Streetsblog Los Angeles

The Ovarian-Psycos bicycle brigade knows how to start off their year right. After skyrocketing last year into the minds of cyclists and women as one of the premiere female-only bicycle groups in Los Angeles, and even now in the nation, The Ovarian Psycos – A Documentary Film has launched its Kickstarter campaign yesterday.

Welcome to our newest sponsors, Fisher and Talwar Professional Law Corporation

Filmmakers Kate Trumbull, Joanna Sokolowski and Michael Raines have been working with the Ovas since the middle of the year, capturing them at rides like Clitoral Mass (see our Clitoral Mass video here) and around Eastside landmarks (did you spot the Boyle Hotel on 00:13?).

The film’s campaign barely started yesterday, but has already got the attention of Kickstarter staffers and raised more than $2,500. The film is looking to raise $10,000 by February 23. Here’s what the money will be used for according to their Kickstarter:

Your contribution will directly support our launch into full production for the feature and broadcast version of the film, supplementing the cost of travel from San Francisco to L.A., the hiring of additional crew and equipment, archival research, food, gas, parking, hard drives, archival research, transcription, media logging, and a full time editor

In addition to Clitoral Mass the Ovas plan a monthly Luna Ride, worked with the Eastside Riders and other groups for the Black and Brown Unity Ride, have participated in CicLAvia, organized “mobile bike repair” clinics, and have generally been an active bicycling present for the past couple of years.

The street closure opened up room for a game of catch. Rafael Cardenas/lastreetsblog

Just off the beaten path enough to not disrupt local traffic, the Boyle Heights Block Party was held Sunday, October 21, 2012 on 7th Street and Euclid. While Euclid remained open to traffic between Whittier and 8th, a portion of 7th was closed for passersby, information tables, recreation, and booths providing educational material. In addition, Sunrise Elementary opened their parking lot to the event and hosted the food and live music.

The half-day event–Youth Empowerment Committee from the Building Healthy Communities, Boyle Heights–catered to local youth, which included a photobooth, music and other activities. With a $4000 budget funded by a grant from the California Endowment, students from Roosevelt High School took a portion of the money to do an event for their fellow comrades–and all in an area not normally visited, said 17-year-old Kelly Figueroa, a senior at the Academy of Medicine and Health Science at Roosevelt. Read more…

Black & Brown Unity Ride posts up at the Watts Towers (photo: sahra)

“It’s still important for us to come together,” began Taryn Randle, one of the ride leaders and member of both the Ovarian Psycos and Black Kids on Bikes.

The black-brown tension sometimes present in L.A. had been a surprise to her when she arrived here from Chicago, she told the largely black and brown crowd. Fixing it had become a major focus of her studies and work, and she looked at the Black & Brown Unity Ride (organized by the Psycos, BKoB, and the East Side Riders) as a simple but effective way to take the issue on.

“It doesn’t make sense for us to have this unstated hatred towards each other based off of ignorance. I think it can be overcome by simple things like this — us coming out like this on a Sunday, biking, kicking it, eating, listening to music….It’s a good way to start that conversation and building that bridge.”

Bringing groups of riders together and letting the communities they rolled through see that adults of all races could have fun together, she and others felt, could provide a good example for communities and youth struggling with those issues in their own neighborhoods.

Along the way, Taryn reminded the riders that the purpose of the ride was unity. She encouraged them to talk to the riders they hadn’t come with so that they could get to know each others’ experiences.

Riders take a moment to stretch and breathe at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights (photo: sahra)

The openness of riders to learning about each other seemed to make it easier for people to join in as we went along.

At Mariachi Plaza, one of the start points of the ride, I spotted a Latino gentleman on a bike watching the riders stretch. I asked if he wanted to come along with us.

Let me call my son, he said in Spanish.

He wanted his fourteen-year old to see the spectacle and join in. When his son said he couldn’t get there in time, the man decided to come along anyways. It was his first experience with a group ride, and he appreciated the larger purpose behind it.

At Exposition Park, we picked up a rollerblader with an iguana on his head. He was originally headed to Venice, but said there was no way he could miss out on rolling with us. Read more…

The Ovarian-Psycos Bicycle Brigrade hosted the all-women bicycle ride Clitoral Mass this past Saturday after months of organizing, and weeks of activities leading up to the event. The ride is the first of its kind in Los Angeles, bringing women from all parts of Los Angeles, California and even some riders from out of state, to do a single-sex Critical Mass styled ride.

Alice Strong, a long time bike activist, said that at most rides she is used to seeing the familiar female faces from the bike movement at large rides. Yet at Clitoral Mass, she saw so many female riders she has never seen before, she said.

