Jackson Heights Cycling Group For Spanish Speakers Wins Grant

JACKSON HEIGHTS, QUEENS — A Jackson Heights group for Spanish-speaking cyclists won a $2,650 grant to help fund their bike-riding events and other projects.

Ciclistas Latinoamericanos won one of 298 grants awarded Tuesday night to volunteer-run community and school improvement projects under the Citizens Committee for New York City's 2019 Neighborhood Grants program.

Claudia Corcino, who founded Ciclistas Latinoamericanos with her husband, said it felt amazing to be a first-time grantee. She plans to spend the grant money on tools to fix bikes, posters and signs for the group's four annual rides, and bike bells for children — prompted partly by a recent report that the NYPD has ticketed cyclists for not having bells.

Corcino started the Jackson Heights-based organization in 2013 to provide Spanish-speaking cyclists with a sense of community and keep them informed about citywide biking events.

"There were not many resources for Spanish speakers," Corcino said of the city's urban cycling scene. "Some people in our neighborhood didn't even know those activities exist, like the Five Boro Bike Tour."

"We tried to be more inclusive," she added.

On Sunday, for example, Ciclistas Latinoamericanos will host a free guided tour in Spanish of the Museum of the City of New York's "Cycling in the City" exhibition.

I am very happy & proud to receive a #NeighborhoodGrants2019 from @CitizensNYC tonight. This #grant means a lot for our #bikeQNS #Community. Our group #CiclistasLatinoamericanosDeNewYork is a first time grantee. Thank you @JHBGNY and @JHBGNuala for your support & sponsorship. pic.twitter.com/lOJKGmkqfG
— Claudia Corcino (@corcinoclaudia) May 15, 2019

Citizens Committee's grant recipients also receive help with project planning and an equipment loan library to support their projects. The organization awarded $665,217 in grants to resident-led groups in nearly 150 neighborhoods across the city.

"The grassroots groups receiving Neighborhood Grants truly represent the best of New York City," Citizens Committee CEO Peter H. Kostmayer said in a statement. "These organizations are doing incredible work to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods across the five boroughs and we are proud to support their efforts."