Dear People That I Love,

If we have not met yet, my name is Hershey B. Bautista. I am a high school art teacher at AIMS College Prep High School in Oakland and the head coach for the cross country team, which means I spend most of my days covered in graphite, charcoal, paint, and sweat. I am passionate about many things like painting, drawing, art in all forms, movies, Mario Kart, Gran Turismo, sports, food, and sleeping but above all, I am deeply committed to my students and helping them grow into the best versions of themselves.

To put that commitment into action, I am hopping on my bike this April to ride in Ride 4A Reason, an annual fundraising bike ride to Sacramento, alongside my group Barrio Y Kultura. We are three working artists and art teachers from different schools in Oakland who share the same belief that our students, and students across Oakland and Alameda, are worth the burn. I am asking you to join me by supporting my fundraising efforts.

Last year, thanks to the riders and supporters of Ride 4A Reason, more than 6,000 students across eleven public schools in Oakland and Alameda were able to go on field trips, visit their school libraries, experience the awe of river rafting, and wear official team uniforms for their sports teams. For many students, these experiences were firsts.

This year marks the 17th ride to Sacramento, and I am proud to be part of it. Over the years, Ride 4A Reason has raised nearly 1.8 million dollars for public schools in Oakland and Alameda.

The pandemic exposed deep inequities in our education system, and now that short term funding has ended, those challenges are more visible than ever. I see these gaps firsthand as a teacher and coach, which is why I am even more committed to riding and raising awareness for our severely underfunded public schools. This affects all of us students, families, educators, and community members.

My goal is to raise $1,000 by the time I hop on my bike on April 26. One hundred percent of the funds raised go directly to public schools in Oakland and Alameda. If you are able, please consider donating $10, $50, $100, or any amount to help me get there.

Thank you for supporting my students, my school, and this ride.

PS. If you want to send in a check, you can make it payable to "Social Good Fund" and put "R4R 2024" in the memo line.  You can mail it to:

Tax ID: 

Ride 4A Reason
PO Box 11386
Oakland, CA  94611