Project Description
SOCAN joins with organizations across the nation to commemorate the birthday of Rosa Parks by declaring that public transit is a civil right. We make the connection to this act of resistance to highlight the rights of all people to high-quality public transportation run on clean/renewable energy. Local actions occur annually in Southern Oregon.
Project Leader
To join this project contact Louise Shawkat
Goals
Transportation is the leading source of recorded greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon. It is, therefore, essential that we identify reducing emissions from transportation as a high priority. This is especially the case with public transit, where electrification of buses is desirable. However, in addition to recognizing the climate benefits of electrification, we also must promote social justice as we address the transit problem. The goal of this project is to achieve social justice in transit districts across the region.
Connection to SOCAN Mission
While SOCAN’s primary focus is on promoting awareness and understanding about the science of global warming and its climate chaos consequences and motivating individual and collective action to address the problem, we are also committed to promoting solutions that include social justice as a high priority.
Background Information
Transit Equity Day is organized under the direction of the Labor Network for Sustainability. It has been held for the past few years in February by a network of transit rider unions, community organizations, environmental groups and labor unions. This is a national day of action to commemorate the birthday of Rosa Parks by declaring that public transit is a civil right. Rosa is an iconic figure of the civil rights era who chose the tactic of refusing to give up her seat on the bus to demand an end to segregation in the Montgomery, Alabama, transit system.
Creative Commons
Alan Journet