The Intersection of Walkability, Bikeability & Equity...The Intersection of Walkability,...

The Intersection of Walkability, Bikeability &

EquityPresented by Genoveva Islas, MPH

Founder & Director, Cultiva La Salud

Cultiva La SaludOur mission is to engage, inform and inspire residents in the San Joaquin Valley who are low-income and live in disadvantaged places to become actively involved in promoting health through advocacy for policy, systems and environmental improvements that encourage healthy eating and active living.

Transportation Inequity

Transportation Inequity

What is Transportation Equity?

• Transportation equity means providing all individuals with an opportunity to safely get to work, school, home, healthcare, etc...

• Transportation equity is the just and fair inclusion in transportation planning.

• Transportation equity considers the needs of underserved communities.

• Transportation equity is about shared prosperity.

Challenges in Advancing Equity• Limited Infrastructure• Limited Power

– Education– Experience– Relationships

• Opportunities to Participate– Language Access– Meeting Times

• Data - Evidence• Regressive Projects• Racism & Anti-immigrant

Sentiment

Engaging Decision Makers

Live Stories

English Spanish

Equity Tool

Engaging Community• Community based

participatory research– Photovoice– Walkability assessments– Biking assessments

• Community Reports– Orange Cove– Fresno

• Community Pedestrian Bicycle Safety Training (CPBST)

• Active Transportation Planning• Participatory Budgeting

Leadership Development

Powerful People: Building Leadership for Healthy Communities• Residents self-

identifying projects• Supporting capacity

building.• Cycle of advocacy

Organizational Capacity Building

• Staff Training• League Certified

Instructors• Appointment to BPAC• Stakeholder Review

Fresno ATP• Fresno COG

Biking and Walking Safety

Opposition & Responses

“When you say equity do you mean that I should do everything for this side of town that I do for that side of town?”

“I’m sick and tired of the whole victim-villain narrative that you are using?”

“Why are you complaining? What you have here is better than what you had in Mexico.”

Summary

Transportation equity: • provides people with multiple transportation

options; • promotes equal employment opportunities; • requires equal decision-making power; • promotes healthy and sustainable

communities; and • requires meaningful civil rights protections.

THANK YOU!

GENOVEVA ISLAS, MPHGenoveva@CultivaLaSalud.orgwww.CultivaLaSalud.org

@CultivaLaSalud#VivaCultiva