May is National Bicycle Month and a conversation about Black history and cycling would not be complete without talking about Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor. He was the undisputed GOAT –Schwinn Bicycles calls him “the greatest sprinter of all time.” He won quite a few competitions and world titles, set many world records and was considered one of the first black celebrity athletes.

Between 1898 and 1899, Taylor “set seven world records” in the distances of a quarter-mile, one-third mile, half-mile, two-thirds mile, three-quarters mile, one mile, and two miles. At the time, racism was common, especially in the world of cycling, and when he was allowed to race, Taylor “often had to deal with insults, fouls and outright sabotage (such as having ice water thrown at him and nails hammered into the track) by both competitors and spectators.”

Unfortunately, though almost 100 and twenty-five years have passed since Taylor’s dominance, the legacy of exclusion still stays. “Not enough African Americans are involved in professional cycling,” said Dereka Hendon-Barnes, president of the Major Taylor Iron Riders.

The data supports these claims. “Cycling is one of the whitest sports in the world” – sports website Andlandscape reports. “During the 2021 International Cycling Union (UCI) world tour – which hosts the sport’s most important races, including the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France – less than 1% of cyclists were Black.” Additionally, there have been no black competitors at the 2022 Tour de France. A yr earlier, there was just one “black cyclist” in the peloton: Nic Dlamini, the first black rider from South Africa on the route. There are many reasons for the lack of diversity and inclusion in cycling in any respect levels, from a lack of coverage to an exclusionary history, the sport often seems reluctant to move past the issue.”

“It’s not just black and brown people represented in cycling. They are also women,” Hendon-Barnes continued. Only in 2021 for the first time Black woman joined a “professional road cycling team”. Ayesha McGowan didn’t make her racing debut until she was 26, but as she told Olympics.com, “A giant a part of this journey for me has also been to create space for other people to do that and hopefully show other black women, African American women , women of color that they’ll race bikes.”

There are cycling groups throughout the country inspired by Major’s work Taylor’s legacyresembling Major Taylor Iron Riders in New York, want to change that and increase the variety of black and women cyclists.

Like McGowan, Hendon-Barnes also took up cycling later in life. She told ESSENCE how her brother inspired her to take up the sport and she would take the train to “Brooklyn, go to South Street Seaport, and I’d rent this bike day-after-day. One summer I used to be literally just exploring, getting lost on my bike in the city. It struck me that I remembered the joy I had as a child riding my Huffy with a basket on the handlebars, riding around the neighborhood and the freedom of being on a bike.

Major Taylor Iron Riders (MTIR) was officially founded in 2006, something Barnes explained was born out of necessity. Before MTIR, there was the Element Tour, which was began by “a few sisters who liked riding bikes and felt like they weren’t accepted or included in what they were doing, so they started doing what they did.” But when people wanted to ride fast, MTIR stepped in, and a part of the name Iron Riders “came from the Buffalo Soldiers, black infantry who rode bicycles during the war.”

“In 1897, the all-black twenty fifth Infantry Regiment Bicycle Corps launched into a powerful bicycle ride of over 3,000 miles from Fort Missoula, Montana to St. Louis, Missouri as a part of a U.S. Army experiment to determine the effectiveness of moving troops on bicycles,” the article reads Missouri State Parks website. “The journey, called the ‘Great Experiment’ in national newspapers, lasted 41 days.”

For Hendon-Barnes, increasing representation is crucial. “It’s not for lack of talent. It’s a lack of resources. It costs a lot of cash to do that. You have to be at the very top to be invited or to give you the option to get to the training facilities. Moreover, “people have no idea about it at all because they just don’t see someone who looks like them doing it.”

Hendon-Barnes is hopeful about the way forward for integration in sport. “I have a constant rule, whether you are in a club or a racing team: you will have to work, but you will never be left behind.”

In celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week, BLACK ENTERPRISES develops helpful guides and resources for people scuffling with mental health issues within the Black community. Self-care is vital to include into your each day routine and may include quite a lot of activities that may reduce stress levels.

