Mission Statement

Our Mission Statement:
The Equity in Active Transportation Committee is focused on collaborative approaches to providing culturally competent and relevant transportation related programming in low income communities of color in the Portland Metro area. The Committee is comprised of program level staff from various agencies who are engaged in transportation program design, implementation and delivery.

The Equity in Active Transportation Committee was founded by the Community Cycling Center in 2010, and continues to be moderated and facilitated by them.

Goals

The goals of the Equity in Active Transportation Committee are:
1. To effectively collaborate as transportation focused agencies with our partner organizations that serve low income and communities of color in Portland, Oregon.
2. To share resources and challenges in providing culturally competent outreach, community engagement, leadership empowerment and program delivery in low income and communities of color.
3. To share resources and connections with our partner organizations to better provide ongoing support in a manner that best suits the needs of each specific community.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Bureau of Transportation distributes walk/bike maps in five new languages

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Bureau of Transportation attended a pre-employment training class at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization today to give students walk/bike maps in five new languages as a part of its SmartTrips program. The additional languages for the popular maps were Burmese, Nepali, Somali, Russian and Arabic. IRCO informed PBOT that these languages would cover the most New Portlanders and help to get them to job interviews if they didn’t own a car.

“For New Portlanders, getting to that first job interview or first day on the job can be a monumental task, especially if English isn’t a first language,” said Marni Glick of PBOT. “Handing out walk/bike maps in other languages shows those new to our area that low-cost and free transportation choices are right around the corner. Plus, choosing to walk, bike, take transit, and carpool increases fitness, saves money, and reduces traffic congestion and pollution.”

The new languages were cost-effectively made by adding stickers to existing maps on top of map key and titles. These maps are currently available in both English and Spanish and show the locations of schools, community centers, transit lines, parks and grocery stores.

SmartTrips is the name for Transportation Options' programs that encourage alternative transportation choices. Bike and walk maps and ordering information can be found at www.gettingaroundportland.org.

According to its website, IRCO’s mission is to “promote the integration of refugees, immigrants, and the community at large into a self-sufficient, healthy, and inclusive multiethnic society.” More information is available at www.irco.org.
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