Here are a few Streetsblog news nuggets to start your Indigenous Peoples Day weekend.
Rider First awards
The San Francisco Transit Riders (SFTR), Seamless Bay Area, and aligned advocacy groups wrapped up Transit Month by naming their "Rider First" awards winners, honoring people who contributed to making transit better in the Bay Area. Awards went to Felix Castillo, Operator of the Year, and Jaime Viloria of Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, "...whose advocacy was essential to the return of Muni's 27 Bryant and 31 Balboa," wrote the SFTR. Other award winners included Haleema Bharoocha of the Not One More Girl campaign. "Much more than an ad campaign, this project is effectively shifting the way policy around safety and security is developed. They have changed who is at the table."
More from the SFTR:
Students who engaged in transit advocacy during one of the most difficult years received an award for Launching the Next Generation of Transit Advocates. They're becoming leaders in their own right as they apply their energy and passion to work for a better transit future. We honored transit advocate Monica Mallon for all her work to save VTA, to fight for needed funding and service, and to change the minds of decision-makers about the importance of good public transit.
Streetsblog joins the SFTR in thanking these hard workers and advocates for making it easier and safer to get around San Francisco.
Help Walk San Francisco keep J.F.K. car free
Streetsblog readers are no doubt already involved in the fight to keep J.F.K. free of cars. The advocates at Walk San Francisco are asking for volunteers to help hold the line. From a Walk San Francisco statement:
When you walk on car-free JFK Drive, how does it make you feel? Imagine how you’d feel if it went away. The fact is, two of the three long-term options the City is proposing would bring back vehicle traffic to part or all of JFK Drive. Later this fall, the Board of Supervisors will vote on the future of JFK Drive. So now is when we must show overwhelming support for car-free space from Kezar to Transverse (including key accessibility improvements). With your help, we're going to gather thousands of postcards from Supervisors' constituents to deliver to City Hall in huge stacks. But we can't do this alone.
They're asking people to:
- Pick up a packet of 25 postcards to get friends and neighbors to sign.
- Join other volunteers in getting postcards signed at an upcoming event, like Phoenix Day on October 17.
- Help with data entry.
Sign up HERE to help Walk San Francisco's campaign.
And lastly, jazz it up with BART
Want to see some live bands, reachable by transit? BART, in conjunction with Taylor Street Production have launched the “Sound Tracks” Music Program. Local musicians will perform at BART stations on Thursdays in October from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at the following three stations:
- October 14 at Concord – Os Cocos (reggae, samba, and soul band)
- October 21 at Fruitvale – Danilo Y Grupo Universal(Latin jazz)
- October 28 Glen Park – 510JAZZ (contemporary jazz, bossa nova, hip-hop and R&B)
According to a BART release, the bands will play acoustic sets in outdoor free plaza areas near or on BART property. "All are invited to attend, and attendees may bring chairs to enjoy the show."
A reminder, Streetsblog San Francisco will not publish on Monday, Oct. 11, Indigenous People's Day.
