Safe Routes to School E-News
Issue #180: March 2021
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!
- Meet Brittany Jones, Communications and Equity Manager
- Youth Cycling Coalition Announces Partners and Launch of Pilot Program
- Racial Equity in Public Policy Message Guide: How Do You Talk about Equitable Policies
- Reps. Brownley and Espaillat’s Safety Bill Gets Stronger with Reintroduction
- Safe Routes to School Chosen as Part of Po Campo Retailer Giveback Program
- 2021 Physical Activity and Public Health Courses Launch
1. Meet Brittany Jones, Communications and Equity Manager
On behalf of the Safe Routes Partnership staff and Board of Directors we are pleased to welcome Brittany Jones as our new communications and equity manager. Brittany will oversee our communications efforts and serve as a co-leader to provide support for our strategic priorities to advance equity and racial justice. To learn more about Brittany, please visit our website.
2. Youth Cycling Coalition Announces Partners and Launch of Pilot Program
Safe Routes Partnership is thrilled to be a part of the Youth Cycling Coalition (YCC), and for the launch of a pilot program in Morgantown, West Virginia. Founded in 2019 with leaders from youth cycling programs across the U.S., the YCC brings together industry partners and bicycling advocates to get more children on bikes and keep them riding into adulthood. The YCC is composed of the following organizations: Free Bikes 4 Kidz, The League of American Bicyclists, Little Bellas, NICA, PeopleForBikes, Project Bike Tech, Safe Routes Partnership, Trips For Kids, USA BMX Foundation, and USA Cycling.
The YCC looks forward to building collaboration around getting more kids on bikes and sharing stories of innovative and effective partnerships in Morgantown, a future pilot program in Charlotte, NC, and other communities nationwide. Learn more about the Youth Cycling Coalition.
3. Racial Equity in Public Policy Message Guide: How Do You Talk about Equitable Policies
The call for racial equity and real systemic change is urgently echoing throughout our nation, among businesses, nonprofits, faith communities, government agencies, and many others. Explore the new 2021 Racial Equity in Public Policy Message Guide from Voices for Healthy Kids, and share this resource with your networks. The guide walks through key messages and tips for advocates to use with decision-makers to advance the conversation on racial equity, link racial inequity and structural racism to policy, and garner support for specific racial equity language in policy.
4. Reps. Brownley and Espaillat’s Safety Bill Gets Stronger with Reintroduction
The first quarter of fiscal year 2021 has come to a close, which means we have updated our quarterly State of the States TAP implementation tracking spreadsheet. For a more detailed explanation of how we analyze state implementation of the Transportation Alternatives Program, read this blog post, and for reflections on this quarter’s analysis, read here.
On Capitol Hill, we applaud Representative Julia Brownley (D-CA-26) and bill co-sponsor Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-12) for their leadership on improving safety for people walking, wheeling, and bicycling. Representatives Brownley and Espaillat reintroduced the Safe and Friendly for the Environment (SAFE) Streets Act this Congress with some strong improvements over last year’s bill. H.R. 508 aims to address the fact that people walking and bicycling make up nearly 20% of traffic injuries and fatalities, yet states spend less than 1% of their highway safety funds on people walking and biking. Want to learn more and find out how you can show your support? Read our Federal Policy Blog.
5. Safe Routes to School Chosen as Part of Po Campo Retailer Giveback Program
Po Campo, the leading maker of stylish, functional, and sustainable bags for the micromobility lifestyle, recently announced an innovative giveback program with ShoppingGives, giving back 1% of MSRP on every purchase of a Po Campo bag. A customer may choose for Safe Routes Partnership to receive their donation at checkout, or Po Campo has designated Safe Routes to School as one of three donation recipients if a customer does not select a charity. Especially exciting is Po Campo’s newest weatherproof bike bags designed specifically for kids on-the-go. Safe Routes Partnership is excited to be chosen as part of this new initiative!
6. 2021 Physical Activity and Public Health Courses Launch
The Physical Activity and Public Health Courses will be offered in September 2021, hosted by the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. The Courses have been offered regularly for over 25 years. The Postgraduate Course on Research Directions and Strategies will be September 14-21, and the Practitioner’s Course on Community Interventions will be September 17-21. Information on the Courses, including the application process, is available here. Applications will be accepted through June 1, 2021.