Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Rose.
Jasmine, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
The Litas Los Angeles began in 2015 as a response to a call from The Litas Founder, Jessica Wise, to branch out in cities around the United States. The Litas are a Womxn’s Motorcycle Collective bringing riders and enthusiasts from all over the globe together through our shared passion. The Litas Los Angeles does exactly that in our city.
Three women who rode and loved motorcycles found each other via Instagram in late 2015 and the collective grew from there. I took over managing our social media accounts in 2016, and with the help of other dedicated women, continued to grow and expand our community with monthly meetups and rides, all focused around the goal of connecting women who ride in the LA area.
We are inclusive, not exclusive. We are not a motorcycle club, but a network of women who celebrate our differences as we come together over our love of riding motorcycles. There is no “membership”, only an open invite to anyone who wants to ride with us! However, not all of our meetups and events are just for the girls- we gather together with all genders and riders in our Los Angeles motorcycling community. My particular passion for this group is our monthly beginner-friendly rides that are female-only, so as to create a safe space for those new to the sport and to our community. The other women I work with are amazing at fostering community and being a welcoming presence to all we encounter.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There are always a few bumps in the road when you have large groups of people together- not everyone is always pleased with everything you do. However, we strive to cultivate positivity in all things. I am not a fan of drama and negativity, and I do my best to stay outside of it when it happens, so as not to bring down the group. We are here to enjoy our passion for motorcycles together and to create a safe space for the women in our community.
Many of us have been in situations in which we were undervalued and looked down on for simply being female and daring to ride motorcycles- but I suppose that is an obstacle all women face in most aspects of our lives. It can still be frustrating when we encounter such negativity. I guarantee you that there is not one of us who has not heard something like “You can’t ride that, it’s too big/fast for you”, or “Is that your boyfriend’s bike”, or “Are you sure you can handle that?” Hell yeah that is my bike and fuck yes, I can do anything. We have been made stronger for it. That being said, we also have a lot of support from men in our community as well, who see us as fellow riders without any gender bias. Guys ask us all the time if they can “be a Lita”, too!
Please tell us about The Litas Los Angeles.
The Litas Los Angeles is the largest branch of the Litas in the world. We are fortunate to reside in such a place as Southern California, affording us a long riding season and a plethora of gorgeous places to ride and explore.
As I mentioned earlier, we do not keep a “membership”, so there is no tally of how many women “belong” to the group. If you show up and participate, you’re in! We also connect regularly with other So Cal Litas Branches, riding together and supporting those in surrounding communities.
I have a lot of love for the LA women that I ride with. We are strong, fierce, independent and talented women from all walks of life. It takes a certain kind of person to go beyond the stereotypes of what the general public would call a “biker”, to be your own person who also happens to be a badass babe on a motorcycle. Being a woman in a male-dominated sport takes true grit, and I am proud to know so many such women. Two such incredible human beings, Sharry Billings and Abz Cruz work with me to manage our group, plan events, and make sure that everyone stays safe on our rides. I could not do this without them.
Motorcycling has also allowed me to meet other riders all over who have become the greatest of friends. The Litas helps facilitate that through social media. I likely would never have met many of the amazing people whom I call friends if it weren’t for The Litas.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Nothing I would change!
Contact Info:
- Website: thelitas.co
- Email: thelitaslosangeles@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelitaslosangeles/
Image Credit:
Personal photo, photos 1 & 2 (desert shots): Laura Goldenberger; photos 3 & 4 (city shots): Dan Sammons
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
