Big Boi Joins Atlanta Orgs To Gift Free Bikes For Local Youth
December 16, 2024
Big Boi hopes the moment inspires these future leaders to give back once they achieve their goals.
Antwan “Big Boi” Patton of Outkast has teamed up with local organizations to give away free bikes to Atlanta’s youth.
Bear Creek Middle School and Kipp Ways Academy students were given bikes worth $700 for their attendance and good grades. Big Boi’s Big Kids Foundation joined the venture the nonprofit Bear Strong Inc. sparked to gift special rewards.
The former half of OutKast was able to help bring the initiative to life, inspiring students to keep learning despite the hardships they may face. Big Boi hopes the moment inspires these future leaders to do the same once they achieve their goals.
“It’s definitely heartwarming. I love it. I would want somebody to do that in a position like that…When I was younger to have this done for me and I wanted to pay it back,” Big Boi told WSB-TV.
Bear Strong Inc. partnered with the acclaimed Atlanta rapper, Specialized Bicycles, Senoia Bicycle, and 1 Mo Question, Inc. to make it happen. The organization emerged as a way to provide the youth with essential items. Its founder, Courtney Sills, explained the evolving mission to the news outlet.
“Bear Strong started out as my position in the community had been conflict resolution and as I’ve gone into particular communities to resolve some conflict,” shared Sills. “I also noticed that there’s been a lot of kids in need of essential items.”
1 Mo Question’s Dr. Barber also emphasized the impact of this ongoing charity. He explained how the bikes show students that their hard work does not go unnoticed.
“We’re letting good kids know that they are seen and noticed,” explained Dr. Barber in the promotional clip. “This is our fourth year spreading Bike Love. This keeps our kids healthy, [discourages] violence, and gives them something positive to do with their recreational time.”
Big Boi and his fellow communal leaders hope to keep spreading the “Bike Love” as students reach their academic goals.
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