Basementeer Spotlight: Bahati Foundation

Provided by the Bahati Foundation
 

The Bahati Foundation is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit dedicated to providing underrepresented youth access to cycling — both noncompetitive and competitive — with the resources and support to succeed on and off the bike. Founded in 2010 by 10-time USA National Champion Rahsaan Bahati, we have spent 15+ years serving communities across Compton, Long Beach, the South Bay, and cities nationwide. Through programs that champion Play Equity and youth leadership, we're building the next generation of cyclists and community champions.
 

Who we are

The Bahati Foundation was founded in 2010 by Rahsaan Bahati, a Compton native and 10-time USA National Cycling Champion, on a simple but powerful belief: cycling can change a young person's life. What began in Los Angeles has grown into a national movement, reaching youth in Compton, Long Beach, the South Bay, New York/Harlem, Indianapolis, and Africa.
 

Our mission & Play Equity framework

The Bahati Foundation's mission is to provide underrepresented youth access to noncompetitive and competitive cycling with resources and support, allowing success on and off the bike.

We operate through a Play Equity lens, the belief that every child deserves equal access to sport and structured play, regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic status. For us, the bike is a tool for transformation.

Key programs

B Smart Student Cycle Club — Our flagship 12-week school program introduces youth to cycling fundamentals, team leadership, and healthy movement. One participant, Raymundo, came in shy and struggling — 12 weeks later, he was leading rides, had ridden 10 miles through Downtown LA, and joined his high school's football and basketball teams.

Annual Motion Equals Healthy Bike Fest — Our multi-city bike festival brings free bikes, community rides, bike safety clinics, and youth activations to Los Angeles, Harlem (NY), Atlanta, Indianapolis, and Tucson. 

Bahati Unpaved — In its fourth year, Bahati Unpaved connects inner-city youth with cycling out of urban environments, such as the annual SBT GRVL in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and Sea Otter in Monterey, California. Youth field experiences that expand what cycling looks like and who it belongs to, connecting culture, identity, and off-road adventure.

African Cycling Initiative & Road to LA28 — A pipeline program building the next generation of Olympic-caliber cyclists from underrepresented communities, and our African Cycling Initiative (ACI) outreach program in Ghana, Senegal, and Lesotho, with an eye on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
 

Recent Impact

In 2025, the Bahati Foundation delivered high-impact cycling programs across California engaging youth and families through school clinics, community rides, and our Motion Equals Healthy initiative:

• 1,179+ Youth Participants  
• Hands-on Bike Education & Safety Training
• Skills Clinics & Confidence-Building Sessions
• Community Fun Rides & Bike Giveaways
• After-School Student Cycling Clubs

The cycling world is one of the least diverse sports communities in America. Rahsaan built the Bahati Foundation to change that one youth, one ride, one city at a time. When a kid from Compton gets on a bike and finds their power, the whole community wins.