While reading the comments section of a feminist blog, I came across a link to a certain website -- that was earlier this year. I've been volunteering since March and I'm proud to be a part of an organization such as RightRides!

Providing such a service is comforting, especially in such a big (and unpredictable) city such as New York. I look forward to the day when society puts the responsibility of violent crime on perpetrators, not victims.

Navigating and dispatching with other volunteers has been a wonderful learning experience and eventually, I'd like to become a driver, too! Women and LGBTQ folks having access to a safe and free ride home is very important, so I anxiously await the expansion of the service area, both within the city and elsewhere.

December 2010

"I first read about RightRides in Jessica Valenti’s book Full Frontal Feminism.  About two seconds later, I was signing up to volunteer.

I have always wanted to be a volunteer for an organization, but nothing I previously looked into seemed to fit. Then there was RightRides right in my front of my face. The hours fit perfectly with my schedule. I had a driver's license, and all I needed to bring was my cell phone! I was so in, and I’m glad that I joined.

I've found RightRides to be one of the easiest and fun ways to help out. It’s like picking up a friend, and who hasn’t done that before? It’s also a great way for me to learn my way around the city since I'm not a native New Yorker.  I now find myself walking past many familiar places now.

I’m grateful to be a part of RightRides. I have met some really cool people, and I even got one of my friends to sign up!  Now I’m working on the rest of them."

Peter: “I found out about RightRides through the monthly Zipcar newsletter. I was excited to be able to help people by driving around my favorite city with (almost) no traffic. Since then I’ve volunteered as a driver, navigator, and even a dispatcher. I love helping people at risk of harassment and assault get home safe. Driving late at night is pretty peaceful, and it’s giving me a great opportunity to continue to learn my hometown.

“RightRides is so important to me because it is such a concrete way to help. It’s nice to talk about things and to try and change policies, but it’s an entirely different feeling to provide direct assistance. I love helping people and I love driving and riding around NYC, so this is a real win-win.”

Erin: “When Peter first brought up wanting to volunteer for RightRides I thought it was an awesome service and I was proud of him for wanting to help out. Born and raised in New York City I know too well the harassment and violence that can happen to someone just trying to get home. My mother, myself and dozens of my friends all have had personal encounters with it--so many, sometimes people dismiss these experiences as just a part of living here. It’s heartbreaking.

“I asked Peter how I could help out too, but I could not see myself as part of driving team (being unable to drive and having a terrible sense of direction). Still, I really wanted to help, so I asked if they needed any administrative volunteers. A resounding ‘yes’ later and now I come in weekly to help with various office tasks. I’m happy I found my way to contribute to the RightRides mission.”

"My Story: Once upon a time, in a not too distant parallel universe, everyone lived in harmony with each other. Everyone was at peace with their neighbours and they were happy.  Sadly I don’t live in that idyllic place and that’s why I volunteer with RightRides. 

I first found out about RightRides through a Zipcar newsletter and did not hesitate to sign up. RightRides “I am the solution” and “can do” attitudes along with their mission spoke volumes to me and set a wonderful example for the type of person I strive to be.

After learning the history, and knowing that the founders saw a void and stepped up to fill it, solidified my decision. I have not regretted it once and look forward to being a volunteer for as long as it takes to get as close as possible to that idyll. The End."

"To tell you the truth, there are two reasons why I really enjoy volunteering for Right Rides. For starters, I LOVE to drive and I get to secretly play out my fantasy of being a cabbie.

But I also volunteer because I think its a great program and I want to see it expand and help women who live in certain neighborhoods that we have yet to cover (i.e. Jamaica, Flushing, Bay Ridge, the Bronx).  A long train ride into less populated neighborhoods at night can be just as jarring as going home to somewhere more accessible like Park Slope.

Nevertheless, I have seen  this program grow rather quickly within the last year because more people continue to support it in various ways. And if I can support the growth of this organization by driving women home safely, then I am all for it!"

"I am so proud to say I volunteer for RightRides. When I finish a shift I know that I've made a tangible, positive impact on the lives of the people I've helped home safely.

 I can't wait for the day when there are enough
RightRides volunteers in the mix so that every person who calls during a shift requesting a ride is able to receive one!"

January 2010

"RightRides provides such a vital yet basic service by offering free, safe rides home and I'm really happy that I get to help.

I hate the sense of uneasiness that comes with trying to figure out how I'm going to get home after a late night out, and I got involved as a navigator because I don't want anyone else to ever feel that way.

