The Freedom to Go Further
“Riding makes me feel free” — Jacob, 15, Youth Apprentice
Bikes Not Bombs empowers Black and other marginalized youth and young adults to launch their careers and lead the change their communities need, using the bicycle as a tool for economic mobility, environmental and health equity, and systemic liberation.
For Jacob, a 15-year-old Youth Apprentice, biking has always meant freedom. He loves riding, enjoys learning how bikes work, and was excited when a friend introduced him to Bikes Not Bombs: a place where he could be around bikes, learn to repair them, and earn a paycheck while doing it.
At BNB, Jacob is discovering that a bike can be more than transportation. It can be a starting point for skills, friendships, leadership, opportunity, and a future he can shape.
Building Skills and Futures
Jacob was immediately drawn to the BNB workshop: the bikes, the tools, the benches, and the chance to work alongside other young people. Through his apprenticeship, he is learning how to identify problems, replace brake pads, repair suspension, and stay with a task even when the answer is not immediately clear.
“My favorite part is learning what’s wrong with the bike,” Jacob says. “When I’m stuck part way through, that’s how I learn.”
Jacob is interested in attending trade school, possibly to study welding. He is excited by the prospect of working with his hands and tools, learning a craft, and staying focused on meaningful work. The technical skills, problem-solving habits, and workplace experience he is gaining at BNB can help prepare him for that path—and for the many possibilities beyond it.
Youth need more than a first job. They need paid opportunities to practice real skills, trusted adults who see their potential, supportive peers, and places where they can take on responsibility without being left to figure it out alone. Your gift helps make that possible.
Wheels to Wellness
At Bikes Not Bombs, wellness is more than physical health. It is the ability to move safely through your neighborhood, feel respected and welcome, form relationships, and belong to strong communities.
This summer, Jacob joined a youth bikepacking trip to Cape Cod. Over three days, the group rode approximately 65 miles—farther than Jacob had ever ridden before. Along with lakes, s’mores, and games, the trip required teamwork, preparation, resilience, and trust in one another.
When asked what Wheels to Wellness means to him, Jacob spoke first about people: kindness, respect, and friendship. “I think friendships are one of the most important parts. I have such a different point of view from being here and talking to everybody else.”
He described BNB as “a very safe community,” where people look out for one another.
The trip gave Jacob and his peers a chance to stretch beyond what they thought was possible. With the right equipment, guidance, and community alongside them, young people can go farther—on the road and in life.
Youth Leading Change
Through Wheels to Wellness, Community Rides, Earn-A-Bike, Safer Streets, and Youth Apprenticeships, young people are making that commitment visible across Boston. They repair and distribute bikes, welcome and teach new riders, support local businesses during community rides, advocate for safer streets, and build community around the joy and freedom of riding together.
This work is urgent. Too many young people face barriers to paid work, reliable transportation, healthy recreation, and safe public spaces. Too many Boston residents still lack safe, affordable ways to get to school, work, services, and community. BNB responds by putting young people at the center—not only as participants, but as skilled workers, advocates, teachers, and leaders.
Jacob is already looking ahead to the fall: “I want to see new faces and learn new things.”
Help Youth Go Further
Your donation helps provide paid apprenticeships, bike mechanics training, tools and safety equipment, mentoring, community rides, and youth-led opportunities to advance transportation, health, and environmental equity.
We can’t do this alone. Please make a gift today. Help young people like Jacob build practical skills, pursue careers in the trades and beyond, and lead the change their communities need.
Together, we can give more young people the freedom to go further—and the power to bring their communities with them.
We cannot do this without you.
Together, we can reclaim, empower, and transform.