Oregon Active Transportation Summit recap
We’re so proud to share that two of our staff, Laura Koch and Mychal Tetteh, presented this week at the Oregon Active Transportation summit. The Summit, previously known as the Oregon Bike Summit, is an annual statewide gathering of active transportation advocates. This year the organizers have increased the focus to include walking as well as cycling, acknowledging that active transportation is a broadening movement.
The Summit is modeled after the National Bike Summit, bringing together advocates from all over the state. Over the course of two days in Salem, they share best practices, network, connect on successful strategies, and work together to build a strong movement. On the first day, advocates attend information sharing sessions, and on the second day advocates meet with our state legislators. The Community Cycling Center staff attended to discuss equity in the active transportation movement, sharing what we’ve learned, and working to elevate the conversation around equity.
Mychal Tetteh, our Shop Director, provided the community and advocacy frame for a panel addressing transportation health equity. He covered basic information about the barriers that prevent certain communities from choosing cycling. He also put out a call to action for planners and policy makers to recognize that they will see the greatest return on investments when they work with groups that are most disproportionately affected by health disparities.
Laura Koch, our Program Director, presented strategies for promoting cycling in underserved communities. The examples she discussed include working in partnership with pre-existing social groups and networks, designing workshops where participants learn by doing, and using images and messages that are relevant for communities of color.
It was an incredible day of sharing our successes and learning about the great work of our allies around the state, followed by meeting with our representatives. It is inspiring to see how the movement has grown each year. We really can’t wait to see what the next year has in store for active transportation in Oregon.
For a full recap of Mychal’s session, check out the great coverage on BikePortland.org.
Photos by Jonathan Maus – bikeportland.org