This Week in MVP: Letter to the Editor

We are excited to see a Letter to the Editor in this week's The News & Observer by the Mobile Voice Project's Amanda Matson advocating for a transit plan that benefits all of Wake County's citizens! Voice your support for transit to your Wake County commissioner throughout the next week before they meet to discuss moving forward on a Wake County transit plan...

Amanda Matson: Transit helps all

Regarding the July 15 editorial “ Coble’s conversion”: I am pleased the Wake County commissioners are finally planning to discuss a transit plan for Wake County.

The need for transit is critical. Commissioners should remember those residents who depend on transit every day and recognize how more extensive and efficient transit could improve these residents’ lives.

Through ongoing research into the travel of women experiencing homelessness in Wake County, I confirmed what may seem like common sense: The fewer transportation resources a low-income woman has, the less access she has to the services and resources she needs (e.g., affordable food, child care, mental health services or employment). For a newly homeless woman without a car, this might be a simple task such as obtaining an ID. For a woman trying to escape homelessness by obtaining work, admitting in a job interview that she depends on the bus may keep her from getting that job.

As a community, we invest in roads without expecting a direct return on our investment because we need this infrastructure for our community to thrive. Investing in transit now is just as essential for our community – not just for those who own a car, but rather for all Wake County residents at any income or ability level.

AMANDA MATSON

RALEIGH

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/16/4010102/amanda-matson-transit-helps-all.html?sp=%2F99%2F108%2F165%2F#storylink=cpy

Mobile Voice on Display at Transit Equity Panel

Mobile Voice is grateful to have been asked to take part in the Transit Equity Panel that the NC Justice Center is hosting on July 25th... Several great panelists well worth hearing! We'll have our participant photographs on display, and we'll be passing out information on our project! 

Transit Equity: A Platform for Growth and Economic Prosperity

 

 Friday, July 25th

8:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m.

Junior League of Raleigh
Breakfast will be served ($5)

Sponsored by the Budget & Tax Center and WakeUP Wake County

Keynote Speaker: Sarita Turner, Senior Associate, PolicyLink

Panelists:  Karen Rindge, Executive Director of WakeUP Wake County
Tazra Mitchell, Policy Analyst, NC Budget and Tax Center
Corey Branch, Board Member, Raleigh Transit Authority

As counties in the Triangle move forward with plans to expand transit options and enhance mobility, please join us for a discussion about the importance of incorporating equity components into transit planning. By prioritizing and committing to equitable development, lawmakers can ensure that the benefits of transit investments are broadly shared so low- and moderate-income residents will not be left behind as new opportunities enter the Triangle.  Transit investments can be a powerful force for social and economic equity if lawmakers choose to protect residents from displacement and enhance connectivity by coordinating transit, housing, and jobs policies. The result: strong, affordable, and accessible communities. 

There will be also be a photo display at the event of The Mobile Voice Project (MVP), which seeks to empower individuals to develop strategies to improve their day-to-day mobility through a process of participatory photo documentation, critical discussion, and self-advocacy efforts. MVP originated as an ongoing research partnership between North Carolina State University and the Women’s Center of Wake County to improve the mobility of homeless women in Raleigh, NC. MVP partnerships continue to grow to include other community stakeholders in the hope of engaging many diverse groups in promoting positive change related to mobility in our community.

Sarita Turner has over 20 years of experience working in the non-profit sector bringing attention and resources to causes that address the impacts of institutionalized racism and the disinvestment of people and neighborhoods. Under Sarita’s leadership, significant infrastructure investments, business improvement district pilots, arts in community development and resident/law enforcement partnerships have effectively been brought to disinvested neighborhoods and communities. Now living in Oakland, CA, Sarita serves in the role of Senior Associate at PolicyLink, a national, equity-focused, research and policy advocacy organization. In her role with PolicyLink, Sarita works on the development and implementation of equity-focused national and local policies in partnership with the constituents of the Sustainable Communities Initiative and other federal and local projects.

Karen Rindge is the Executive Director of WakeUP Wake County, a non-profit citizens’ organization promoting good growth solutions in Wake County and the Triangle. Since 2006, she has led the development and advocacy of the WakeUP organization, serving first as Chair. She also serves as convener of the Capital Area Friends of Transit, an alliance of organizations, leaders, and citizens working for a regional transit system. Formally, Rindge was a legislative representative and grassroots organizer for both Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the National Wildlife Federation in Washington DC, advocating for international reproductive health assistance.

 

Corey D. Branch is a Raleigh, NC native who is committed to bringing technologically and socially sound solutions to the City of Oaks.  He holds an Electrical Engineering degree from NCA&T and has been employed with AT&T for 14 years.  He serves as a member of the Raleigh Wake Citizens Association (RWCA), a member of the Board of Directors for Wake Up, Wake County, and as a member of the Raleigh Transit Authority on the Marketing Committee.  Corey hopes, through his committed involvement, to promote sustainable communities and advance the quality of life for all people. 

Tazra Mitchell joined the Budget & Tax Center, a project of the NC Justice Center, in August 2011. Prior to joining the NC Justice Center, Tazra served as an Intern and Legislative Assistant in the Office of State Representative Becky Carney. She also worked as a Research Assistant in the non-partisan Fiscal Research Division of the NC General Assembly where she worked directly with budget writers to develop the state General Fund budget and analyzed legislative proposals to determine the fiscal impact on state government resources. Tazra’s policy interests include fiscal and economic policy, and her work at the Budget and Tax Center focuses on analysis of the state budget, poverty, and communities of opportunity with an eye toward low-income people. 

Event Location

Junior League of Raleigh 711 Hillsborough Street
Raleigh,  27603

This Week in MVP: Undergraduate Research Award!

Congratulations to our MVP Team undergraduate research assistant, Teshanee Williams, for receiving the North Carolina State University College of Humanities and Social Sciences Undergraduate Research Grant! Thanks to Teshanee's hard work, she has been awarded $1,280 to continue working with the Mobile Voice Project this spring! Way to go!

Mobile Voice Project Awarded Go Triangle Golden Mode Award

Mobile Voice Project is proud to announce that we have been awarded the Community Champion award for the 2013 Golden Modes awards from the GoTriangle! The Golden Modes honors those extraordinary commuters that not only love their sustainable commute but also promote sustainable transportation options to their family, friends, colleagues and neighbors. 

Check out our video interview!  

 

This Week in MVP: Eco Conference!

Two of our Mobile Voice Project team members had a great time at the 2013 Southeastern Ecological Community Psychology Conference this weekend! Great time to give and take ideas with others doing community work. Thanks #se_eco_2013 !!

Photo(s) of the Week: "Have a seat?"

Many of our participants are also clients at The Healing Place of Wake County, and we love working with them! They often take a picture of the sign for the Healing Place as something that is really helpful to them in getting around town and other areas of their life. But they also often photograph the one uncovered bench at the bus stop nearest to the Healing Place as something that is a major barrier to them getting around town. Judging from the pictures below from one participant, what about this might pose a problem for these participants? How might this effect the rest of their day?

Photo(s) of the Week: "If the city takes care of its people..."

"If the city takes care of its people, then people will take care of it."

An MVP participant recently said these words to describe the need for bus shelters to be put in place and well maintained in Raleigh. From her view, if the city puts up nice shelters with a place to throw away trash, people will keep them clean. If not, then people will follow the city's example.

Participants often comment on the need for more shelters and on how much shelters in different parts of the city differ in quality and maintenance. See several of the different photographs just this one participant took of various shelters in Raleigh. How do they differ?