Rally Michael Ramirez Through Tough Times

I met Michael a few days after moving to Tucson, a pivotal season of my life when I was hungry for change. He instantly took me under his wing after discovering our shared love of all things bikes. Riding the streets together, it became increasingly clear that he was more than a friend, he was a guide. Music. Art. Food. Venues. Hidden gems.
And all the more important, he introduced me to some of the most beautiful communities I could ask for. Climbers. Vagabonds. Rickshaw riders. Cyclists. Entrepreneurs. Videographers. Chefs. Bartenders. Parents. Students. Mentors. Bands. Mechanics. Makers.

Everywhere we went people were excited to see him, drawn to his contagious positivity and spontaneity.
That’s always been his superpower --the uncanny ability to tear down walls and bring all walks of life together. And he somehow made everyone feel like they were the most important person in the room. He’s the kind of guy who opened his home to anyone in need. He fed the needy and the passing through. Clothed others in encouragement and belonging. He’s a social Macgyver who makes magic from the mundane.

And now, more than ever (as his roof has quite literally come crashing in) Michael deserves that love and support in return.

Not a handout. A hand up.


He’s a father and small business owner up against the world in a season that’s been kicking him while he’s down. From unmet housing and safety needs to vehicle conundrums and the victim of theft, he can hardly catch his breath. Employee payroll is tighter than ever while in this transitional phase, and his family, like many, is journeying through a season of hardship and deep financial strain.

Unfortunately, a down-on-your-luck story is all too common these days. Rarer is the story of someone who refuses to settle in that despair.


In Michael, I see a man doing everything he can to hit his stride. As a fellow young father myself, and the beneficiary of quality counseling when I needed to dig deep for healing, it’s my hope he can afford to continue doing the same. It’s my hope that a community so charged by Michael can respond to him in his time of need. This is just a chapter of his life, and knowing Michael the hardship will be a launchpad into joy.

And we can help him write that story.

To show him the music.

To paint him a picture of hope.

To hold the light down a new path.

To lead him up a new mountain.

To anchor him. To lean in. To stir him on.

To steer him back into the shop to build his future.

-He doesn’t need someone to buy him a beer. He needs buffer funds to fuel his family therapy and employee payroll.

-He’s looking for clients in the design and fabrication realm in Tucson and Marana

-He’s trying to keep his Rippie Products custom bike bags company alive

-He’s eager for friends and mentors to sojourn with him in the ups and downs.

-He’s hungry for hope to stay the course.

Let’s compost this garbage season he’s navigating and turn it into a garden.

Any donations or work would be a tremendous help at this time.