Skilled BMX athlete and Queens native Nigel Sylvester continues to make an enduring affect off the bike by his philanthropic group, The Nigel Sylvester Basis. In celebration of Nationwide Bike Month, the inspiration hosted a sequence of dynamic, community-focused occasions all through Might, aimed toward empowering and uplifting youth in underserved neighborhoods.
Among the many standout initiatives was the second annual CycleBar Spin Class Fundraiser held Might 3 in Flatiron, adopted by the Brick by Brick on-line raffle on Might 5. However the coronary heart of the month’s efforts got here by the inspiration’s signature “Bike a Day in Might” giveaway, which returned on Might 16 on the YMCA in Jamaica, Queens — a spot deeply related to Sylvester’s upbringing.
Launched in 2021, “Bike a Day in Might” honors younger individuals who display resilience, constructive conduct, and a robust sense of group. Every day in Might, a youth is chosen to obtain a brand-new bike, with all bicycles and kit generously donated by Hyper and New Period.
“We consider mobility equals alternative,” mentioned Tasia McLeod of the Nigel Sylvester Basis. “Giving a toddler a motorcycle is greater than a present — it’s a software for freedom, confidence, and self-expression.”
The inaugural YMCA occasion featured remarks from Queens Councilwoman Nantasha Williams, Jamaica YMCA Govt Director Cedric Dew, and Sylvester himself, who personally offered bikes, duffel luggage, and hats to 31 native college students between the ages of 5 and 17.
On Might 20, the generosity continued as Sylvester returned to his former elementary college, PS 132, the place he and Principal Dex Baptiste gifted Jordan Model merchandise to 50 graduating fifth-grade college students. The occasion served as a celebration of educational achievement and the scholars’ transition to center college.
“I used to be as soon as a type of children sitting in that auditorium,” Sylvester shared. “To come back again and pour into the following technology from the identical neighborhood I got here from means the whole lot to me.”
Via grassroots engagement and constant funding in youth, Sylvester and his basis proceed to champion empowerment, training, and alternative — one bike, one pupil, and one neighborhood at a time.
