Shantell Williams “Hen”
Biker Name: Known in the motorcycle community as “ Mama Hen.”
Passion for Riding: Learned to ride a Harley at 41. Just eight months later, she embarked on a solo ride across the 48 contiguous US states to honor Bessie Stringfield—the trailblazing “Motorcycle Queen of Miami” and first Black woman to ride coast‑to‑coast in the 1930s & 40’s .
Record Journeys: In 2016, she completed the ride in 27 days—. She later repeated the feat in 23 days 2020 & 18 days 2023 .
Purpose & Inspiration: Her mission was to shed light on Bessie Stringfield’s legacy and “change people’s attitudes about race” through cross‑country camaraderie .
Entrepreneur & Community Leader: Owner of Shantell’s Just Until Restaurant in Sanford, FL—a venue blending healthy comfort food, community events, biker brunches, and virtual cooking classes .
Mom of Many: A devoted mother of 10 (plus six chosen), who transformed her family’s health journey into a culinary mission after one daughter’s diabetes diagnosis .
Advocate & Media Figure: Star of the upcoming show “Shut Up and Ride”, filmed to trace her earlier cross-country adventures.
Record-Setting Motorcycle Rider
Learned to ride in her 40s. Just eight months later, Shantell set out to ride solo across all 48 contiguous U.S. states .
Bessie Stringfield’s legacy lives on. Her mission, “Shut Up & Ride,” honors the trailblazing African American rider from the 1930s and aims to “change people’s attitudes about race and build friends of all colors along the way” .
Filmed for a series. Her next cross-country trek was slated documentation, under the “Shut Up and Ride” series .
Entrepreneur & Culinary Visionary
Owner & Chef of Shantell’s Just Until Restaurant (Sanford, FL). She blends healthy, allergy-aware comfort food with Caribbean soul—driven initially by her diabetic daughter’s needs .
Innovative culinary educator. Hosts virtual cooking classes (formerly with GrowingBolder)
Dynamic Mother & Role Model
Leading a large parenting journey. She is a mother of 10 children by birth and has embraced an additional six “by love and choice”, making her a powerful advocate for chosen family and resilience .
Balancing family and adventure. Shantell brought a miniature puppet riding “Mini-Me” on her bike, symbolizing her role as a mother ever-present on her journeys .
Community Advocate & Cultural Connector
Empowerment through visibility. Her travels included outreach to Black youth across America, aiming to shift perspectives on race and build inclusive dialogue .
Amplifying representation. As a proud woman rider, she speaks up for a powerful sisterhood, encouraging more women of color to join the riding community .
Public Presence & Media Exposure
News features across multiple platforms. Appeared on News 6 and ClickOrlando as her fleet of roles—as chef, mother, entrepreneur, and record-setting rider—gained local acclaim .
Featured on WEAR Pensacola. During a 2020 stop, the Pensacola news station covered her mission and highlighted her tribute to Bessie Stringfield .