Always an Ambassador - 1 year later

The following is a note from Chrystal Smith, 2009 Bicycle Ambassador Alumnus, sharing her continuing work as an Ambassador in South America.

Last year when I returned home to Philadelphia after serving two years in the Peace Corps, where I ate Guinea Pig as my regular diet while overcoming language and cultural barriers, I felt I was "able to do anything." I was over confident and assumed that a job as a Bicycle Ambassador would be a walk in the park after the Peace Corps. It took only a few days of training to realize that this job was much more than celebrating the bicycles.

Working with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia radically changed the way I perceive bicycle safety. The weight of being a responsible rider and educating/encouraging the general public to make change was a challenge, but it was a challenge that we were excited to take on. It was a week by week development...first the helmet...then stopping at red lights....and then it all just became second nature. I was learning from my own experience just how much more respect the average cyclist receives when showing that we want to share the road, not take it over. As the 2009 season progressed our team of 6 Ambassadors reached more than 20,000 people! We even started to become a wee bit famous in our own way and were soon being recognized even when we weren’t suited up in our burgundy superhero shirts (our uniforms slightly resembled a superhero shirt with our triangular logo). It became an addiction to educate EVERYONE.

As life goes on and change naturally comes about, I have found myself living in Buenos Aires. Although I am five thousand miles away, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is with me every day. My time as an Ambassador took my interest in bicycles and turned it into a passion to educate, organize and promote this incredible machine, even in South America. Porteños (Citizens of Buenos Aires) are fascinating and beautiful in many ways; however the awareness level of how to share the road in a safe manner is not a common concern. Armed with a season of experience, I decided to continue my "Ambassadorship" here is Buenos Aires. I started by bringing a few local bike shops together and simply teaching classes in bicycle garages about the beauty of safe riding. We also started a monthly newsletter which is slowly beginning to catch on.

My experience as a Bicycle Ambassador showed me a Philadelphia I never knew, but also helped me to have hope for change not only here in Philadelphia but globally. Superheroes (or people in superhero shirts) don’t only work within their district, right? While the position will remain on my resume, it has meant much more to me and has changed me into just what the position implies….An Ambassador for Bicycles.

Chrystal Smith - 2009 Bicycle Ambassador