Black Girls Ride group led by 'motorcycling grandma' passes through Houston

Pooja Lodhia Image
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Black Girls Ride begin journey to New Orleans for Essence Fest
Watch out! There will be a lot of girl power passing through Texas highways this holiday weekend.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- There will be a lot of girl power passing through Texas highways this holiday weekend.

A group of women will be riding their motorcycles from Houston to New Orleans on Thursday as part of "Black Girls Ride," a nationwide movement to encourage more minority women to ride motorcycles.

"I was 50 years old when I started riding, and once I rode, I just started enjoying it," said a member. "I just really love it, and I have a passion for it."

The group, mostly comprised of mothers and grandmothers, is traveling to New Orleans for this year's Essence Fest, a music festival that celebrates African American music.

They'll be joining 200 other women on bikes and will be traveling to three additional states.

"(People) are surprised that a group of women, so large, and we're growing constantly, we don't fear just getting out there by ourselves," said one of the group's leaders Jaquelin Branch, also known as 'Fiesty.'

To follow their journey, visit their website at www.blackgirlsride.com.

RELATED: AAA Texas says more people plan on hitting the road for 4th of July holiday than last year

In Houston, traffic is expected to be three times busier than usual between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on 4th of July.

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