What is Transportation Justice?

On The Move (OTM):The Greater Boston

Transportation Justice Coalition

Background

•On The Move—Who We Are-Accomplishments-Next Steps

•What is Transportation Justice?

•What is missing in the Transportation Agenda

•OTM 21st Century Principles and Vision

Who is OTM?

On the Move (OTM) is a coalition of nine community based organizations in greater Boston that came together in 2002 to advocate for transportation justice. Our core constituency is Greater Boston’s low income communities and communities of color and our focus on regional transportation and smart growth.

On the Move’s supporters include environmental justice, environmental, community development, affordable housing, tenant’s organizations, public health, and other neighborhood groups

www.bostononthemove.org

OTM COALITION MEMBERS (Steering Committee)

OTM COALITION MEMBERS (Steering Committee)

Transit Riders Union (TRU) MASSPIRG The Arborway Committee Bikes Not Bombs The Greater Four Corners Action

Coalition

ACTION! For Regional Equity Livable Streets Alliance Washington Street Corridor

Coalition Sierra Club

Our five-point Platform for Transportation Justice and Livable Communities, endorsed by 50 organizations includes the following

demands:

Fix Our Transit System So It WorksClean Buses So We Can BreatheGive Us Our Fair Share of Transportation FundsGive Us a Seat At the Table for Transportation Decision MakingLink Transportation Improvements to Affordable Housing and Livable Communities

OTM Accomplishments and Strengths

OTM, under the guise of Clean Buses For Boston, has won campaigns for cleaner buses and bus monitoring systems

Free bus-to-bus transfers in the MBTA system, many service improvements

Fare Hikes defeated in 2003 and 2007 with significant OTM presence

MBTA Rider Oversight Committee which several OTM Steering Committee members serve on.

Solid Base of Committee and Coalition Members

What is Transportation Justice?

What is Transportation Justice?

Transportation Justice is the right and access to affordable, safe and

meaningful transportation choices and opportunities for all communities in the

neighborhoods and areas where we live, work, play, learn, and pray.

Why is Transportation an Environmental Justice Issue?

• Burdens on Community-Pollution, Costs, Impacts (Physical), Amenities

• New Transit Development Projects—For Who? Greenbush Line

• History—Orange Line, Silver Line

• Decision Making and Access

Portland Changing-For Who?EJ in Greater Boston

The Missing Community Base

ChurchesYouthSmall Businesses Senior CitizensImmigrants/Foreign NationalsPublic Housing ResidentsMentally/Physically Impaired/ParatransitHomeless/Indigent ResidentsCommunities of Color

Concerns around Transportation Process in Greater Boston

Why Has Our Transportation Message Become So ‘Wonky’?

Lesson One--Thomas The Tank Engine

The Tale of the Wonky Whistle

"Workmen, fix that whistle. The whistle is clearly wonky!" — Victor

The Tale of the Wonky Whistle

"Workmen, fix that whistle. The whistle is clearly wonky!" — Victor

Base-Building and Advocacy (Arrow and Circle)

Building Power

Developing Voice

Setting Terms

Making Change

Culture of Community

Less Wonk-Real Talk

Reacting to Fare Increases

Crafting Legislation

Working Within Government

Compromising via Political process

Culture of Elected Officials and Politicians

Base-BuildingDeveloping Relationships

Grassroots Organizing

Political AdvocacyLegislative DemocracyGrasstops Organizing

Arrows—OTM Base-Building

Building Power

Developing Voice

Setting Terms

Making Change

Culture of Community

Relationship Building

Empowerment

Storytelling

Building A Voice

Strategizing

Collaborative Problem Solving

Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses

Action

Implementation of Strategy

Sharing Stories

Achieving Change

OTM Arrow Projects

Base-Building and Grassroots Organizing (Arrow Projects)

OTM VOICES! Campaign-Storytelling and Relationship-Building/Strategy/ActionFormation of Transportation Equity Caucus within core partnerships, including Transportation For Massachusetts (2011)OTM Transportation Equity Summit (proposed event—2012 and annual)OTM Member Organization Recruitment (Identify Core Principles—Target Labor, Public Health, Social Justice, Faith-Based Institutions, Immigrant Groups, Youth and Seniors)OTM & Organizing Opportunities (Events, House Parties, Tabling at Partner Events, etc...)

OTM Arrow

Projects“Build The Base”

OTM Circle Projects

General Advocacy (Circle Projects)

Legislative Advocacy (On-Going Policy Campaigns w/ MBTA/MassDOT and State Legislature)Coalition Campaigns—Green Justice Coalition and Transportation for Massachusetts (State Advocacy Committee; General Coalition)MBTA Projects (Green Line Extension, Fairmont/Indigo Line, etc…)OTM Transportation Summit (proposed event—2012 and annual)

OTM Circle

Projects

“Accountability of Elected Leaders and the System”

Transportation-EJ and Sustainability

Environmental injustices that we’ve been fighting and struggling against are caused by the same factors in the economy that have generated these obscene inequalities in wealth. Environmental injustice has always been connected to economic injustice in that respect. We don’t think that sustainability and justice can be separated; that you can achieve one without the other.

Penn Loh,Professor at Tufts University; Former Executive Director at ACE (Alternatives to Community and Environment)

OTM Future Opportunities

Rebuild Momentum and Base around Transportation Justice by collecting ‘Transportation Stories’ from Target Communities and Neighborhoods around Greater Boston.

Support OTM Coalition Member Organizations on Transit Justice Campaigns through Coalition (Project $$$ Funds, Coalition Leadership, Opportunities, Media Campaigns)

Work with Statewide Coalitions on Long-Term Transportation Funding Campaigns and Advocacy for 2012-2013.

Develop Base-Building Targets around Labor, Faith-Based Institutions , Immigrant Groups, Youth and Seniors.

Look for opportunities with MPO and MAPC around Transportation Equity Caucus and Decision-Making Seats

OTM Vision

• Base-Building-Who are the Voices of Public Transportation?

• Challenging Culture and Class (De-Wonking the Process)

• Government Accountability!• Impacting Circles…Developing Transportation Solutions; Dictating

the Terms

• Creating the Arrow…Changing the System and Creating

CHANGE!