Today we’d like to introduce you to John Jones III.
East Side Riders Bike Club is a grassroots organization located in Watts, whose goal is to change the lives of young adults and the structure of the community as a whole by fostering a passion for bicycle riding. Founded in 2008, the organization started as a way to prevent Watts youth from joining gangs or participating in drug usage. Since then, it has become a powerhouse in advocating and educating on behalf of bike safety, the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and the empowering rewards of enriching one’s community.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Some of the bumps in the road is funding and not having the support needed to do this work in a forgotten community. Our organization needs more resources in terms of help/volunteers to continue this great work in the community before we can secure big funding.
Please tell us about East Side Riders Bike Club.
ESR is an organization founded on giving back since the inception, one of the things that keep us together is family and fun. We are set apart because we do not have on type of bike we ride, we are family first, we teach healthy lifestyle in a whole and we use these tools to keep kids out of gangs and off the streets.
Our most proudest moments is/was becoming a ten years old community organization with little to no funding.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Nothing at all, I love our struggle. Our struggle is our story and what defines us as an organization.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1513 E. 103rd Street
LA CA 90002 - Website: www.esrbc.org
- Phone: 3238950368
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/eastsideriders
- Facebook: facebook.com/eastsideriders
- Twitter: twitter.com/eastsideriders
- Yelp: eastsideriders
Image Credit:
@eastsideriders
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