Summit Looks to Build a More Inclusive Trails, Cycling, and Active Transportation Community

WHAT: Critical Mass Summit 

WHEN: November 4-5th, 2022

WHERE: Mount Sequoyah Center in Fayetteville

INFO + TICKETS: criticalmasssummit.com 

A two-day event designed to encourage people from all backgrounds to participate in trails, cycling and other active transportation activities is returning to Northwest Arkansas. 

On November 4-5, Bike.POC and Trailblazers will host the second annual Critical Mass Summit at the Mount Sequoyah Center in Fayetteville, with regional events taking place throughout the weekend.

The summit was created in 2021 to “ignite relationships, diversify and grow the cycling and active transportation movement,” with the explicit goal of welcoming BIPOC, women, trans, femme, and nonbinary people who were looking to engage in or already involved with social change efforts related to trails, cycling, and active transportation.

This year, the event has expanded to include all gender identities as it continues to focus on bringing together existing stakeholders with marginalized community members, organizations that serve and are led by BIPOC/Queer/Disabled folks, and otherwise disenfranchised people and groups interested or impacted by trails, cycling, and active transportation. 

“By including all genders, we are bringing together allies, potential allies, existing stakeholders, and those who have seats of power in the region all into one room, we’re redefining who is part of the bubble of decision and influence,” said Lauren Hildreth, Senior Manager of Community Programs of Trailblazers. 

In addition to a variety of speakers and outdoor activities, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from Charles T. Brown, CEO of Equitable Cities and award-winning expert in planning and policy. As the keynote speaker, Brown will intentionally kick off the summit with a session focused on why the built environment looks like it does and will provide examples to improve it. He will also be a panelist in the session “The Future of Trails, Cycling, and Active Transportation in NWA”.

“By speaking to the history of ‘our built environment,’ we will be able to break down the many inequity issues, as well as identify root causes of oppression in our infrastructure and then begin the conversation on how to create an inclusive environment and community,” said Bea Apple, Co-Founder of Bike.POC. 

More details and tickets to this year’s event are available at criticalmasssummit.com