Folks,
As our nation celebrates and honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy of working for justice, it is time to get serious about our work for transportation equity.
The first thing I remember reading of Dr. King's is his
Letter from a Birmingham Jail. I invite you to take a moment and re-read these words from nearly 50 years ago.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
With those immortal words, he began the explanation of why an Atlanta pastor would travel to Birmingham, Alabama to lead civil disobedience. If you haven't taken a moment yet to read his words,
click here.
Some of you may be thinking, "Well, that's a great speech to get us motivated about working for justice, but what does that have to do with public transportation?"
My short answer--a lot!
As we have been saying for years, it's not about more buses and more hours of service, it's about access to opportunity and inclusion and building a welcoming community. More buses and increased service simply open up more opportunities and building a stronger community.
It's about getting there together.
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This line of reasoning is nothing that we have instigated. In fact, there is a national coalition,
Transportation Equity Network, which is working for transportation justice in our nation, states and individual communities. The
TEN platform resounds with our work very well:
1) Economic Growth for All Through Fair Access to Transportation-Related Jobs
2) Access to Opportunity Through Increased Funding for Mass Transit
3) Accountability in Government Through Increased Community Input into Local and State Planning and Funding Processes
4) Sustainable Development Through Smart and Equitable Growth
The vehicle to Dr. King's dream of just community and more is still a bus (and a train and a sidewalk, and even a carpool or two).
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As we look at our work to support and expand public transportation in 2012, let us re-focus our lens of justice.
As we work to implement the
Kent County Transit Needs Assessment, one comparison is striking. On one hand, look at the
growing quality and quantity of The Rapid service in the six urban cities. Compare that to the level of service which continues to shrink in the communities outside of The Rapid service area. One example is that
County Connection is ending on February 19th. This is because the federal grant which supports this service is coming to an end. What opportunities will now be out of reach because of this? What jobs? Schools? Doctors' offices? Places of worship?
Second, we have
Gov. Snyder calling for increased investment in our state's transportation system. As you listen to his
State of the State address tonight, listen with an ear tuned to justice. Will he speak of opening opportunities to all? Will he talk about a transportation system which supports justice and equity? And then, in the coming weeks and months, will the House and Senate get serious about spanning the
gap between the amount of revenue we collected in 2011 and the amount of need in 2012? How important will this issue be as the State looks at its to-do list?
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Finally for today, what else would Dr. King do but call us to prayer?
Well, Faith In Motion is doing just that!
On Monday, February 20th, Faith In Motion is reprising its Prayer for the Last Bus which occurred in November 1999 with
Prayer at the End of the Line. Join many of us as we venture north on Plainfield Avenue where the buses don't go any further. There Faith In Motion will hold an interfaith prayer service for those whose lives need to cross this municipal line--those dreaming for an easy way to go north into the townships and those in the townships who dream to come into The Rapid service area.
I have a good feeling that Dr. King
will be there in spirit. Faith In Motion members hope to see you there in spirit.
All for today.
Dave
Disability Advocates of Kent County
Empowering Independence
3600 Camelot SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
(616) 949-1100, ext. 228; dave.b @ dakc.us
