The Next Chapter Begins: From LA to Costa Rica - A Journey for EQUALITY, STEAM, and Change

You don’t always get to pick your start date in life. Sometimes, the road throws a curveball, and you’re left waiting.

The tragic Pacific Palisades Fire was a most painful reminder that time’s a slippery thing. We walk around thinking we have all the time in the world, but the truth is, you never know when the last time for something might be. So when life hands you an unexpected detour, you take the lesson. I’m not here to wait around for the perfect moment. No one should. You’ve gotta take the shot—whatever it is—because it might be the only one you get.

And so here we are. Riding United, a mission I’m ready to continue but this time to Costa Rica. The goal? To spread awareness for important causes that affect us all, and get some damn good done along the way. This ride isn't about checking off biker dreams boxes; it’s about carving a path for women to walk, run, and rise in places they’ve been told they don’t belong. The Rising United Hera Rising Mission—connecting passionate, dedicated people in Costa Rica and the U.S.—is as much about the dream as it is the grind. It’s about taking big, bold steps and proving that women have always belonged in STEAM, and space, and everywhere else.

Arriving in Costa Rica on March 8—International Women’s Day— is a symbolic and poignant milestone that should feel like the universe hitting the reset button. It’s a day to honor the progress women have made BUT ALSO TO REFLECT ON HOW FAR WE STILL HAVE TO GO. A REMINDER THAT FOR EVERY WOMAN WHO’S FOUGHT, THERE’S STILL A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB. AND THAT’S WHAT THIS RIDE IS FOR. IT’S FOR THE WOMEN BREAKING DOWN WALLS, SHATTERING CEILINGS, AND LEAPING INTO SPACE—LITERALLY. THE HERA RISING MISSION, FIRST CONCEIVED BY COSTA RICA’S OWN RONALD CHANG DIAZ AND CRISTINA MUÑOZ AGUILAR, ISN’T SOME ABSTRACT IDEA—IT’S REAL, TANGIBLE, AND HAPPENING. IT’S ABOUT SHOWING YOUNG GIRLS THAT THEY, TOO, can shoot for the stars and kick some serious world records ass along the way.

Courtesy of Paragon Space Development Corporation / David Jourdan

I’m on this ride not just to reach Costa Rica, but to remind anyone listening that time is a precious thing. It doesn’t wait. And the road of life is full of detours. The kind you didn’t plan for. The kind that leave you with stories you wish weren’t yours to tell.

So, as I gear up for the ride, I’m asking you to come along. Help raise awareness. Help us push this mission further. Donate. Share. Get involved. The more of us that get behind this, the louder our voice becomes. This ride is about making every mile count and leaving something good behind. Let’s do this together. Because when we ride united, we rise united.