“It’s the first ride with women that it’s been that large.”

For more information about the Ovarian Psycos, visit Ovarianpsycos.com.

See a photo gallery from Clitoral Mass taken by South LA reporter Sahra Sulaiman, by clicking here.

Read LASB’s past coverage of the Ovarian Psycos by clicking here. 

Music used in the video is by Buyepongo and was recorded live during the ride at their Levitt Pavillion show in MacArthur Park. 

Clitoral Mass last night brought out more than 200 women for a 32-mile ride throughout Los Angeles. The ride brought out women from out of state, the Eastside, from different parts of the city – I heard some from came from Gardena and the westside – and even to the surprise of seasoned riders a host of fresh new faces.

We’ll be making a video and posting photos at the beginning of the week as soon as we go through all the content we accumulated from the event. But for now, here are South LA Streetsblogger Sahra Sulaiman’s photos from the beginning of the ride.

Ovarian Psycos Bicycle Brigade host tonight in Los Angeles the first all-women styled Critical Mass ride, called Clitoral Mass. Photo from Ovarian Psycos Facebook page

Clitoral Mass, Los Angeles’ first all-women mass ride, happening tonight

It’s been months in the making, and now the all-women Clitoral Mass bike ride is happening tonight. Hosted by the Ovarian Psycos Bicycle Brigade, the women are expecting more than 300 women to attend – more than 700 people confirmed on their Facebook event page.

The all-women ride is modeled after the Critical Mass ride, also happening tonight, and will go 28 miles through Downtown Los Angeles, South Los Angeles, and parts of East Los Angeles (Boyle Heights, City Terrace). This is the first all-women mass ride happening in Los Angeles. This ride for women and women identified people, so while men can’t join the ride they can participate in the post-ride party happening at the Vortex celebrating their 2-year anniversary.

Meet up location: Los Angeles Historic State Park (aka “Not a Cornfield”)

Meet-Up Time: 6:00 p.m.

Ride-Out Time: 7:00

Ovarian Psycos Bicycle Brigade website, click here.

Dodgertown Ride

For a full copy of the Dodgertown Bike Ride, click on the image.

Working closely with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Eastside Bike Club presents the “Dodgertown Bike Ride.”  ESBC has secured a couple of sections at Dodger Stadium for all cyclist and their families through a Group ticket sales. Please purchase tickets here.

The event starts with a Bike Rally at 3 p.m. The rally features a best decorated “LA Dodger Fan and Bike” theme. Participants are encouraged to wear Dodger attire and decorate their bikes. A Bike Parade (ala Soul Train Line), with prizes being awarded for best decorated bikes and riders. Music, raffles, health and bike related resources will also be present.

Take me out to the ball game” will be sung by participants just before departing to the stadium.

When: Rally starts at 3 p.m. Ride to the stadium starts at 4:30 p.m. Game Starts at 6:10 p.m.

Where: The rally and ride starts at El Arca (Next to Lincoln Park) 3839 Selig Place Lincoln Heights CA 90031

A farmers market opening in Boyle Heights, supporting street vendor campaign to sell legally on the street

Caridad Vasquez serves pozole to customers earlier this year at a street vendor fundraiser. Vasquez and other vendors with roots from the former Breed Street market will be at this Saturday's El Mercado del Pueblo, or farmers market. Photo from Eastsiderwriter.com

The Boyle Heights non-profit East LA Community Corporation (ELACC) and Los Angeles City Councilmember Jose Huizar are celebrating the grand opening of El Mercado del Pueblo,a one-stop evening farmers’ market with crafts, produce, hot food, and live music. The market will include local street food vendors offering their delicious foods including tamales, tortas, crepes, and other crafty treats. The market kicks off on Saturday, September 1 and that will take place every Saturday.

When: Saturday, September 1, 2012 from 5pm-10pm.  Every Saturday thereafter

Where: 2510 E. 6^th Street, Los Angeles 90023 (Corner of 6^th St and Mathews St.)

Click here for a flyer of the event.

More than 20 cyclists rode on August 12, 2012 through the 1st Street corridor in Boyle Heights to learn how to install bike racks in their neighborhood. Organizers from City of Lights got down to specific details like the distance needed between a rack and certain infrastructure like parking meters, and how to speak to business owners when trying to convince them to have one in front of their establishment.

“We’re pretty much doing half of the job, by going out in the community,” said Andy Rodriguez, co-founder of City of Lights/Multicultural Communities for Mobility.

