

This Woman Is On A Mission To Be The First Black Female Pro Cyclist
Health and wellness doesn't only exist in yoga and breathing circles. Ayesha McGowan is bringing the power of health and wellness for black women to competitive sports.
Ayesha McGowan is cycling her way to history as she sets out to become the first black woman cyclist. Where there is a gap, there is a need to be filled. Growing up, Ayesha was in awe of women in sports such as Serena Williams and Jackie Joyner-Kersee. However, Ayesha noticed the lack of representation in cycling. Looking around, she only saw white males racing in the spot.
A Quick Brown Fox
Since, she has made it her goal to become her own inspirational figure and pave the way for other black women in cycling. In an interview with ESPN W, Ayesha said:
"To me, pro cycling was the Tour de France. White males, a very limiting image that keeps those who would be interested in the sport to a very small pool of humans. For me, it was about access and representation. I didn't know it was a thing."
Initially, Ayesha was into running, but after a few issues with her knees, she took up riding a bike. During her time living in New York, she received her first taste of bike racing. Four years after her curiosity came into play, she ventured into road racing. With any goal we are trying to accomplish, the act of immersing ourselves into it until it becomes second nature is nothing new. Ayesha wanted to learn everything about the sport, so she signed up for every clinic she could.
A Quick Brown Fox
"I wanted to understand how things worked. I started training with others and riding with friends whenever possible. I set out to find a female African-American pro, and there weren't any. I wanted to know why there weren't any, and also, whether I might become the first."
So far throughout her career the Atlanta-based music school teacher has done well for herself; so much so that she has been finishing in single-number digits in races in the Netherlands and in California. She is currently racing independently, but actively looking for the right team to join when it's time. For women in cycling, there is little to no funding or sponsorship support. But Ayesha's positivity seems to keep her focused on the goal and looking forward.
A Quick Brown Fox
"There aren't many women finding new contracts right now. I got close this year, but it didn't work out in the end. It will take time, but I'm OK with earning my spot. I just have to go for it and tell myself I can do it."
In a space where women, especially black women, are underrepresented, Ayesha is making a way for others to find spaces for wellness, health, and keeping their fitness in tact. On her website, titled Quick Brown Fox, Ayesha dedicates a segment of her website to other Black women cyclists.
A Quick Brown Fox
"Quick Brown Foxes" is a compilation of other women's stories about their journey with the competitive sport. It brings awareness to the unsung go-getters in such an overlooked sport. Ayesha's leadership to open doors for other women of color to get into a heavily white-male dominated sport is an example of making a way for black girl magic to prosper everywhere.
"My biggest mission is representation. I want to see an expansion of how we see ourselves. If I can present the image of an African-American pro bike racer, then I can open the doors for others to do it, too."
For more information on Ayesha, follow A Quick Brown Fox, and keep up with her cycling journey on Instagram.
- A Quick Brown Fox ›
- Ayesha McGowan (@ayesuppose) | Twitter ›
- Meet Ayesha McGowan, A Quick Brown Fox. ›
- Ayesha McGowan #CantStop Chasing History | Oakley - One ... ›
- Ayesha McGowan: 'I Want to be the First Female ... ›
- Can Ayesha McGowan Become America's First Black Woman Pro ... ›
- Ayesha McGowan plans to be the first African-American female pro ... ›
- Ayesha Mcgowan's Race History at road-results.com ›
Olivia Jade is a writer and creative engineer, intersecting wellness, culture, womanism, and self-development. She waters the flowers in her mind so others can recognize their own internal garden. Link up: @akaoliviajade (Twitter and IG) oliviajade.co
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Blac Chyna Opens Up About Her Initial Fear To Share Her Spiritual Journey With Others
Watching Angela “Blac Chyna” White’s transformation in real-time has truly been a sight to see. It wasn’t that long ago that she announced that she was reversing her cosmetic surgeries in an effort to go back to who she was before the world came to know her as Blac Chyna. In previous interviews, she stated that she was dissolving her facial and lip fillers, removing her breast implants, and getting a butt reduction, as well as removing the dimple piercings that enhanced her fame and controversial tattoos.
In a recent Tamron Hall interview, the mother of two said that she has “fully recovered” from the procedures. She is also celebrating one year of sobriety and opened up about being worried about how her new journey would be received by others.
“I’ve been in the entertainment industry for so long, right, and of course, like, you know, coming out, I’m like young, I’m gonna do wild things as we all have,” she said.
“...I feel like by me being vocal and showing everybody you can change your life and things can get better, like through myself, that right there is an accomplishment, and that’s a part of freedom, too.”
But as she started on her journey, many people have shown her grace, which is something she’s grateful for. “And then the fact that people have been showing me grace, it’s like amazing,” she said. “And I feel like when I did it, I just did it. It was more so like spiritual thing and I feel like people see that, and I’ve always been like my authentic self, so what you see is kinda what you get with me, and that’s just kinda what it is.”
Chyna, who recently received an honorary doctorate from Sacramento Theology Seminary and Bible College, has also repaired her relationship with her mom, Tokyo Toni. The social media celebrity surprised her daughter on the Tamron Hall Show. Prior to the sentimental surprise, Chyna dished on the reconciliation and having a better understanding of her mom.
“I must say, some of the things I have to take accountability for because, like my actions. As a mother, you don’t want to see your daughter doing certain things ‘cause it’s like it doesn’t matter what my past was or what we’re going through, I didn’t raise you that way,” she admitted. “So, it’s like, okay, maybe I was a little bit wrong. Maybe I was acting out a little bit. But I feel like as we grow older, I kinda see more, and I understand more.”
Chyna will be starring in season two of Fox's reality competition show Special Forces: World's Toughest Test.
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Feature image by Kevin Winter/Getty Images