The Richmond, California, neighborhood where Najari Smith established his bike shop is not wealthy by any traditional measure. But Mr. Smith has nothing but enthusiasm for the community’s potential. He understands challenges like generational poverty and sparse opportunity, and his advocacy is for those most vulnerable. “Growing up, I always wanted everybody to have enough,” he says.
That’s why he chose to make Rich City Rides a cooperative. “We share the stress, we share the profits, we share the challenges, and we share the victories, all evenly,” says Mr. Smith, who also wants to help incubate other cooperative businesses in the area. To encourage more residents to cycle, Rich City Rides is also a nonprofit that hosts community rides and runs a program for young people that teaches bike mechanics and enables them to earn their own bikes.