The best part about being a part of RightRides is knowing that no matter what else happens on a particular night, the riders in my car will get home safely. In the end, my number one priority is to ensure that everyone has a right to bodily integrity.

I volunteer for RightRides because it's an organization that allows me to work towards this goal and take an active role in the fight against sexual assault."

Amanda: "Volunteering for RightRides is important to me on so many levels.  Not only is it one of the easiest ways to to give one's time, but volunteering for this mission helps reduce gender-based violence against those individuals and communities who are most at risk including low-income people, women, transfolk and gender non-conforming people.  

Knowing that I can make such a profound difference just by driving a car or answering a phone is meaningful and worthwhile. It's also great that I can volunteer alongside the people I care about including my friends and partners, making the shared experience incredibly gratifying."

Sabrina: "RightRides has offered me a great, accessible way to volunteer and to understand how to incorporate giving back into more of my life.  It is very gratifying to know that a simple sacrifice on a Saturday night can ensure the safety of those too often targeted on New York's streets late at night."

"It was early spring of 2006 when my new girlfriend, now my wife, approached me about volunteering together for RightRides; little did I know what a profound impact this small act would have on my life.  That fall, to our astonishment, Morgan and I were nominated as the 2006 Distinguished Defenders for RightRides.  Oraia and Consuelo must have been able to see something in me that I wasn’t seeing in myself… I guess they were right because a year after that I accepted the position of Program Manager for the RightRides program.

Over the last two year RightRides has been my life, at times feeling more like my child than my job.  I’ve had the opportunity to craft and mold the RightRides program in a very personal way.  Everything from the volunteer emails to the cars they drive has a little piece of me included along with it.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and as it is with my time as the RightRides Program Manager since my wife and I are moving to San Francisco in early October.  We’ll be taking with us all of our possessions, our two cats, and a deep love of the RightRides program.  Who knows, this may not be the last you’ll hear from me. "

When I first moved to New York in my early twenties, the daily volume of sexual harrassment I experienced -- from annoying to truly frightening -- was eye-opening. In discussing it with other women, I realized it was a very, very common experience for women. So common that women don't talk about it. So common that it seems widely accepted as something that won't change. That attitude strikes me as profoundly wrong.

As with anything else, change only happens when individuals work to realize it. Every time I drive for RightRides, I know I have guaranteed someone else's safety that evening.

As RightRides grows and more people hear about it, the idea that women's safety is important is planted in more minds. Every time we drive a woman home, we demonstrate how important her safety is to us -- it is worth time, money, and organization. Every time we drive a transperson or gay man home, we also demonstrate how important their safety is to us.

I'm proud to contribute to that shift in thinking, in my small way.

July is dedicated to our RightRides Regulars - volunteers who sign up for a scheduled monthly, or bi-monthly, shift; such as driving every second Saturday of the month. 

Since the RightRides Regulars program launched in January there has been a significant increase in the number of volunteer shifts performed each month, which is one of the major contributing factors in why RightRides has been able to expand to Friday Nights!

Not only does this program help increase our volunteer force, it helps volunteers meet the volunteering requirement of 10 shifts per year.

Volunteers who are interested in joining the RightRides Regulars program should email Erin at Erin@RightRides.org to discuss setting up a regular, recurring shift.

"I volunteer for RightRides because its mission truly resonates with me.  Unfortunately, we've all been affected, or know someone who has been affected, by violent crime.  I can't think of a better cause than eliminating assault and bringing safety and peace of mind to our City.

There is a prevalent myth that in order to be an independent, modern individual, one should not ask others for help.  This way of thinking leads many to take needless risks with their safety.  RightRides is working to eradicate that myth by bringing the issue of safe transit to the forefront.

I've been aware of RightRides for a couple years but did not feel compelled to take advantage of the service until recently.  Upon stepping in the car, I immediately felt at ease, and as soon as I got home, I inquired about volunteering.  My shift is something I look forward to each month, and the genuine gratitude that riders express is both humbling and incredibly rewarding, as is working alongside the inspiring people involved with RightRides.

I hope that one day, there will not be a need for a service like RightRides.  But until that day, I will continue to help RightRides in bringing safety to our communities."

Grace and Carlos may not have been volunteering with RightRides long, but so far they have proven to be both dedicated and valuable volunteers. 

Since being oriented Grace and Carlos have both signed up for the RightRides Regulars program, volunteering the first weekend of every month, for a total of 22 combined shifts for the year.  It is because of new and dedicated volunteers like Carlos and Grace that RightRides is able to continue expanding. 

