About Us

Major Taylor Trail Keepers was founded in 2017 by Brenda Dixon as the Community Neighborhood Improvement Project (CNIP) that sought to improve the Major Taylor Trail. By 2019, we became known as the Major Taylor Trail Keepers Chicago, with Brenda as President and Chief Executive Officer and a board that includes some of the earliest advocates for the Major Taylor Trail. (You can hear Keith Holt and board member Peter Taylor talk about the trail’s history on episode 3 of our 2024 CAN TV program).

We also expanded the board to include community leaders and cyclists. As a public non-profit, the organization was finally able to receive grants that allowed them to commence its mission. We’re grateful to Active Transportation Alliance for serving as our fiscal sponsor when we started. 

Mission

Major Taylor Trail Keepers Chicago (MTTKC) is an Illinois not-for-profit community organization created to improve the lives of individuals and families residing in historically underserved neighborhoods by working to make their environment and communities of residence a place that is a fun, healthy, and safe place to live, work, and play.

Vision

Major Taylor Trail Keepers Chicago is a champion for collaborating with city, county, and State affiliates and other like-minded organizations to increase public awareness and understanding of community issues with an emphasis on public art, transportation, parks, recreation, and economic development in communities that have historically been underserved.

Our work goes beyond trail cleanups and infrastructure. We activate the Major Taylor Trail as a living, public humanities platform that connects people through shared stories, cultural history, and collective healing. We uplift the legacy of Marshall “Major” Taylor, a world champion Black cyclist and symbol of resilience, to reclaim green space as a source of joy, reflection, and justice.

Through community storytelling events, youth engagement, justice-oriented cycling programs, and partnerships rooted in equity, we use the trail to honor the past and reimagine the future — where all residents have the opportunity to move safely, feel connected, and shape the identity of their neighborhoods.

Thank you

We recognize the support and connection of the Major Taylor Cycling Club Chicago, whose mission and members overlap with ours and for their longstanding support of the Major Taylor Trail.

Board Members