Afterthoughts ~ Centering Equity in Micromobility Planning, Policy and Design
An expert panel discussion hosted by the APA-NYM Urban Design Committee on November 16th, 2020.
Before COVID-19 dramatically altered the urban landscape overnight, cities were experiencing a major shift in the way we move around: tech-based ride hailing, new micromobility options, and autonomous vehicle pilots were deployed to various degrees in cities around the world. The pandemic has simultaneously underscored the inequities present across urban mobility systems and kick-started a paradigm shift for urban streets in New York such as DOT’s open streets programs, outdoor dining, and a surge in cycling. As technologies and trends continue to shape urban transportation, we have convened an expert panel for a discussion on how to center equity in conversations about the planning, design, and policy around new micromobility options.
Join the APA New York Metro Urban Design Committee for a conversation with the people working to shape this conversation as we ask: How do we make sure that folks that have been most left behind in transit accessibility are centered during discussions about new mobility system planning and roll out? Where has this been done successfully, what have the challenges been, and what strategies can we use to overcome them? What is the role of city agencies, designers, and mobility tech companies in developing more equitable transportation systems?
Video Recording link here
Audio only link here
Panelist Bios:
Dr. Destiny Thomas
Dr. Destiny Thomas is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Thrivance Group. An Anthropologist Planner from Oakland, CA, Dr. Thomas, has a combined 6 years of experience working in a Project Manager capacity within government agencies. These roles include 3.5 years as a Caltrans Environmental Planner (based in Fresno, CA) and 2.5 years as a Transportation Planner with the City of Los Angeles. In addition to this, Dr. Thomas has 7 years of experience leading key advancements in racial equity initiatives across the state by way of community organizing, policy writing, and non-profit management in communities that have been most impacted by racial inequities.
Adaryll Taylor
Adaryll Taylor (he/him/his) is Chief of Staff & Administration at the Transportation Planning & Management Division (TPM) at the New York City Department of Transportation. TPM has the agency’s broadest portfolio with nearly 600 employees, a capital and expense budget of $638M and completes 100+ street improvement projects annually. He stays current of the organization’s needs and environment, leveraging its human capital, improving its systems, ensuring effectiveness while advocating for all. He is a recent alum of Coro Leadership New York, Empress High Council Podcast Co-host and Co-creator of The Leadership Circle, a free offering for BIPOC Alum of Coro Centers nationwide on Adaptive Leadership. Adaryll holds a B.A. in Psychology from North Carolina Central University. His goal is to illuminate how power and privilege influence public debate and ensure NYC has diverse and strong communities, quality jobs as well as the ability to retain and attract new residents to live, work, and recreate.
Quemuel Arroyo
Quemuel Arroyo is the Global Head of Community at Charge and is the former Chief Accessibility Specialist and ADA Coordinator at the NYC Department of Transportation. He is a New Yorker with a disability who is committed to innovative solutions for barrier-free urban space that fosters diversity and inclusion. He joined DOT in 2014 from Investment Management Human Resource at Morgan Stanley. Arroyo graduated from NYU in 2012 with a Bachelors of Arts in Urban Design and History of Architecture. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Administration at the NYU Wagner School for Public Service. Source
Waffiyyah Murray
Waffiyyah is a Philadelphia native with a love for walking and biking. She has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Temple University, and over fourteen years of experience working with different Philadelphia-based non-profit and community organizations. As Education Program Manager for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, she worked with the City to support its Safe Route to School program, a national initiative promoting safety and physical activity in school age children through walking and biking.
Waffiyyah first arrived at oTIS as the Indego Community Coordinator, where she worked to connect communities to Indego programming and resources to ensure equitable access to Indego, the City of Philadelphia’s bike share system. In her current role as the Better Bike Share Partnership Program Manager, Waffiyyah works to address barriers to the use of bikeshare in low income communities and communities of color, and increase equitable access in bikeshare systems nationally. Source
Shabazz Stuart
Hi, I’m Shabazz. Growing up in Brooklyn gave me a special appreciation for the issues that weave our neighborhoods and cities together. Since graduating from Tufts in 2011, I’ve spent much of my time working to make urban areas better connected, cleaner and more livable.
I’m passionate about improving city life, especially when it comes to equitability, mobility and transportation. Currently, I’m the founder and CEO of Oonee, a startup that has developed a smart, scalable mobility hub for bikes, bikeshare and scooters. Unlike conventional solutions, Oonee is designed to enhance public spaces, with a special emphasis on amenities that everyone can enjoy like benches, ambient lighting, WiFi and greenery. Source
Anna Muessig
Anna Muessig sees street culture and the mobility experience as the building blocks to healthy, vibrant public life in cities. She brings expertise in creative engagement and evidence-based storytelling to shape the built environment in a way that puts people in the center of the decisions that shape our cities. At Gehl, she leads public life studies, designs public realm action plans, and uses creative interventions to shape the culture of what streets can be. She has worked on a diverse range of projects including the redesign of San Francisco’s Civic Center, building a movement for human-centered streets with Ford, and designing the interface between micro-mobility and a sense of place. Anna holds a Masters in City Planning from MIT. Source
Voices of Urban Design is a discussion forum that is curated by the APA New York Metro Chapter’s Urban Design Committee. Posts are edited for clarity and length only; opinions and statements that appear in this blog are not endorsed by the American Planning Association nor its affiliates. We expect and encourage healthy debate!
