Safe Routes to School E-News
Issue #171: June 2020

Safe Routes Partnership E-News is a monthly email newsletter published by the Safe Routes Partnership. We are also on Facebook and Twitter. Join us!

  1. Our Commitment to Anti-Racism 
  2. Introducing the Back to School 2020 Working Group
  3. Dropping Enforcement from the Safe Routes to School 6 E’s Framework
  4. Save the Date: 2020 State Report Cards on Walking, Biking, and Physical Activity + Webinar
  5. July is National Park and Recreation Month!
  6. House Transportation Bill Includes Big Wins for Biking and Walking
  7. Mutual Aid Fund Helps Inland Empire Residents
  8. News Roundup

1. Our Commitment to Anti-Racism

No matter what we look like or where we come from, we all want to be able to move freely through our communities and make it home safely to our families at the end of the day. But over and over, we are witnessing atrocities committed against Black people by those we entrust to protect our communities. 

There is no place on safe, open, or healthy streets for racism, injustice, inequality, or hatred.

Across our country, from small towns to suburbs to cities, people of all races, backgrounds and faiths are coming together to demand respect for Black lives.

We stand together with Black students, teachers, mothers, fathers, grandparents, families, colleagues, friends, and essential workers. Every Black Life Matters.

As an organization we have always valued actions over words and intend to make our anti-racist actions speak louder than this statement. Moving forward, we do so as an anti-racist organization committed to ensuring that Black, Indigenous, People of Color can safely and freely move around our communities and that everyone's rights are respected, no exceptions. 

2. Introducing the Back to School 2020 Working Group

The Safe Routes Partnership is thrilled to introduce the Back to School 2020 Working Group participants. We selected 18 individuals from 175 applications from Safe Routes to School coordinators, parents, teachers, planners, crossing guards, and advocates who volunteered their time and expertise. We are so encouraged by this overwhelming level of interest, and in addition to the Back to School 2020 Working Group, we are organizing some other opportunities to have these important conversations about returning to school, and will share details in the coming weeks. Click here to meet the Working Group.

3. Dropping Enforcement from the Safe Routes to School 6 E’s Framework

For more than 15 years, Safe Routes to School programs have used the five E’s (Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Evaluation, and Engineering) as their organizing framework. In recent years, we added a sixth E, Equity, to bring the focus towards creating healthy, thriving communities for people of all ages, races, ethnicities, incomes, and abilities. Effective immediately, we are dropping Enforcement as one of the 6 E’s of Safe Routes to School. We are adding Engagement as the first E in the Safe Routes to School framework. Read more.

4. Save the Date: 2020 State Report Cards on Walking, Biking, and Physical Activity + Webinar

Join this webinar on July 9 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. Eastern to learn about the Safe Routes Partnership’s updated state report cards and report, Making Strides: 2020 State Report Cards on Support for Walking, Bicycling, and Active Kids and Communities, set to be released on June 30. On this webinar you will learn more about the report cards, how state policies and actions can create active, resilient, and sustainable communities, and the changes we have seen since our last state report cards in 2018. Staff from the Safe Routes Partnership will walk through the report cards and delve into the core topic areas and indicators.

5. July is National Park and Recreation Month!

July is right around the corner, and that means it's almost Park and Recreation Month! Every day, in communities across the country, the people of parks and recreation are providing essential services and making their communities better places to live, work and play. This year's theme is "We Are Parks and Recreation," and the Safe Routes Partnership is excited to join NRPA in highlighting the diversity of park and recreation professionals and showcasing their work in community parks. Learn more about how communities are improving safe walking and biking access to local parks through our Safe Routes to Parks Activating Communities program, and plan to share your park and recreation story using the hashtag #WeAreParksAndRec in July.

6. House Transportation Bill Includes Big Wins for Biking and Walking

On June 3, Rep. DeFazio (D-OR), along with Rep. Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Rep. Lipinski (D-IL), released the House transportation reauthorization legislation, the INVEST in America Act. The bill proposes $494 billion over five years. Thanks to our advocacy partnership with the League of American Bicyclists, it includes greater investments in biking and walking, safety for people walking and biking, and the Safe Routes to School program returns. Read all about those and many other provisions (including a big climate program) in our federal policy update. Find detailed information on our blog.

7. Mutual Aid Fund Helps Inland Empire Residents 

Mutual aid networks have been elevated during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Learn more about how one mutual aid fund is helping people who live in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in California.

8. News Roundup