Miguel Ramos, a City of Lights organizer, said that the the group, with help from co-hosts Ovarian-Psycos Bicycle Brigade, surveyed the 1st Street corridor because he wanted to show that even when bike lanes are installed, convenient bike parking is usually absent. Los Angeles Department of Transportation, which paints the bike lanes and racks, does not install racks in conjunction with the lanes.

The last time City of Lights organized an event like this, they installed 73 bike racks throughout Koreatown, Pico Union, Westlake/MacArthur Park. While the Boyle Heights Rack City Ride was mainly informational, Rodriguez said that City of Lights will base their next step on the organizers input.

Click here to check out a photo gallery from the Rack City Ride.

The Ovarian-Psyco Bicycle Brigade Luna Ride for May. The women ride out Saturday evening from Proyecto Jardin in Boyle Heights. Photo from Ovarian-Psycos Facebook page

Cinco de Mayo is often celebrated in bars, with people donning red, green and white apparel, and drinking tequila. While people miss out the meaning of Cinco de Mayo – the Battle of Puebla anyone?- the best party this Cinco de Mayo can be found tomorrow night on a bike, and looking up at the sky.

The Ovarian-Psycos Bicycle Brigade, an all-women bicycle collective with Eastside roots, are having  their monthly Luna Ride, or Full Moon ride, tomorrow night in one of the most exciting environments for the year. Tomorrow’s women-only ride will also have one of the largest full moons of the year.

The group will start gathering at 5 P.M. at Proyecto Jardin, a community garden in Boyle Heights, and will ride out at 5:30 to City Terrace to the Coyolxauhqui Statue, a memorial to the Aztec Moon Goddess. Proyecto Jardin will also have a  salsa contest before the ride that is open to the public.

Tomorrow’s super moon will appear to look 14% larger and 30% brighter than other full moons in 2012. The super moon will reach perigee, or the point it gets closest to the earth in its elliptical path, at 8:34 pm.

The Ovarian-Psycos are an all-women bicycle group that advocate for increasing women-ridership, but also increase social awareness on issues surrounding women. The Ovarian-Psycos have had Luna rides since their inception. The ride shows how women’s menstrual cycles have connection to the moon cycle. This is an all-women ride, and it is open to bicyclists of all skill level. Read more…

Hollenbeck Park at the eastern end of CicLAvia is one of the hottest spots on the map, but there are a lot of great CicLAvia activities on the Eastside.

Though Hollenbeck Park is the jumping off point for many people in the Eastside to experience CicLavia, there are organized bike rides starting out on the eastside, and parties in the street itself, and intersections that will be teeming with activities both on and off the route. At the park itself, CicLAvia has a merchandise booth  and REI Los Angles hosts a rocking climbing wall.  Whether starting at the park, joining a group ride, or just planning a day in the sun by yourself, the eastside has a lot to offer.  Check it out:

Building Healthy Communities, Boyle Heights Ride and Party

Building Healthy Communities, Boyle Heights, hosts a youth ride that starts at 11:30 A.M. at the Weingart East YMCA at 2900 Whittier Boulevard. Families, youth, and members from Jovenes Inc., Inner City Struggle, Legacy LA, and Hollenbeck Police Activity League will all join the BHCBH contingent.  The group will ride at a leisurely pace throughout the route, said Eric Hubbard, development director for Jovenes Inc.

The group plans to arrive at Hollenbeck Park between noon and 12:15 P.M. before they ride CicLAvia. Last year, more than 45 people rode with this group for CicLAvia, Hubbard said. Adult supervisors will be riding throughout the event coordinating the group, making sure everyone is safe and the groups stays together. “We’re trying to come together for the Boyle Heights Community,” said Hubbard.  The group will ride until 3 P.M., and then return to the YMCA, where there will be a free quesadillas, chalking activities in the parking lot, and other community building activities.

A father and his son cross the 4th Street bridge into Downtown Los Angeles. The 4th Street bridge provides one of the best views of downtown and is active the day of the event with mobile photo booths that will be around the bridge. Photo: Misneighbors.com

Ovarian-Pscyo Bicycle Brigade adopts the  4^th Street and Boyle Avenue intersection, offers free silk screening

Just hosting an intersection to manage the traffic of bicycles and pedestrians isn’t enough for the Oviarian-Psyco Bicycle Brigade.  Ova core member Cinthia Garcia desinged an Ovarian-Psycos/Boyle Heights/CicLAvia image that will be silk screened at the intersection the group adopted for CicLAvia, 4th Street and Boyle Avenue.  They will be playing music from a PA system, one of the members Xela de la X might perform her works of underground hip-hop. CicLAvia also provides a great opportunity to promote their all-female styled Critical Mass ride called Clitoral Mass.

