Equiticity Launches Sustainable Mobility Hub in North Lawndale, Chicago

Equiticity, an organisation focused on promoting community connection through movement and wellness, has launched a new sustainable mobility headquarters, the Go Hub, in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighbourhood. The initiative, celebrated through a community bike ride, aims to provide residents with low-cost access to a range of electric mobility devices and related services.

Community Mobility Rituals

The Go Hub is situated at 2107 to 2111 S. Pulaski Rd., near the Pink Line’s Pulaski Station, a location chosen for its accessibility. The hub will offer community members access to multimodal devices such as e-bikes, e-cargo bikes, and scooters, as well as electric vehicles, at little to no cost. This initiative directly addresses a gap in reliable and affordable transportation options for many North Lawndale residents.

The launch was marked by “The North Lawndale Ride,” an event designed to bring together families, neighbours, and community members. This was the second such ride hosted by Equiticity in recent months. Daphne Sagille, Equiticity Community Mobility Rituals Lead, explained that while the routes might have been similar to previous rides, this particular event was focused on celebrating the winners of Equiticity’s April bike giveaway and their families.

“We’ve always done bike rides in and throughout Lawndale,” said Remel Terry, Equiticity Interim Senior Director of Impact. “When we’re doing our [Community Mobility Rituals] season, we partner with Boxing Out Negativity, where we do a Friday night ride, and that sometimes stays within Lawndale, but then we may go downtown or different areas or different adjacent neighborhoods. So that wasn’t our first time, but it is definitely something that’s near and dear to us, because this is where Equaticity was founded, and it’s really important to highlight the beauty and assets, and to really convene community.”

The ride commenced at Monday Coffee Co. at 3243 W. 16th St., traversing significant landmarks within North Lawndale. Many participants utilized complimentary Divvy bike-share cycles. The route included stops at Douglas Park, Mason Elementary, Unity Park, and historic areas such as 16th Street and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Apartments.

Addressing Transportation Gaps

The Go Hub is envisioned as a comprehensive mobility solution. Beyond device access, it will feature vehicle charging stations and repair services. A key component of the Go Hub’s mission is workforce development, aiming to equip residents with skills related to sustainable transportation.

“The Go Hub is a mobility hub that allows for access to multimodal devices for community members in Lawndale,” Terry stated during the ride. “E-bikes, e-cargo bikes, scooters, as well as electric vehicles at low to no cost. We are working collaboratively with Divvy, and they’ve been a lot better in terms of pricing, but we know that field does not cover many of those community members who need access to reliable transportation. And so we’re doing the work to solve that.”

The proximity of the Go Hub to the Pulaski ‘L’ station is expected to enhance convenience for residents checking out and returning borrowed vehicles.

Community Presence and Wellness

Sagille emphasised the broader impact of such events. “The most important thing is presence,” she remarked. “It’s not even about the bike ride, it’s about those that see the bike ride and they feel encouraged to bring positivity to the neighborhood itself. I find that people get excited to see bicyclists, especially bicyclists of color. They’re honking, they’re excited, they’re asking how to join. They want to see this more in the neighborhood, so it’s more about having a positive presence.”

Participants shared positive feedback on the ride’s impact on their well-being. Lawndale resident Unique Nelson noted the benefits of cycling for mental health, echoing her doctor’s advice to engage in outdoor activities and social connections. “It was beautiful,” Nelson said of the experience. “I didn’t know much about the actual community prior to today, so it was very informational, very educational. I didn’t know they were gonna build a Go Hub, and that was pretty cool. I got to hear some historical facts about Martin Luther King and things like that.”

Dwight Reed, father of Equiticity’s president and CEO Olatunji Oboi Reed, participated to support the organisation. Travelling from the South Side’s Chatham, he found the ride through North Lawndale to be a positive experience. “The bike ride draws people to North Lawndale, and probably gives them a bigger picture of what’s going on in North Lawndale,” Reed observed. “Even though I’m from South Side Chatham, at least I’m familiar with North Lawndale. I know exactly what the struggles are of the people that live in North Lawndale, and the struggles in North Lawndale are no different from the struggles in Chatham or Woodlawn, or Bronzeville. It’s the same struggle, it’s the same battle, it’s the same war. So it just shows that there’s a connection here, and everybody needs to be in support of each other in terms of what they need.”

Future Rides

Equiticity plans to host future bike rides in Humboldt Park and at 75th Street and Stoney Island Avenue in South Shore. Further details on these upcoming events can be found on the Equiticity website.

Key facts

The establishment of the Go Hub signifies a significant step towards improving transportation equity in North Lawndale. By providing accessible and affordable sustainable mobility options, Equiticity aims to enhance residents’ quality of life, promote wellness, and foster a stronger sense of community connection. The initiative also highlights the importance of integrating mobility hubs with public transport infrastructure, as seen with its proximity to the Pulaski ‘L’ station.

Source: Streetsblog Chicago – https://chi.streetsblog.org/2026/06/29/equiticitys-north-lawndale-ride-highlighted-neighborhood-landmarks-and-the-future-go-hub-sustainable-mobility-headquarters