There’s this perception that Black people don’t ride bikes. This is a narrative that Englewood natives Pha’Tal Perkins and Donya Smith have been told before. For them, however, riding bikes as kids was one of the most freeing feelings. They used to ride their bikes throughout Englewood, and for Smith, even venture out to other neighborhoods.
Perkins wanted to bring back those joyful memories of riding his bike.
“I remember when I initially had this idea, and I was just kind of sharing it with people, and everybody was trying to deter me from doing it,” Perkins said. “They were saying that Black people don’t ride bikes, and nobody will ride bikes through Englewood at night, on a Friday night, and how dangerous it could be and all of that.”
Today, through his’ nonprofit Think Outside Da Block (TODB), an organization focused on violence interruption and youth development, they’re able to relive those childhood memories through “Roll N Peace,” a yearly bike ride intentionally designed to change community perceptions of Englewood.
“It’s dope to bring it back right here,” said Smith, who was there to support TODB as the executive director of Englewood Heroes. “Now we’re supplying bikes for the kids, and they’re able to come out, ride in peace, there’s whole families out here. We got grandmothers and mothers, all the children. It’s a community.”
On June 13, hundreds of Chicago residents of all ages participated in the 12th annual “Roll N Peace” bike ride on the South Side. They rode along a planned eight-mile route while promoting peace on blocks such as 69th and Paulina streets, or 73rd Place, which are considered crime hotspots in need of love, investment and attention.
“Roll N Peace” brings people together, regardless of your social status, financial status, religious background, political beliefs, whatever you know, just for that day, for that ride,” Perkins said. “It brings people together from all different walks of life, and we are able to deter violence by activating public spaces.”
TODB aims to build healthy and peaceful communities through violence prevention programs, youth development, safe spaces and survivor and victim advocacy, he explained.
“We made Englewood the safest place in America on Friday the 13th,” Perkins said about the day societally considered unlucky. “So many people said, ‘that’s Friday the 13th. Oh my God, I’m staying in the house.’ That’s the negative way that people think about Englewood. Everybody, from as small as little infant babies to our seniors was out riding bikes. So it was incredible.”
The bike ride kicks off each year just before sunset. About 500 people registered for this year’s ride, which is the initiative’s typical ridership number. The biggest ride happened in 2020, in the midst of COVID-19; they attracted 1,000 riders.
Before the ride began, the nonprofit honored the lives of youth lost to gun violence with a moment of silence. Simultaneously, there was a mini block party taking place at Ogden Park with event registration, a vendor fair for resource sharing with community members, live music, games and activities for children, food and a bike giveaway. Englewood Heroes, Teamwork Englewood, Imagine Englewood if (IEi), Grow Greater Englewood, Kennedy-King College and Target Area were some of the organizations tabling during the vendor fair.
This year, TODB gave away about 100 bikes to young people. DIVVY, the city’s bicycle sharing system operated by Lyft, provided around 75 bikes for participants to use at no cost during the ride.
The eight-mile route started and ended at Ogden Park; the route changes each year based on one of three things: crime data from the 7th police district in Englewood, areas designated as places where crime is most likely to occur, or areas that experience the most violence during a given year, according to Perkins.
In 2015, former 7th District Chicago Police Department Commander Roderick Robinson shared that each time they did “Roll N Peace,” there were zero complaints of violent crimes in the district, according to Perkins.
The TRiiBE reached out to the Chicago Police Department (CPD) to ask if there were any 911 calls or crime incidents. A CPD spokesperson said they don’t have those specifics and told The TRiiBE to submit a Freedom of Information Act request. The TRiiBE filed a records request on June 20.
“Every time we do this route there, every time we do the ride, there’s no complaints of any violent crimes, according to the seventh district police data,” Perkins said.
Michelle Rashad, an Englewood native and executive director of the nonprofit Imagine Englewood if (IEi), has participated in “Roll N Peace” since the first ride back in 2013.
“People who show up understand that if you are present for peace, violence is absent. I always say that violence is an effect of,” Rashad said. She added that all communities need love and investment.
“It’s easier to say ‘don’t go there.’ But the idea is, we go there, show the community that we see you, we care about you,” she said.
An LED screen with the names of participating community organizations followed the ride, a helpful guide to point residents to supportive community organizations, Rashad explained.
At the halfway point at Englewood STEM High School, participants took a short break, used the restroom, hydrated and documented their journeys.
Michel Quezada, who works at TODB, said the bike ride has the feel of a parade.
“My favorite part is just seeing the community come out and have a good time and seeing the youth receive the bikes,” she said. “When we’re riding, there’s people that are sitting on their front steps, on their porches, cheering us on. Some of them join us along the route on their own bikes, and that’s what I love to see.”
With the 12th annual “Roll N Peace” being another success, Perkins wants to see Englewood become a destination for dining, entertainment, and relaxing in green spaces, whether that be parks or gardens. That long-term mission is why he’s chosen to stay in the neighborhood and not leave.
“I’ve dedicated pretty much my life to trying to be a part of making Englewood that place that people want to escape to, instead of leaving,” Perkins said. “Let’s just start working to make sure that our community has those things, one step at a time, one day at a time, one event at a time.”
