Black History Month: Interview with Road Cyclist Ayesha McGowan from Episode 49

This week, to send off Black History Month in style, we will be re-releasing an interview each day highlighting a Black person we’ve had on Burn It All Down in the past whose words and actions still resonate with us all.

Back in April 2018, Shireen interviewed road cyclist Ayesha McGowan. At the time, McGowan was working toward becoming the first female African American pro cyclist in the US. They talk about that journey, about how activism and involvement in community engagement turned into racing, and about what we can all do to support diversity in road cycling. I’m pleased to say today — and you might have caught this during a Bad Ass Woman of the Week segment earlier this year — McGowan signed a contract in January with Liv Cycling making her a professional road cyclist.

If you’d like to hear more interviews with Black athletes, check out our Guests list on our website: www.burnitalldownpod.com. We’ve talked to a bunch of hoopers including Bilqis Adbul-Qaadir, Essence Carson, Layshia Clarendon, Shakyla Hill, Kelsey Bone, Monique Billings; footballers Eni Aluko and Nicole McClure; legendary Olympic sprinter Wyomia Tyus; softball superstar AJ Andrews and baseball’s Malaika Underwood; hammer thrower Gwen Berry; speed skater Erin Jackson; and volleyball player Simone Lee. That’s not even close to all of them but it gives you a taste of the many Black athletes who have come on the show.