“At the start of nearly every road bike race she enters, Ayesha McGowan is the only black person in the field. While she’s acutely aware of this fact, it’s not what she’s focused on—at least not in that moment. All she’s concentrating on is one thing: racing.

At 31 years old, the Berklee College of Music–trained violinist is the first and only African American woman to achieve a Category 2 (one of the highest levels) ranking in semi professional road racing, and she plans to pedal her way into becoming the first black female pro rider in a sport long known for its whiteness.”

Continue reading Ayesha’s story at Outside!