Santonio, 12, and Ahmad, 10, work on a bike with Shawn Walton
Photograph by Kaylinn Gilstrap
That’s the idea behind WeCycle, which gives free bikes to four kids a month so long as they complete 10 hours of training in bike safety and 10 hours in maintenance, as well as spend 10 hours volunteering in the Historic Westside Gardens and 10 hours working on bike-related advocacy (like writing a pro–bike lane letter to city hall). The organization was founded in 2012 by Morehouse grad Shawn Walton, who as a bike commuter and educator wanted to help underprivileged kids live healthier lives. His Oak Street bike shop has also become a kind of community center, renting bikes to other kids and loaning out chess sets, basketballs, and footballs. “It’s important to engage kids on this level,” Walton says. “We’re building a stronger connection.”
