The SJ Brooks Scholarship is closed for 2021.
The SJ Brooks Scholarships seeks to increase access, reduce barriers, and center voices specifically for BIPOC cyclists who are trans, woman, non-binary, intersex, two-spirit, and/or genderqueer.
DEADLINE EXTENDED ~ The application closed at 9pm (PST) on Thursday, October 14th, 2021.
- Applicants must be BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, person of color) and TWIG (Trans, Women, Intersex, & Genderqueer). All applicants who are not BIPOC should spread the word to BIPOC cyclists in their community circles.
*All applicants were notified by the RAR Scholarship Committee in mid-November
Recipient Considerations
When applying, an ideal recipient should consider the following:
- Be a student, parent, or a community organizer who seeks a radical adventure
- Have awareness of your needs to accomplish the spirited endeavor
- Have a financial and/or equipment need in order to pursue a spirited cycling endeavor
- Have specific ideas or plans for a spirited endeavor. A spirited bicycle endeavors can be defined in a myriad of ways: an overnight or a multi-day bike trip, daily self-care bike trips, attending a future cycling event, etc.
- Have an eagerness for riding bicycles, community building, and growing their cycling experience
- Be committed to shredding the patriarchy for the long haul
- Be enthusiastic about supporting, connecting, and celebrating the BIPOC TWIG people in your community
- Be someone who absolutely needs financial assistance to accomplish a spirited bicycle endeavor
- Be rad!
Recipients Get
Up to 20 scholarships are available based on need which includes:
💸 20 $1k to $2k cash stipends
âš¡ 3 new e-bikes from Specialized Bikes
✨ 1 gravel bike with a complete bikepacking bag setup from Corvid Cycles
✨ 1 gravel bike from Crust Bikes
💖 10 gear packages valued at $800
Supported By
Thank you to the cycling community and industry for showing up and raising over $24k for the scholarships. Your financial donation allowed recipients to get up to $2k for their spirited endeavor and helped support a committee to oversee the application process. We also received 10 gear packages valued at $800 each and bikes for 5 recipients.
MONETARY SUPPORT
@peopleforbikes @fireflybicycles
@rivbike
@larkin_cycles @planet_bike @blacksaddlebikeshop
@outer.shell
@sramroad
@revelatedesigns
CYCLING GEAR
@adventurecycling @makeshifter @blackburndesign @explorethousand @microcosm_pub @parktoolblue
@dynaplug
OUTDOOR GEAR
Scholarship Committee
Financial donations to the SJ Brooks Scholarship helped support a contributor to oversee the scholarship program and a committee to oversee the application process.
Who was SJ Brooks?
A community organizer, experienced cyclist, and beloved by many, SJ was the founder of the Seattle chapter of Friends on Bikes, a social cycling group for BIPOC who are women, trans, femme, or non-binary. In August of 2018, SJ was scheduled to speak about FOB– as part of the queer people of color panel– at the RAR Summit. On May 19, 2018, SJ was fatally attacked by a cougar while biking in the wilderness with a friend outside of Seattle. SJ’s death was a massive loss to the cycling community. They were a positive light who worked tirelessly to create change.
Apply to the SJ Brooks Scholarship
Applications are closed! All applicants were notified by the RAR Scholarship Committee in mid-November.
Scholarship FAQ
Who can apply to the SJ Brooks Scholarship?
- This scholarship application is only open to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, person of color) TWIG (Trans, Women, Intersex, Genderqueer) cyclists. All skill levels, abilities, and body sizes are encouraged to apply.
What is included in the application?
- There are 25 questions for this application available in English and in Spanish. Most questions require short answers, multiple-choice, or checkbox responses. However, six questions (two are optional) need a paragraph response with a 250 word maximum. If writing is difficult, discourages you or you prefer other ways of communicating, the same long-answer questions are at the bottom of this application for you to upload your response with a video or audio file.
Are folks living outside of the U.S. eligible to apply?
- Financial scholarships are available to folks who live outside of the U.S. If you are chosen to receive one of these scholarships you will be paid via Paypal in the equivalent of US dollars of your scholarship amount minus the exchange rate fee. Gear and bicycle scholarships are only available to folks who live within the U.S.
How many scholarships are offered and what do the scholarships include?
- RAR will offer up to 20 scholarships specifically for BIPOC TWIG cyclists! Recipients can get $1k to $2k for their spirited endeavor. 10 recipients will receive gear packages valued at $800 and 4 recipients will receive new bikes.
How do you determine who gets gear, bikes and financial support?
- Funds, gear, and bicycles will be distributed amongst recipients based on individual needs indicated on the application.