On February 16, the Española Lowrider Bike Club will be showcasing a dozen teenagers' customized bikes at their exhibition opening reception at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art in Santa Fe. The club, which operates out of the Española YMCA Teen Center, provides at-risk teenagers with the opportunity to build and customize their bikes under the guidance of skilled teachers and mentors from the Española lowrider community.
The Española Lowrider Bike Club is the second of its kind in New Mexico, thanks to funding from the Drug Enforcement El Paso Division through their Operation Engage initiative. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between public health and public safety in addressing the drug epidemic through prevention strategies like lowrider bike clubs. Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA's El Paso Division, expressed pride in the agency's involvement, stating, "DEA provided the seed money to get it started, but we need the community to water that seed and make it into a sustainable program."
The success of the lowrider bike clubs in New Mexico can be attributed to the seed funding available through DEA's Operation Engage initiative. These clubs have garnered significant community interest and have become a valuable mentorship opportunity for at-risk teens. Albuquerque City Councilor Klarissa Peña, who was instrumental in launching the Duke City Leadership Lowrider Bike Club in Albuquerque, expressed gratitude for the DEA's support and excitement for the expansion of these clubs. She stated, "We are excited to see that Española is creating these same opportunities for their youth and that their community is engaged in the club."
The growth of the lowrider bike club movement extends beyond New Mexico. Councilor Peña's office has been convening a national network of communities that celebrate lowrider culture through youth programming and legislative action. Olathe, KS, a community that pioneered the mentorship-based lowrider bike club model, has supported Albuquerque and Española in launching their own chapters. Erik Erazo, the Executive Director of Student & Community Engagement at Olathe Public Schools and founder of the Leadership Lowrider Bike Club, expressed pride in the success of these chapters, stating, "I love seeing our Bike Club family grow."
The Española Lowrider Bike Club has been active since last Spring, and the upcoming exhibition at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art will be the teenagers' first opportunity to showcase their hard work. The development of the club has been a collaborative effort involving various organizations such as Hands Across Cultures, the Española Lowrider Museum Coalition, Connecting Our Voices, and the Española YMCA Teen Center. Diego Lopez, the Executive Director of Hands Across Cultures, emphasized the positive impact of this community-driven project, stating, "We were able to form positive relationships and build resiliency through this project. La Cultura Cura."
The opening reception of the Española Lowrider Bike Club exhibition at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art will be held on February 16. The event will have a preview for members of the Spanish Colonial Arts Society from 4:30-5 p.m. and will later be open to the public from 5-6:30 p.m. This exhibition is a testament to the dedication and creativity of these at-risk teenagers and the support they have received from the community and organizations like the DEA's Operation Engage program.