DREAM Riders Contingent

Some of the DREAM riders that organized the DREAM Ride from Orange County to Los Angeles in February will meet at 10 A.M. at Hollenbeck Park to ride CicLAvia. This group has ridden in past CicLAvias to and show the connection the immigrant community has with cycling and exemplify the people that could be affected by the DREAM Act, a federal law that would allow undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship. The DREAM Riders have donned lucha libre masks, and installed PVC pipes on the back of their bikes with flags hanging off the poles with messages like “Sin Papers, y ke?” or “No papers, and what?” One of the groups founders and local resident Erick Huerta said he will be projecting music, specifically cumbia, from his backpack, and clanging his cowbell during the ride.

213 FB Hikers Ride

Blogger and DREAM activist Erick Huerta rides out at last April's CicLAvia with the the DREAM Act contingent. The group will be riding out at 10 am from Hollenbeck Park. Photo by Rafael Cardenas (Eastsiderwriter.com)

The 213 FB hikers, a recreational hiking group that focuses on wellness and healthy living, will be meeting at 9 A.M. at Metro Auto Service, on the Corner of 1^st Street and State Street. The group, a majority of which are from Boyle Heights, plans to ride to Los Angeles City College, and then to the South Los Angeles hub. The 213 FB Hikers started in July as a hiking group that explores Griffith Park every Tuesday night at 7 P.M. and Saturday morning at 7:15 A.M. To learn more about the group click here.

4^st Street bridge

It’s one of the main arteries that connects downtown Los Angeles to Boyle Heights and it provides one of the best views of Downtown. A mobile photo booth will be at the bridge taking profile photos of bicyclists and pedestrians.

1^st street bike lane/Mariachi Plaza/Mariachi Festival

Though the CicLAvia route wasn’t able to extend to Mariachi Plaza at 1^st Street, the adventurous pedestrian can head north on Boyle Avenue to check out the only other green striped bike lane in Los Angeles. The 21st annual Mariachi Festival will be going on at Mariachi Plaza from 11 A.M.-4 P.M. Cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz will serve as the master of ceremonies. Down the block, Primera Taza Coffee House will offer free conchita sweet bread with a purchase of a coffee. There are many restaurants that can be found on 1st Street, such as Placita del D.F. restaurant, where Huerta recommends the cemita and aguas frescas.

CORRECTION: The original post stated incorrectly that the Ovarian-Pscyos/CicLAvia/Boyle Heights shirts would be silkscreened for free. The Ovarian-Psycos will be taking donations for silkscreening.

Mechanics and Boyle Heights residents worked on their bikes at Saturday's ResuWRENCHion at Proyecto Jardin, hosted by the Ovarian-Psycos Bicycle Brigade. Photo by Kris Fortin

When Rey Veitia works on people’s bicycles at Bici Libre, he’s used to the sounds of traffic outside the co-op.  Volunteering at last Saturday’s ResuWRENCHion at Proyecto Jardin in Boyle Heights was a nice change of pace.  The car horns of Downtown Los Angeles were replaced by the sounds of children laughing and bouncing a ball at each other.  Veitia compared the atmosphere to a backyard barbecue.  ”I’m just waiting for the drunk uncle to get into a fight,” Veitia said.

The Ovarian Psycos Bicycle Brigade hosted a bicycle repair workshop at Proyecto Jardin in Boyle Heights in preparation for this Sunday’s CicLAvia. The event, which ran from 12-6 P.M., gave nearby residents, and specifically youth, a chance to fix their bicycles. The Ovas also wanted to find youth that didn’t own bicycles or helmets and get them ones.

By all accounts, the event was a rousing success.

While this isn’t the first time the group has put on a bicycle workshop, it is the first time they have had so many organizations working with them. Building Healthy Communities, Boyle Heights, a program of the California Endowment, gave $500 to the Ovarian-Psycos to purchase bicycle parts to be used to help the Boyle Heights community, specifically the youth.  The Flying Pigeon Bike Shop sold the Ovarian-Pscyos bike equipment, tools, and parts on discount, and donated Flying Pigeon t-shirts. Mechanics from the Bike Oven and Bici Libre came to help and teach people how to fix their bicycle.  Food Not Bombs, guerrilla chapter, prepared lunch, and Proyecto Jardin, a community garden behind White Memorial Hospital, opened its space for people to work on their bicycles.

“It basically shocked us,” said Ovarian-Psyco member Magally Miranda about putting on an event with this much involvement. “It showed us we really have the potential to pull it off.” Read more…