Event Recap: 13th Annual Building Momentum Breakfast
June 17th, 2023
Thank you to everyone who was able to make it to our 13th annual Building Momentum Breakfast! The Breakfast is Bikes Not Bombs’ annual fundraiser where we gather staff, volunteers, board members, and donors to celebrate our successes over the past year and share our plans for the future.
We had over 100 people in attendance and raised over $49,000 in donations … and growing! Thank you again to everyone who was able to attend.
Check out some of the highlights below, including our 2023 Beyond the Bike documentary that premiered at the event as well as some photos of our keynote speaker, youth panel, and distinguished BNB alum.
If you are interested in giving to Bikes Not Bombs, it is not too late. Please contact Angela Phinney at angela@bikesnotbombs.org for more information.
Bikes Not Bombs Board Member, Lina Cañon speaking with attendees about her experience in the Sisters In Action Bike School program, finally finding comfort and confidence within the bike industry, and how donations allow BNB to extend our impact to program participants just like her. If you would like to make a donation, it is not too late.
Beyond the Bike (2023): Culture and Collaboration at Bikes Not Bombs, as told by Susan Fabijanic
"Beyond the Bike" is a short documentary (approximately six minutes) that features Susan Fabijanic, a Repair and Refurbish Mechanic with Bikes Not Bombs. Susan started their BNB journey as an Earn-A-Bike participant, before working as a Youth Apprentice and as a full-time staff member.
This video takes a closer look at Susan’s involvement with Bikes Not Bombs over the years, the organization’s mission, and the reach we have in our communities, using the bicycle as a vehicle for social change. Please kick back and enjoy!
Directed by Lindsey Briggs of Social U Digital and Gary Chin of Bikes Not Bombs
Distinguished Alumni: Anna Zuniga
At the Breakfast, we were proud to highlight Bikes Not Bombs Youth Apprentices, including a panel of three current Youth Apprentices who discussed their time at BNB. We had the privilege of honoring Anna Zuniga as our distinguished BNB Alum. Anna first joined BNB as a Youth Apprentice when she was looking for a job after her sophomore year of high school in 2020. She spent the next two years working at BNB as a Youth Apprentice, working in the Bike Shop, teaching Bike School, and advocating for social justice through our Bicyclists Organizing for Community Action (BOCA) team.
In her acceptance speech, Anna described how learning bicycle mechanics and working on bikes connected her love of math and physics to practical, real-world use. A self-described “engineering nerd,” she is now a rising sophomore at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute pursuing a degree in industrial engineering. She described how her time at BNB impacted her “Beyond my understanding of engineering, BNB taught me how to work, lead, and take action in my community.”
Youth Apprentice panel moderated by Abeo Powder, Youth Development & Transitions Manager. From left to right: Romeo P, Derek M, Joseph P.
Elyse Oliver, Director of Youth Pathways (left) and Anna Zuniga, Distinguished Alum (right)
Keynote Speaker: Charles T. Brown
This year’s program included a keynote speech by Charles T. Brown, the founder and CEO of Equitable Cities, a leading urban design and research firm focused on the intersection of transportation, health, and equity. He spoke on the concept of Arrested Mobility, a term he coined to describe how Black Americans and people of color are disproportionately victims of overly aggressive police enforcement of innocuous acts such as jaywalking and riding bicycles on the sidewalk. To learn more about Arrested Mobility, view the Arrested Mobility report or listen to the Arrested Mobility podcast.
2023 Annual Report
We also shared our 2023 Annual Report, which you can read here.
Make a Gift Toward Bikes Not Bombs’ Future
It's not too late to make a donation for the Building Momentum Breakfast!