Equity
The seaside city of Portland, Maine has become home to thousands of immigrants from all over the world. Many come to the United States on temporary visas and then seek asylum — with some asylum seekers living in shelters, and most scraping by on very little money. Two years ago, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine began receiving requests to donate bikes left over from its annual swap to asylum seekers and other so-called “New Mainers.”
Equitable transportation is more than a buzzword. The effort to make transportation accessible and safe for Americans from all socioeconomic and racial backgrounds has taken root in grassroots advocacy organizations, national foundations and even in the U.S. Congress. The benefits of transportation investments are not distributed equally among communities, as some social groups have not reaped the rewards of developed transportation infrastructure. While the discussion of transportation equity has largely focused on accessibility to transit and the provision of auto-dominated infrastructure, a growing number of advocates
The National Brotherhood of Cyclists (NBC) 5th annual national conference is coming up: From July 15-19 advocates from across the country will travel to Minneapolis, MN, to discuss “Equity in Motion.” The League is a sponsoring organization for the fifth annual event. We caught up with organizer and vice president of the NBC, Anthony Taylor, to discuss what’s on the docket for the upcoming national summit and what attendees can expect. Learn more about and register for the event at www.thenbc.bike.
In February, I was invited to attend both the World Bicycle Forum in Medellin, Colombia, and the League’s National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. As the only African represented at both these forums, it was with great curiosity that I presented to and gleaned knowledge from those who have navigated the advocacy space for much longer than me. Initially almost every workshop session and talk in Medellin bore reference to Copenhagen. From gender split to trip generation percentages — with the requisite baguette and basket imagery, of course! — it was always there. Until a question from the audience changed everything. “Can we please talk about our own country and let Copenhagen be?” A nervous bundle of applause cascaded into a unanimous agreement from the 2,000 strong auditorium of advocates, activists and all those positioned somewhere in between. Thinking had shifted. It was a coming out of sorts: a great day for change makers in the Global South.
Last week, Advocacy Advance released a new resource, “Active Transportation Equity: A Scan of Existing Master Plans.” While the report is not a comprehensive list, it cites 38 examples of active transportation master plans that include definitions of equity, equity goals, and — in some cases — performance measures for equity. But why this equity resource? What’s its purpose?
Sometimes, in the rush to spread proven strategies, we overlook the brilliance of inventions born of necessity. Not James Rojas; he lives in the space between intentional design and the happenstance of the everyday, and he wants us to join him there. Each of us carries a lifetime of days spent in many kinds of streets and neighborhoods.
How do we ensure traditional advocacy organizations value and genuinely incorporate the perspectives of new community leaders — even when it exposes our blindspots or runs counter to our experiences? Dr. Adonia Lugo examines this critical question in “Who Participates in What Processes: From groupthink to democracy in bicycle policy advocacy” — a new report based on Lugo’s academic expertise, personal experience and participation in the 2015 Youth Bike Summit.
Two weeks ago, I had the honor and privilege of being a panelist at the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. The Summit is an annual bike advocacy event that unites bicyclists from across the nation to build a bicycle-friendly America for everyone. I joined the panel, “People and Policies Successfully Addressing the Root Causes of Inequity” to talk about equity, specifically racial equity, and why it matters for the bike movement.
Walking advocate Vanessa Garrison is taking on the crisis of inactivity. “Everything we do is around a broader discussion about black community— household stability, health, women with chronic diseases, and the crisis of inactivity,” Garrison, the founder of GirlTrek, said of her work. It’s not about walking, per se, but about how people walking more and creating environments where people walk can impact our society. Sound familiar? It should. It’s the shift that’s happening in bicycling advocacy right now, too.
Big ideas are a lot like children. They’re unpredictable. Challenging. A little scary. Each one has the potential to change the world. And like children, big ideas grow and grow and grow. Members of the U.S. bicycling community have been asking themselves lots of hard questions lately. Who are we really serving? Who’s been included — and who’s been left out? And most importantly: how can we do better? We have just scratched the surface in examining how our work can better reflect the communities we serve.