advisory Board
Our advisory board is composed of cyclists with diverse personal, business, academic, and advocacy backgrounds. We share a love of bicycling and a commitment to serving our varied communities.
Christine Kalkschmid - she/her
Christine is a lawyer with many years of experience as a manager and a professional athlete.
After 20 years of a successful career as a lawyer and in multinational corporations in responsible positions, including as head of international teams of experts as well as large operational units, as manager of global programs, and most recently as HR director for Allianz Suisse, Christine has given up the security of a position in the Corporate World in order to devote more time to her passion - sports and health.
Christine is working with the Canyon//SRAM World Tour team reach its full potential and to make an impact to the sport of Cycling that is bigger than the teams results. Her goal is to educate about diversity and inclusion and to provide understanding, to teach the value of differences and to show how different characters, strength, experiences and viewpoints can complement each other for the benefit of the team, the sport and beyond.
Dr. Cara Gillis - she/her
Cara Gillis is a professor and philosopher who specializes in ethics.
Specializing in the area of environmental ethics, animal ethics, and the problem of harm Dr. Gillis is currently working on examining the relationship between moral psychology and motivation as it applies to biocentric and ecocentric conceptions of environmental ethics. She received a BA in philosophy from the University of Western Ontario, MAs in philosophy from Cal State Long Beach and UC Irvine, and a PhD in philosophy from UC Irvine. She’s taught in the CC, CSU, and UC systems and is currently a professor of philosophy at Pierce College, where she’s also the Chair of Philosophy and Sociology Department.
Although born and raised in the Canadian Maritimes, she moved to southern California in the early aughts to evade the cold and pursue a “career” in road cycling. Her life motto is “How hard can it be?” It turns out some things, particularly the self-reflection and introspection necessary to be an effective educator, are very hard indeed.
Vivian Satterfield - she/her
Vivian is a community organizer, policy maker and coalition builder.
Vivian has spent over a decade in the non-profit sector working alongside community members and leaders, decision makers and subject area experts to create lasting structural change through policy advocacy, coalition building and grassroots organizing. She has a demonstrated track record of success in building values-centered campaigns and initiatives that have changed policy at every level of government, including at the ballot box. Her work is at the intersection of environmental, racial and economic justice, and is rooted in movement building principles and progressive values. Vivian is second generation Chinese American, born and raised in Chicago, Illinois but is now based out of Portland, Oregon.
How You Can Help
Donate & Fundraise
As RIDE builds partnerships and fundraises to support our initiatives within outdoor industries; we are acting as a conduit to and amplifying support for other organizations already working for LGBTQ+ communities across North America. Every dollar donated goes directly to trusted programs and helps us continue what we do best - accelerate progress.
There is so much vital work to do to support and elevate all marginalized communities within business and sport.
Learn more about our fundraising and contribute on RIDE’s donation page!
Engage with RIDE
We want to help you get more people on bikes, more folks in your businesses and at your events. As business leaders; educating yourself and considering any action on social issues can be confusing and polarizing. RIDE exists to help you understand and plan effective and genuine strategy.
We have varying methods of engagement, from consulting services to sponsorship and underwriting opportunities, available for brands and organizations of all sizes. Partnerships are vital to making RIDE initiatives possible.
Please contact us if you are interested – we would love to chat.