We look forward to working with Carlos and Grace, as well as the rest of our 147 active volunteers, towards expanding the service to new nights and populations.

“I admit that my original motivation for joining RightRides was somewhat selfish: I wanted to drive more often, and RightRides seemed a perfect way to do that while also helping out in the community. But after attending the orientation session and observing the level of organization and focus RightRides has brought to its mission, I knew that this was a cause I wanted to be a part of on a more substantial level.

There are so many reasons I love volunteering for RightRides. Chief among them is that it’s not some abstract thing; when we take someone home, we can see it in her eyes, her voice, her body language; she’s relaxed and unafraid. There’s no better feeling than seeing a rider fall asleep, knowing that when she wakes up, she’ll be right outside her front door. And that’s one less person who has to brave the subway at 1AM, which anyone can tell you is a stressful experience.

RightRides has also helped me know and appreciate New York. The city can be cold and foreboding even for locals; it’s so vast and so dense that it’s easy just to stick to your little corner of it. But volunteering for RightRides not only lets me learn the city’s streets, it also gives me glimpses of how people experience it from unique perspectives. That’s something I look forward to on every shift.

RightRides has turned out to be everything I hoped it would, and I count myself fortunate to be a part of it.”

"I have always been interested and involved with volunteerism. RightRides is a tremendous grassroots organization that is able to use modern technology to communicate effectively amongst the volunteers and provide an efficient and world class service to the community. Personally, I was impressed with the organization and felt that I had to volunteer. 

Secondly, when my roommates used to describe their commute home on a late night, I was disturbed to learn how unsafe it was for them to travel alone. I never really understood their ordeal since being a guy, I felt like I was able to defend myself. RightRides presented me with an opportunity to help people like my roommates and also to give something back to the community.

I recently discovered a quote from Winston Churchill which really inspires me to continue doing what I do and hopefully inspires others who read this message:
           
We make a living by what we've got, but we make a life by what we give.

"I volunteer for RightRides because it means a great deal to me to provide a safe haven for women, transgender and gender queer people to get home in New York.  I spent years living in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, and while it's fun and edgy, there's still a risk for anyone deemed 'vulnerable.'  I want to be part of the solution to make New York the best city in America and RightRides is one of the reasons it is.

I'm also impressed that RightRides is so well thought out.  It takes every possibility into consideration, and while training is easy, any and all questions have been addressed in the material issued by the organization.  I can easily see RightRides become the standard 'safe ride' organization for women in the US, copied in every major metropolitan city.

I look forward to working with RightRides as it grows and expands its offerings."

"RightRides has exhibited incredible perseverance and drive to grow their programming so it can serve as many people as possible. We are so impressed by RightRides - as they continue to grow, and we look forward to being a part of their volunteer force, supporting their every effort and ensuring that no one has to sacrifice a safe ride home.

Devon: When I first found out about RightRides, it was in its beginning stages and seemed like such an amazing idea. I really wanted to help them grow and succeed in their mission.

Like many others, I have had to take the train home late at night because I could not afford a cab or car service. Looking back, I realize how many of those times I was in a dangerous or less than ideal situation. The service RightRides provides is invaluable, and I love spending a Saturday a month knowing that I’m doing my part to keep people as safe as possible.

Kelle:  I recall the grassroots start up of RightRides, when orientations were held at the Mini Marketplace in Williamsburg and women learned of the service from word of mouth.  I immediately wanted to participate in such a resourceful and needed organization, but like most twenty-somethings in NYC, I couldn’t quite find time to volunteer with such a busy schedule.  I am so grateful to have the time now to contribute to RightRides by volunteering a shift a month. 

I know that feeling of dread when you don’t have the means to jump in a cab to get home at the end of a Saturday night and have to take the subway home, hoping that you don’t cross the path of anybody who could potentially cause a threat.  I look forward to continuing working with RightRides, doing what I can to make sure women arrive home safely."

"I volunteer for RightRides because I like its direct, grassroots approach to addressing street harassment and violence against women. The fear of street harassment and harm is something that every woman/trans-person experiences.

Being a single girl who goes out a lot I have definitely taken cabs home quite often simply because I did not feel safe walking alone, and living on a non-profit salary made that decision a difficult one to make. In fact at one point I was working at a nightclub and had to quit because I got followed home by a guy exposing himself to me 2 blocks from my house at 3:30 in the morning.

So when RightRides came along I was thrilled that there was someone who recognized that women should have the right to stay out and have fun but also the right to get home safely.

