May 21-27 is Cycling4Diversity Week in B.C. and organizer Ken Herar is planning a big finale in Mission.
Herar, the founder of the event, is planning to close this year’s ride with a celebration at the Mission Leisure Centre.
On May 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. the public is invited to come to the leisure centre and celebrate diversity.
This year marks the sixth time the ride has taken place and in that time, riders have visited more than 125 schools.
“We are riding May 25-26, starting in Burnaby and we’re finishing in Mission,” said Herar, adding that the final celebration will feature food, guest speakers and more.
Herar said the event is designed to raise awareness and promote discussions about diversity.
“There’s large cultural gaps that we have… it’s not just about our South Asian community, it’s other communities as well. And we need to build those bridges. We are talking about diversity but we aren’t really practicing it,” said Herar.
He said there are three things he defines diversity with – GED.
“Gentle, equal and balances. If you can do those three things you’ll practice diversity.”
There are several guest speakers scheduled for the Mission finale – including Kal Dosanjh of the Vancouver Police, Mike Bismeyer who will speak on behalf of United Against Bullying and Kristine Heinrichs who recently placed coloured rice bags on Abbotsford driveways in an attempt to counteract recent KKK activities – but the main speaker is former white supremacist Tony McAleer.
A former organizer for the White Aryan Resistance (WAR), McAleer served as a skinhead recruiter, proprietor of Canadian Liberty Net (a computer operated voice messaging center), and manager of the racist rock band, Odin’s Law.
After the birth of his two children, he began a journey of de-radicalization, self discovery, and transformation that he shares as a inspirational speaker.