Christina Clarke Genco was born on August 11, 1988 in Atlanta, Georgia and moved to Boston, Massachusetts when she was ten. She was tragically killed on June 6, 2011 while riding her bike through Alabama, leading a cross-country cycling trip with Bike & Build to benefit affordable housing groups like Habitat for Humanity.

Christina’s family settled in Newton, MA, where she attended The Chestnut Hill School and Beaver Country Day School. While in high school as a teenager, Christina also worked at City Sports as the “shoe person”. Later, if someone complained about their foot hurting, Christina would jump into the conversation to give some advice; her friends would watch in awe until they were reminded of her work experience.

Christina attended Boston University and graduated in 2010 with degrees in Graphic Design and Hospitality Administration. During her tenure at Boston University she continued to work at City Sports and also at Revolution Lacrosse, where she both coached and mentored hundreds of young women. She spent her first post-college year helping run Revolution Lacrosse, working endless hours to ensure the quality of the program for young girls across Boston. She was extremely well-loved by the Rev community.

Christina was an alumna of Bike & Build’s 2009 Boston to Santa Barbara trip and a rider on two Chris Webber Memorial rides. Whether it was strapping half a toilet to her CamelBak to win the Best Side-of-the-Road-Find competition or fro-ing out her gigantic hair for the pleasure of all to see, Christina brightened whatever room she entered. A strong and dedicated Bike & Builder, a day spent riding with Christina usually involved yelling jokes while in a single-file line and subsequently coasting to catch your breath from laughing so hard.

Christina loved Bike & Build so much that she left her job at Revolution Lacrosse in Boston to do it again, this time leading the South Carolina to Santa Cruz route. She was regularly commended by her riders for her leadership skills and her organizational abilities. She could make hosts, riders, and locals alike laugh with her one-liners. People felt instantly comfortable in her presence.

Up until the accident, Christina was having one of those beautiful B&B days—seeking out postcards at three different gas stations, crossing a new state line, and going for a swim in Little River Falls. At about 1:30 p.m. she was riding uphill in the shoulder when an SUV failed to pass and struck her from behind. She was declared dead at the scene.

Christina Genco had a personality and sense of humor that was twice the size of her small frame. Throughout her journey in life, she planted seeds of hope in the places that she visited and in the people that she met.

Committed to bettering the world, Christina helped others realize their potential and encouraged young people to keep up their efforts in improving communities. When asked what she wanted to do long-term, she always stated that she just wanted to help people. Christina’s philosophy, however, was quickly summed up in her SC2SC11 bio, “Life is about the experiences and people you share it with. But most importantly, making sure that you laugh every day.”

Christina is survived by her mother, Caroline; her father, Rob; and her brothers Brandon and Joe.