About Us
Founding Story
Riders for Race Amity began long before there were bicycles, routes, or organized rides.
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It began in a home in Minneapolis, Minnesota—where love, diversity, and the oneness of humanity were lived, not just spoken. I grew up with parents who adopted three children from India, and from an early age we were told that because we did not share blood, we were not a “real” family. But we fought to prove otherwise—and in doing so, I learned that family is built through love, commitment, and shared humanity, not biology.
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Our home became a place of refuge and belonging. At any given time, people from around the world lived with us: refugees, youth experiencing homelessness, and people searching for stability and connection. Diversity wasn’t symbolic—it was our daily life.
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One lesson from my mother has never left me. She pointed to a colorful dinner plate and explained that just as our bodies need variety to thrive, our social lives do too. “The more diverse your world,” she told me, “the healthier and wiser you become.” That truth shaped how I see people—and the world.
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As an adult, I entered a society that did not reflect the unity I had known. I saw division, racism, and a resistance to understanding systems of oppression. Conversations about race felt painful and unproductive—until I took a course called Copper to Gold. It taught me how to engage with honesty, humility, and peace, and gave me the tools to confront bias through love rather than anger.
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During that time, a video called 'Black Thoughts' deeply impacted me. After completing the course, I traveled to the Equal Justice Initiative museums, where the history of slavery and racial terrorism—and the enduring spirit of Race Amity—came into sharp focus. You leave knowing the legacy of slavery is not past; it is present. And you leave asking: What role will I play in healing this?
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Riders for Race Amity became part of my answer.
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What started as a small group of adults grew into something much more when youth organically joined and rose into leadership. Their courage and clarity transformed this project into a movement—and reminded us that the next generation is not waiting to build a better world.
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Riders for Race Amity exists to carry forward what I was raised with: the truth that we are one human family—and our liberation is intertwined.
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-Kate Vestlie, Founder, Riders for Race Amity
Race Amity & the Urgency of the Moment
Race Amity is the practice of building real friendships across racial and cultural lines. It is not about blame or guilt — it is about understanding, trust, and shared humanity. It invites us to move beyond silence and assumptions, and toward honest conversation and meaningful connection.
We are living in a time of deep division. Misinformation spreads quickly, voices grow louder, and many people feel increasingly disconnected from one another. This moment calls for more than opinions — it calls for action rooted in relationship.
The work of unity cannot wait. What we practice now shapes the future we are creating together.
This is the moment to choose connection over comfort, listening over judgment, and courage over indifference.
Youth Empowerment
We see young people not as a problem to fix, but as leaders in the making.
At Riders for Race Amity, youth are trusted with real responsibility, supported by caring adults, and encouraged to use their voice. Through dialogue, service, and shared experience, they discover their strength and their power to create change.
We believe in them — until they believe in themselves.
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Read our Youth Vision Statement here.
Oneness of Humanity
