Before Together We Ride became a global movement, it was a one-woman operation led by physical therapist Dawn Piech each year on International Women's Day.
"I'd been riding every year solo, by myself on the day to honor people, the women in my life, historical individuals, people in my family, patients I work with, that inspire me," Piech said.
In February of 2020, Piech founded the Facebook group International Women’s Day – Together We Ride. In its first year, the movement reached four countries, and in 2021, Piech said attendance tripled.
"We went from 21 states to 33 states in the U.S., and then 10 countries," she said. "It just continues to grow every year. So, it's been pretty inspiring and powerful to be a part of this movement."
Together We Ride is a virtual bike ride that Piech said anyone can participate in. It's a part of Piech's nonprofit she launched in 2021 called Inspyrd Movement.
Piech said as a physical therapist, she sees every day how movement empowers people, especially women.
"Forward movement is freedom," she said. "Relentless, forward movement is so important for all of us, and the more that we do that, we have the freedom and we own our power."
She said the goal of the bike ride is to raise awareness for International Women's Day and to stand in solidarity with other women across the world.
She encourages participants to support women-owned businesses on their bike rides, too.
"Choose to support a woman-owned business on your bike ride, choose to support a women's shelter, maybe raise money for a women's shelter in your area," she said. "Choose to give back to a woman-led business and organization in your community."
Together We Ride goes until March 11. Funds from donations and merch will go to the nonprofit World Bicycle Relief, which works to increase access to bikes for women, students, and communities.