May is Motorcycle Awareness Month
To kickstart Motorcycle Awareness Month World of Soul Motorcycle Community will host its first event of the riding season on Saturday, May 12th at 9300 S. Lafayette, next to the Dan Ryan Expressway. The World of Soul Motorcycle Community Bike Blessing will take place in the street where motorcyclists and community will come together. The event will center around awareness, education, motorcycle safety, training and spiritual encouragement for a safe riding season.
There will be information on how the motorcycle community can be a blessing to the community while supporting Chicago’s youth.
About Terry Hardy, World of Soul Motorcycle Community CEO
Motorcycling is about fun, adventure, excitement and freedom. However, there's another side of motorcycling that takes away from the fun and the freedom that motorcyclists expect when they spend 15, 20 or even $30,000 or more for a brand new Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
One rider in particular Terry Hardy of World of Soul Motorcycle Community has been working to transform the image of motorcycling and make a way for like-minded riders to have an outlet to enjoy motorcycling safely while giving back to the community in a positive way.
Since 2008, Hardy has managed World of Soul Motorcycle Community, a social network of 9,600 riders and clubs. He established the network when he was a member of a motorcycle club. After leaving the club, he continued to move forward the network to add value to the urban motorcycle experience by creating events that cater to the unique needs of African-American riders. Hardy soon discovered his approach had a universal appeal attracting attention and support representing the diversity of motorcycling. The network members are currently transitioning into World of Soul Motorcyclist Association.
It was his event Ride for CHANGE Ride for HOPE that captivated a national audience at the tail end of the 2008 Barack Obama campaign and during a time when the group helped raise one hundred thousand dollars for the construction of the National Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Hardy says the CHANGE & HOPE event highlights historical people, places and events that tell a story about America's history that says despite our challenges we've always found ways to move the nation forward.
As the head of a national group, Hardy has met his fair share of challenges, including being assaulted by an outlaw motorcycle club over a club vest. “Even though my work evolves around the subject of social and cultural reconciliation it did not prevent me from being subjected to the violence that exist in the motorcycle community culture. In fact, if I knew back then when I purchased a motorcycle, what I know now – I would have left that bike on the showroom floor.”
World of Soul Motorcycle Community Gives Back to Community
Motorcycle riders just like America's youth need alternatives that showcase their full potential and for this reason it's important that initiatives like the ones being brought forward by World of Soul Motorcycle Community exist. “One of the things we’re working on is encouraging the motorcycle community to elevate its charitable approach to education from giving away book bags to producing college fairs, tours and scholarships.”
It is a great way for the motorcycle community to focus on young people while also examining itself. “The images we project on our young people are critical in helping them to appreciate what is acceptable and what is not.”
World of Soul Motorcycle Community Partners with HBCUs
Hardy envisions creating enough synergy and support that will culminate with 20-30 tour buses filled with Chicago area students departing Chicago in route to historically black colleges and universities. “It’s a paradigm shift on the perceived value of education that we are looking to project with the motorcade. Increasing the value of education conversation at the lowest levels is important if we're going to see any real change in our communities.”
World of Soul Motorcycle Community Bike Blessing presented by World of Soul Premium Coffee is made possible with the support of World of Soul Motorcyclist Association, Law Tigers, America’s Motorcycle Attorneys, Bunn-O-Matic Corporation, City Colleges of Chicago, Illinois Department of Transportation and City of Chicago’s 21st Ward Alderman Honorable Howard Brookins, Jr., City Council’s Chairman of the Education and Child Development Committee.
About World of Soul Motorcycle Community
More information about World of Soul Motorcycle Community is available at www.worldofsoulmc.com and www.rideforchangerideforhope.org or call Terry Hardy directly at 773-220-2602.
