PORSCHE TAYLOR

HAZEL KOLB

BRIGHTER IMAGE AWARD WINNER PORSCHE TAYLOR

BY JOY BURGESS PHOTOS BY PORSCHE TAYLOR AND BARRY HATHAWAY

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ach year the AMA Board of Directors Awards Program — overseen by the AMA Board of Directors — seeks to honor individuals and organizations who’ve demonstrated uncommon excellence, leadership and dedication in pursuit of the AMA mission: promoting the motorcycle lifestyle and protecting the future of motorcycling. After all, the motorcycling community owes its continued success and growth to the people who choose to make a difference.

The AMA Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award, specifically, acknowledges an individual or organization that’s generated excellent publicity for motorcycling. And for 2021, the Board of Directors chose to honor AMA member Porsche Taylor — the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Black Girls Ride magazine, as well as the founder of the Beautiful Bikers Conference and Black Girls Ride to Essence Festival — with this award.

“Porsche Taylor is an excellent example of an AMA member who made a choice to make a difference in the motorcycling community,” said AMA Board of Directors Chairman Russ Ehnes. “Through her efforts, she’s been a positive voice for motorcycling, promoting the motorcycle lifestyle in a way that’s reached thousands of women in the U.S. and beyond. We’re proud to have her as an AMA member and to present her with the Hazel Kolb Brighter Image award for 2021.”

Winning this prestigious award brought Taylor’s motorcycle story full circle, from an early start with an AMAsanctioned club to being honored by the organization.

“After riding on the back with a cousin,” Taylor told American Motorcyclist, “I knew I was not going to be a passenger. Two weeks later — this was in 2003 — we went to see the movie Biker Boys. The thing that stood out to me was women riding their own bikes.”

She purchased her own bike and started learning to ride. “Eventually, I joined an AMA-sanctioned motorcycle club in Los Angeles — the Steel Horses Motorcycle Club — and they were so instrumental in making me the rider I am today,” she mentioned. “I owe a lot to them… they were influential in teaching me the skill sets I needed to ride.”

After leaving corporate America, Taylor was looking for the next step in her life. “I loved motorcycling and riding,” she told us. “I have a degree in history from UCLA, and I had this idea to work for a motorcycle magazine. But I started researching and there weren’t many magazines to choose from. I also noticed there wasn’t much representation for women of color in motorsports, so instead of complaining I thought I’d just create my own magazine — I have a graphic design and marketing background — and be the change I wanted to see.”

She created Black Girls Ride magazine on Jan. 1, 2011, and celebrated the 10-year anniversary of her successful endeavor in 2021.

“My goal was to showcase women of color who ride in a positive light,” Taylor said, “but Black Girls Ride covers women of all colors…women who want to celebrate the ride. We include women of all different backgrounds, different rides…I like to show that women ride everything! And it’s always been free, offering free information: rider features, product features, reviews, club features, event recaps, and more.”

Over the past 10 years, Taylor’s gone on to create the Beautiful Bikers Conference (the next one will be Nov. 18-21, 2022), featuring educational panels that help women learn to ride outside of their comfort zone, whether that’s long-distance preparation workshops, panels on riding abroad, or do-it-yourself bike maintenance. Taylor also spearheads the Black Girls Ride to Essence Festival every July, their biggest event that works to bring women together.

And after 10 years, Taylor isn’t done with her mission. “I see us continuing to shine a light on women in the sport that are positive images,” she mentioned, “and I think we’re going to start reaching out into other countries. I knew we had a great base in the U.S., but I had no idea how many women in other countries identify with our brand. I think we’re on a good course. I’ve hit the marks I wanted to in the last 10 years, but I can’t wait to see where the road takes us moving forward.”

“I really think my journey’s come full circle,” Taylor said when she found out she was being presented with the AMA Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award. “I’m very honored to even be considered by the AMA for this award. The AMA is such a prestigious riding organization. Some of my heroes like Bessie Stringfield and Erin Sills have been recognized by the AMA in the past, and to be among these great women is such a huge honor.” AMA