I started using the service back when it started and then became a volunteer back in 2006 and have been volunteering ever since!"

I have always believed (about living in NYC) that a person has to believe that he/she is king of the city to survive and thrive.  It is hard enough for women, trans and genderqueer folk to step into that power during the daytime, but it is particularly difficult when the lights go out and when there are fewer people (who may have your back) on the streets and the subway. And we all know that a belief in and projection of personal strength will only go so far when put up against an assailant who may have more physical strength and/or a weapon. 

In my years living here, I have walked in a lot of dangerous neighborhoods late at night and early in the morning.  In fact, some would say that I live in one of them right now.  I have bull-headedly done a lot of things that were not particularly wise, in order to get home when I haven't had $20 for a cab. And I have been very, very lucky. 

While driving for RightRides, I have heard a lot of stories about people who were not so lucky - passengers and navigators and their close friends and neighbors.  I have listened more closely to my own friends as they tell their own stories of attacks and harassment that happened to them in the past.  And every story lights another bulb.  This city is not Disneyland.  But we do not have to hide or be afraid.  We can help each other to make it a safer place.

But the real cementer of my dedication to RightRides happened a few shifts ago when my navigator and I were taking a very young woman from SoHo to her apartment in Williamsburg.  She was bundled into the car by a couple of her friends.  As we were navigating our way towards the bridge, I glanced into the rear view mirror and noticed that she was crying.  It turned out that she had just moved here from Hawaii, and her transition was not an easy one.  She felt alone and helpless and defeatist, and those couple of hours with her friends in SoHo were the first where she felt that anyone cared. 

My navigator and I spent the rest of the ride telling our own NYC transition stories and giving gentle reassurance that the city had goodness and love in it that would reveal itself in time. And that part of that revelation would be contingent on stepping up to meet it - and that would happen in time as well.  And I realized that our words were at that moment being backed up by our actions.  The volunteers for RightRides are giving and getting a piece of the city back in return."

"I started volunteering for RightRides in June 2006, first as a Driver, then a Dispatcher, then finally as a Navigator, too. 

There really are two reasons I volunteer for RightRides.  First, it's really wonderful to be making such a tangible difference in New York City - I am, on my volunteer nights, taking X number of women home safely.  Some nights [my team may drive] only two or three, some nights we take six people home in [our car with] combined pick-ups and drop-offs.  Everyone we meet on the service is so grateful, it's really easy to see the difference we're making. 

There was one time, when [my driving team partner Erin A. and I] were picking up a girl in Downtown Brooklyn, and she was with a group of about three men.  We were getting ready to do the "we can take the girl home, but not the guys" speech, when one tapped on my window.  I rolled it down, and all he said was, "Thank you for getting my friend home safely."

Second, it's some of the most fun volunteering that I've ever done.  Especially in New York City, where nobody has a car, it's a real treat to turn on the radio and drive around for an evening.  I've learned my city so much better (a real asset when I'm trying to get somewhere new on my bike!), and I love trying all the new Zipcars. 

And when we're Dispatching, there's a really fun aspect to choreographing the routes of all of the cars - plus how many opportunities do you have to make a difference [from home] in your pajamas!"

"Struggling to get home one evening when the L [train] was undergoing service changes, I met a girl and spent a few minutes trading horror stories about navigating the city at night. After we discussed the shuttle busses, sudden stops, and walks through industrial parks at 3am, she told me about RightRides and gave me the number.

Here was a safe, free way for me to get home on Saturdays without having to worry about cabbies who wouldn’t go to Brooklyn, or sketchy car services charging exorbitant prices that my then-retail-wages couldn’t cover.

Every woman I know has a horror story - one was walking home late at night when she realized the footsteps she heard were following her; one had a man come up to her as she was unlocking her door; most (myself included) have faced the catcalls, lewd suggestions and lecherous looks of men on the street, bus, or subway.

Even without the [subway] service changes, getting home late nights can be a harrowing experience. I volunteer with RightRides because I fervently believe in their motto, that getting home safely should not be a luxury." 

"I started volunteering with RightRides in 2006.  I work as an advocate for the rape crisis center in my county, so I deal with the aftermath of sexual assault. 

RightRides is amazing because its goal is to prevent sexual harassment and assault from ever occurring in the first place!  The fact that RightRides exists and so many people are involved, gives me hope that we can build a safe environment for everyone. 

My goal for the New Year, aside from volunteering more with RightRides, of course, is to skate my way onto a roller derby team!"