Since 2020 we’ve ridden with and trained dozens of BiPOC athletes.

Our story starts with two friends going for a bike ride.

Marcus has been a cyclist his whole life. Riding a bike has always given him a sense of freedom.

But in the summer of 2020, George Floyd was murdered, protests swept across the nation, and racial tensions intensified. Marcus found himself hesitant to ride, questioning his own safety in public spaces simply because of being a black man. Rather than retreat, he started riding with with longtime friend and elite endurance coach Neal Henderson. Together, they realized just having a community to ride with can amplify the freedom that comes from riding a bike.

So Marcus and Neal partnered to create a platform that would use cycling as a vehicle for healing, advocacy, and systemic change. They started hosting community bike rides, borne out of a determination to transform the fear so many black folks has about going outside into meaningful action.

Seeing the success and hunger for a community dedicated to building a safe cycling community, the pair launched Ride for Racial Justice. RFRJ seeks to expand access, representation, and opportunity for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) within the cycling community.

The organization provides programming, mentorship, training, and resources designed to break down financial, cultural, and structural barriers that have historically excluded BIPOC cyclists from the sport. Since that first community ride, RFRJ has grown into a national movement that blends athletic excellence with social impact — fostering community, elevating marginalized voices, and advocating for equity both on and off the bike.

Meet Our Team

Marcus Robinson

As a lifelong cyclist, Marcus uses the power of two wheels to connect communities, promote mobility justice, and expand access to cycling for those historically excluded from it. From organizing grassroots rides to influencing policy and partnerships, he champions cycling as both a tool for liberation and a force for systemic change.

Co-Founder and Executive Director

Alisha Zellner

Community Engagement Director

Alisha is a Colorado Springs native with a passion for people, community, and big challenges. She holds a double Bachelor’s in Psychology and Sociology from CSU (Go Rams!) and Master’s degrees in Justice Policy and Social Work. After five years as a mental health counselor and an eight-year career in law enforcement, she now works as a Community Specialist at SRAM.

Neal Henderson

Neal has coached hundreds of athletes from juniors and amateurs to professionals, world champions and Olympians over the last three decades. Neal has been awarded coach of the year honors from USA Cycling and USA Triathlon, plus the Doc Counsilman Science Award from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee for applying sports science to training for Team USA athletes.

Co-Founder and Coaching Director

Rubén Mercado

Board Member

Rubén Mercado is an art director and musician based in Louisville, CO. Of Puerto Rican heritage, he was raised in Spanish Harlem in the ’70s. He caught the cycling bug after moving to Colorado in 2015 and quickly fell in love with the freedom the roads of the front range offer up. Through his continued work with RFRJ, Rubén hopes to advocate for diversity within the cycling community.

Public Relations Director

Massimo Alpian

Massimo grew up in New York City and now resides in Boulder. A son of immigrants, Alpian has had an accomplished non-profit career focused on human rights, climate change, and humanitarian assistance in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations from Columbia University, and undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from NYU and St. John’s University.

Allison Higginbotham

Board Member

Allison (she/her) lives and works in Northern California. Over the last 10 years, she has overcome major illness, recovered from brain surgery, lost (and regained) her athleticism, and used the outdoors to get through it all. Now she’s on a mission to help other BIPOC athletes show up to start lines, use the healing power of movement, and find a sense of belonging. Ride For Racial Justice has truly helped her mission to get more people on bikes.