Hello Family! I'm riding by trusty old Miyata bicycle from Oakland to Sacramento in late April. It's a fundraiser ride that raises money for Oakland Public Schools.
Do you remember what it was like to be in school? I'm talking middle school and high school. For some of you that was a while back, I know. But surely you have some memories: friends, bus rides, passing notes in class, dodgeball, your favorite (and least favorite) teacher, lunchtime in the cafeteria, getting stuffed into lockers, homework, bathroom graffiti...
Whatever your memories are, however you felt about being in school, there's no denying that those were very formative and important years of our lives. They set us on the paths that led us to where we are now. And we wouldn't have made it without the support of our community. Or perhaps you made it in spite of your community, but you get my point. We need each other, and sometimes people need a little help from the outside.
I substitute taught at several schools in the Oakland Unified School District during the winter months of 2019, 2020, and 2022. I've seen firsthand what public school life is like in "The Town". My favorite gig was as an Instructional Aide at Oakland International High, a school for newcomer students. The majority of the student body hail from Latin America, others from the Middle East and East Africa. They take formal classes at an adjusted pace to help them along with their budding English language skills.
I remain inspired at how hard those kids worked to restart their lives. Learning English in a foreign metropolis, far away from the comforts of family, I'm sure was tough on them. Yet there they were, showing up every day, learning English while slowly translating the Leo DiCaprio film "Romeo and Juliet" (somewhere out there Bill is saying "Why not Die Hard?"). I found these kids to be charming and inquisitive. Many of the them possess a keen intellect that comes from having to rely on oneself at such a tender age. Their positive and confident outlooks on life were a breath of fresh air. It put my own background and privilege as a white male U.S. citizen into perspective.
And then there are the school's teachers. The ones I worked alongside were in it for the love of the students. There's no big paycheck that comes with being a teacher at OUSD, that's for sure. New students don't all arrive at once each semester. They trickle in throughout the school year, so these teachers are often having to adjust on the fly, helping some kids get up to speed while making sure the other students remain focused and challenged. It was a lot to manage, and despite the challenges I could tell these teachers loved being there.
This will be a 110-mile bike ride from Oakland to Sacramento to raise $$ for a school district that is understaffed and underfunded. This is an opportunity for me to support these kids while doing something I love. Admittedly it's just a drop in the bucket, but every dollar counts. If it means one kid gets some new books next fall semester, well I believe that makes a difference.
Marvin Gaye once said "Live life for the children." You all are the most important people in my life, and I'll forever be grateful for the support and love I received over the years. What a blessing to have such amazing role models to look up to. I am extremely lucky. Not every kid is as lucky as me. Some of them need outside support from strangers in lycra. Some of them need education as a way out. Some of them need teachers to believe in them so they can believe in themselves. All kids deserve a chance, and their teachers deserve a shot to do their job with the proper resources. So this is the reason for my ride, it's for the future of the children in OUSD. And because I believe everything is connected, I ride for the future of all children in public schools.
So please consider a donation of $25 per person. I hope to raise $250 by April 26th, the day of the ride. 100% goes directly to the public school listed on the R4R website (one of which is Oakland International :). If you're not interested or not in a position to donate right now, that's ok! No pressure whatsoever.
Shout out to Bret Harte Middle School! Their 7th and 8th graders used to go on Outward Bound trips back in the day, to the Santa Cruz mountains. Those were wild trips for sure!
FYI, I aim to put out training updates every week leading up to the race, just to hold myself accountable. They'll be posted on this page. Update #1: I rode my bike from Berkeley to the top of Mount Diablo this past Saturday 3/8. 40 miles and over 4000' in elevation gain. I was cooked!
Admittedly this is my first ever fundraiser event. So if there's information you need that's missing, or if I haven't impelled you to donate well enough, just let me know!
Much love from the East Bay,
Sam
P.S. - Learn more about R4R's impact HERE:
P.S.S. - Below are a few words from the ride organizers:
Last year, thanks to the riders and supporters of Ride 4A Reason, more than 6,000 kids in eleven public schools in Oakland and Alameda had field trips, got to visit their school libraries, experienced the awe of river rafting, and wore official team uniforms for their sports teams -- for many, these were firsts.
This is the 17th year that R4R will be making the trek to Sacramento. Over this time we have raised close to $1.8 million for public schools in Oakland and Alameda.
f you want to send in a check, you can make it payable to "Social Good Fund" and put "R4R 2024" in the memo line. You can mail it to:
Tax ID:
Ride 4A Reason
PO Box 11386
Oakland, CA 94611
