Home | Molly Cameron - Castelli Cycling

Molly Cameron has been an openly transgender cyclist for more than two decades and in 2021 founded RIDE (Respect Inclusion Dignity and Equity), an organization which advocates for the LGBTQ+ community within sport and the outdoor industries. We had a chance to sit down with Molly and get her perspective on the importance of home, how it provides much more than just shelter, and how she navigates (literally) the country, advocating for a safer and more inclusive version of cycling.

You may be familiar with the saying: “Home is where the heart is”, originally penned in the 1857 novel Scandal, by Mrs. J. T. Bickford, and commonly now seen as a catchphrase on stationary and countless crocheted cushions, but how often do we stop to think about what that really means to us?

For Molly, home symbolizes security and comfort, and for good stretches of the year, Molly leaves her house in Portland, Oregon and travels to events around the U.S. in her van.

If home is where the heart is and you love yourself, home can be anywhere you are.

Through confidence found in knowing and loving herself comes the foundation she draws upon while building connections with the world around her: in the outdoors, at events and with communities.

When I feel comfortable in a space, when I feel safe in a space, I'm able to be more productive; I can better advocate for other people…I'm secure, happy, and I can thrive.

When your home is mobile, you do more than just get from point A to point B. Molly often opens her doors, inviting folks in for a meal, a coffee, a conversation, or just to get out of the elements. Being able to share her space and commune with others is an integral part of her feeling at home.

Whether I'm on the road or I'm in the wilderness or I'm at an event…there's nothing I love more than sharing my space with others.

The van not only creates a foundation for her safe space, but extends her time outdoors, where she seeks opportunities to immerse herself and learn, from diverse communities across North America and the natural world around us. And with so much time spent in liminal spaces as an athlete, an advocate, and an activist, foundation is critical.

As Molly continues to listen, to learn, to build relationships and gain a deeper understanding of the issues faced by marginalized communities across the country, she poses this question, which we think is certainly worth pondering:

If home is truly where the heart is, where will you go next?