One of these activities? Listening to podcasts. Here are some that concentrate on mental health conversations within the Black community

Black girl in Om

Lauren Ash is the founding father of Black Girl in Om, a Black women-focused wellness collective and resources for those seeking to implement a healthy self-care routine.

Confirm

Hosted by former therapist Davia Roberts, the Affirm podcast encourages conversations about mental health and finding wholeness in your self-care routine.

Therapy for Black Girls Podcast.

Inspired by her catalog of the identical name, therapy for black girls is led by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, who discusses quite a lot of topics related to black women scuffling with mental health issues.

Between sessions

Eliza Boquin and Eboni Harris, two licensed therapists, created the show through them Melanin and mental healtha service for people to attach with local licensed therapists who specialise in mental illness in Black and Latinx communities.

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted several elements of children’s health and well-being. The number of kids referred to specialist mental health teams in England has increased dramatically greater than 50% for instance, in just three years. But recent research My colleagues and I actually have learned that some of these problems were getting worse even before the pandemic.

Our study examined changes in the health and well-being of 36,951 primary school children between 2014 and 2022. We analyzed data from anonymous annual surveys of kids aged 8 to 11 in Wales. The questions covered various elements of health and well-being, equivalent to physical activity, food plan, sleep and mental health and well-being.

It shows significant declines in various elements of children’s health and well-being over eight years. While social aspects equivalent to Brexit, the pandemic and the cost of living crisis likely play a job, our research suggests the decline was occurring even before these events.

Understanding these trends is essential. Childhood experiences significantly influence adult health and behavior, with half of all mental health problems found as much as 14 years of age.

Swimming and cycling decreased

We found particularly worrying declines in swimming and cycling skills. For example, in 2018, 85% of kids said they may swim 25 meters, but by 2022 this had dropped to 68%.

This is concerning because some of these activities are essential for developing basic motor skills and coordination in childhood. Funding cuts to 2019 free swim programs in Wales and the UK close swimming pools during the pandemic to forestall the transmission of the virus won’t improve the situation.

The decline in swimming skills has disproportionately affected children from disadvantaged backgrounds, further highlighting the potential of such cuts to widen existing inequalities.

We also found a decrease in the consumption of fruit and vegetables, with a simultaneous increase in the consumption of sweet snacks. Sugar consumption increased in 2020, coinciding with COVID restrictions. This suggests a possible link between increased time spent at home and unhealthy food decisions.

School schedules often provide structure and regular meal times that could have been disrupted during the pandemic. These findings could support the case for universal free school meals, which could help reduce inequalities in access to a healthy and balanced food plan.

Mental health problems, including emotional and behavioral difficulties, have also increased. Emotional difficulties affected 13% to fifteen% of kids in 2017–2018. However, in 2021-2022 this percentage increased to 29%. Girls also reported greater emotional and behavioral difficulties than boys.

There has also been a rise in the number of kids who’re fearful and feel lonely, and this phenomenon was present even before the pandemic. This highlights the need to offer conditions that encourage socialization and support children’s well-being.

The problem is greater than the pandemic

Our research suggests that the decline in children’s health and well-being that began before the pandemic continues or has plateaued. This means that there are more complex issues at play and require further motion than simply assuming that returning to pre-pandemic procedures will improve the situation.

The well-being of school-age children is a cornerstone of future public health. Our findings, based on children’s own experiences, highlight the urgent need for intervention to handle this disturbing trend. This is especially essential because children’s voices are sometimes absent from discussions about policy and planning.

Governments and public bodies must prioritize developing and implementing effective, long-term ways to reverse these trends. Policy and funding should address critical elements of children’s health and well-being. These include basic physical skills equivalent to swimming and cycling, self-confidence and independence in physical activity, in addition to children’s overall well-being and ability to socialize. Creating supportive environments in schools and communities can also be crucial.

Greater investment in these areas and greater emphasis on listening to children and understanding their needs are needed. Only then can we make meaningful change and ensure a greater future for youngsters around the world.