MISSION STATEMENT:Ride Up Grades seeks to bridge the transportation and health divide in NYC through youth cycling programs. We break down the barriers to entry for young people from all backgrounds to start commuting and competing. We believe that the cycling world benefits from diversity, and that ALL young people can benefit from access to cycling. We seek to level the playing field by creating equity and access in road cycling and racing, and by building networks of diverse, confident and hard pedaling future leaders.OUR PHILOSOPHY: Ride Up Grades was created to increase the ridership/representation of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and Low-Income Community youth in cycling. ALL of our programming prioritizes placement with equity in mind. We view our program efforts as a ladder of opportunity, with each program providing a necessary next rung.