BikeLA'S 2025 Spoke Award Honorees: 

 

Hugo Soto-Martinez, Los Angeles City Councilmember for the 13th District, was born and raised in Los Angeles. His parents immigrated here and worked as street vendors to give Hugo and his five siblings more opportunities than they had in Mexico. As a child, he took pride in building and riding his own bicycles. For 16 years, Hugo organized with UNITE HERE! Local 11, fighting alongside mostly immigrant women in the hotel industry to win better wages, healthcare, and respect on the job. Since his election to City Council in 2022, Hugo has worked to build community power and bring the voice of working people into City Hall. In 2024, Hugo opened his first ever protected bike lanes in Hollywood, as part of his landmark “Access to Hollywood” project.

​

ActiveSGV, founded in 2010 by San Gabriel Valley residents and public health advocates, addresses the lack of safe, green, complete streets in east Los Angeles County. The organization has led over a dozen active transportation plans, launched one of California’s first Traffic Diversion Programs with the El Monte District Court, and organized eight regional open streets events, including the 626 Golden Streets (2017) and ArroyoFest (2023). ActiveSGV also created the region’s first monthly e-bike share program, GoSGV.com (2022), built the Merced Avenue Greenway bikeway (2024), and expanded green space in El Monte – advancing a more sustainable, equitable, and livable San Gabriel Valley.

Special partner acknowledgements to Streets are for Everyone (SAFE) started by cyclist Damian Kevitt as a movement for safer streets after he was hit by a car and nearly killed while riding his bicycle in Griffith Park. SAFE is a non-profit organization celebrating their 10th Anniversary with an aim to improve the quality of life for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers alike by reducing traffic fatalities to zero; and Highland Park Brewery for graciously hosting BikeFest for the past three consecutive years.