A VOICE FOR CHANGE
s her home city Olzer is a Black cross-country and cyclocross racer, Specialized ambassador and co-founder of Pedal 2 the People, an Instagram community for Black, Indigenous and People of Color. When she posted about the difficulties in talking to her white family about racism, and pleaded with white followers to not shy away from those conversations within their own circles, it garnered hundreds of comments of support. The post quickly circulated feeds throughout the cycling world and beyond, her raw honesty no doubt influencing how countless people have chosen to approach an issue they may have otherwise avoided. Olzer has used the social platform to share her thoughts on the importance of celebrating Black lives, not just mourning their deaths, lifting up Black womxn and listening to Black trans and queer voices, offering free lessons in humanity, respect and equality, and helping to wake up folks within the largely white cycling and outdoor industries. Olzer graciously took a break from writing the dissertation for her PhD in evolutionary biology to continue the conversation.
