Michelle Cook is the founder of Roxbury Rides, an organization that encourages people in urban communities (Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan, Massachusetts) to use biking and walking as a source of transportation and exercise. Additionally, she is a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) through the League of American Bicyclists, spokesmodel for I Bike Boston, and moderator/shero for the Boston Chapter of Black Girls Do Bike. Michelle is also an urban farmer and herbalist in training.

Yolanda sat down with Michelle, also know as “The Bikenista”, for a life-giving conversation on minimalism, farming, and connecting to the outdoors. They first met when Michelle participated in the Black & Minimalist course. Michelle and Yolanda chatted a lot about the importance of land to black and brown communities.

Mentioned in the episode:

Operation B Fit

Hike 4 Life

Urban Outdoors Association

Black Urban Growers

Farming While Black by Lean Penniman

Working the Roots by Michelle E. Lee

Dr. Monica White

Black Cotton