On May 3, 2023, over 200 Atlantans gathered on the rooftop of The Eastern to celebrate the people making our streets safer and more accessible to ride, walk, roll, or take transit. Hosted by comedian David Perdue, who kept the energy high and the jokes rolling, this year’s Blinkie Awards were a resounding success! 

Mike Zarin of Zegi brought the beats, which you can groove to at home here, while The Eastern made sure folks wined and dined through the evening! It was a packed house, full of lively advocates for a better Atlanta enjoying each other's company and celebrating the contributions of our award winners.

This year's crop of award winners were all truly remarkable, passionate advocates for a safer city focused on justice, each of whom deserved their chance to shine and be recognized over the course of the evening!

For their work creating inclusive spaces in the cycling community through gender inclusivity and racial equity, Radical Adventure Riders Atlanta were the winners of the Expanding the Movement award in 2023. As a group, they work to center the experiences of BIPOC, queer, trans, and nonbinary riders, a mission closely aligned with that of ours here at Propel ATL.

Propel ATL's Advocacy Partner of the Year for 2023 is Partnership for Southern Equity, which advances policies and institutional actions that promote racial equity and shared prosperity for all in the growth of metropolitan Atlanta and the American South. Their crucial work on the Metro Atlanta Racial Equity Atlas and participation in the Atlanta Transit Coalition earned them this year’s award.

Finally, the Founder’s Award for Tenacity in Advocacy for the 2023 was given to Naoya Wada for his many impactful contributions since joining the Propel ATL board in 2015. Naoya’s love of cycling and commitment to sustainable and equitable transportation has always shone through in his work as a board member. In his time as Board Chair, Naoya has been instrumental in strengthening and expanding Propel ATL’s mission and guiding the organization's rebrand process.

A huge thank you to our sponsors, the Office of Councilmember Matt Westmoreland, Bike Law Georgia, AARP Georgia, Seven and Finley Street Cottages, Natural Resources Defense Council, Southern Environmental Law Center, Outback Bikes, Lime, Fire Bee, and Zegi, Edison Bicycles, Big Peach Running Co., Muchacho, and MARTA. 

And of course, thank you to everyone who attended and donated! Your support helps us achieve our vision of an Atlanta where everyone can move safely, easily and sustainably throughout the city. If you're feeling inspired, it’s never too late to donate – we’ll gladly accept any post-event contributions here!