When was the last time you rode your bike on a wooded trail?

Think of the wind on your face, and the sound of birds singing overhead. Imagine all the sights and smells of nature all around you. Relive that feeling of pride when you reached the top of a tough hill and the exhilaration of coasting down the other side.

Now imagine the only place you've ever been able to ride your bike is surrounded by the sounds of speeding cars and sirens. You have to dodge trash and broken glass in the street. If you get a flat, you won't be able to ride anymore.

Both are real experiences for kids in the U.S., but only one is desirable. It's the nature gap. 100 million people in our country have never had that first experience, because they don't live close enough to green spaces.

I'm Kris Dantzler, a Detroit native and a proud mother to my son and 2 pups. I'm a city kid turned computer nerd turned bike mechanic. I was one of those 100 million people who didn't have safe, green spaces within a short walk or drive growing up. But I was fortunate to have a family that could expose me to the outdoors. We had to drive 40 minutes to get there, but my mom and grandma made that drive for me every summer.

I realized just how lucky I was to have that experience when I saw the kids I was fostering really experience the outdoors, likely for the first time. I took them hiking, camping, and mountain biking. They didn't want to at first. They were even a bit scared of the outdoors--just like I was until my early 30s. But we kept conquering our fears together, and became outdoor enthusiasts. These kids learned new skills, got fresh air, gained confidence, and experienced the wonder and tranquility of nature.

Aside from the outdoors just being fun, research shows it greatly impacts your mental, physical and spiritual health.

Michelle Kondo, a research social scientist with the USDA Forest Service said "patient diagnoses and chronic illness risk are too often related to where an individual lives and their proximity to green spaces." Due to generations of systemic and institutional oppression, this problem disproportionately affects Black, Hispanic and Native American children.

There are organizations trying to help. I volunteer with some to provide bikes to kids who have no other means of getting one. But, the used bikes that are collected always need repairs sooner than later.

If a kid in Detroit does have a bike, then the next obstacle they face are unsafe roads. Drivers regularly race through neighborhoods. Bike lanes are hard to find and if you do have access to one, drivers don't respect them--just like the speed limits.

While part of Detroit has experienced a renaissance, too many Black, Native and Hispanic families have been left behind. Crime is still high. Poverty is still high. We still face food deserts and have to worry about abandoned, dilapidated buildings. It's not a fun, beautiful or even safe place for many of these historically underserved kids to play and grow.

I want to change that.

My solution is to:

1. Teach kids about bike safety, how to ride and as a certified bike mechanic, I will teach them how to fix their bikes

2. Provide them with a helmet and basic tool kit so they can keep learning and keep riding

3. Coordinate with local youth programs to get kids from Detroit, and foster kids throughout Southeast Michigan out of the city and onto fun, safe bike trails

4. Provide water, healthy snacks, a helmet and a well-maintained, quality bike to ride for the day.

For our launch, I'm teaming up with organizations that help foster kids and Native American youth. Our joint effort will help foster a love for the environment, and turn these kids into stewards for nature. We can improve their physical and mental health, lower their cortisol levels, lower their blood pressure, and build up their confidence and resilience. And as this program grows, we will include a broader group of kids and hopefully expand to other cities such as Pontiac, or Flint.

Bikes are just the beginning. Once that love is there, they will be hiking, camping, kayaking, skiing, climbing ... truly connecting to the land. By introducing these kids to nature, we can decolonize the outdoors. And learning to fix bikes can open doors to a trade-based career path. As economic and environmental instability continues, more environmentally-conscious people will rely on bikes for transportation. Being skilled, confident cyclists who can complete their own repairs will be a huge asset for them.

We don't need much, but we do need a lot of bikes. Plus tools to complete bike repairs and a way to store and transport them. And we need to collect used bikes for the kids to practice fixing and possibly keep for themselves, if they are made safe enough.

We're in the process of establishing ourselves as a 501c3 non-profit, and I'll post updates as that progresses. Anything raised above the goal will go to more experiences for these kids. I'd like to get a certified mountain bike instructor or wilderness first aid instructor to come and do a clinic, or start exposing the kids to winter sports... but that's all extra. The main goal is to get them on bikes and out in parks. We need to get these kids off their screens, out of the streets, and give them the privilege of health, fun and beauty that only the outdoors can provide. A privilege that so many of us take for granted.

I need your help. Please donate if you can, and share so we can give these kids a summer like they've never had before.

Thank you.