SOLIDARITY RIDES
From Freedom Rides to Solidarity Rides
Freedom Riders in 1961.
The purpose of 'Solidarity Rides' is not just to tour frontline communities, but to strategically bring leaders together, in Solidarity to catalyze Environmental Justice.
Freedom Riders were groups of civil rights activists who participated in bus trips through the American South in 1961 to defeat inequality and Jim Crow. Freedom Riders employed various tactics such as using “whites-only” restrooms and sitting at lunch counter stations at segregated restaurants in Southern states. However, Freedom Riders drew international attention to the civil rights movement and inspired change.
Leaning on the essence of Freedom Rides, Solidarity Rides are experiences led by Environmental Justice leaders to bring together allies on a bus to come face-to-face with environmental injustices in their communities.
Coined by our Executive Director Michael McKenzie in 2023, Solidarity Rides uplift frontline voices who outline solutions to pressing environmental health and community concerns.