DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

“Our approach is, ‘how do you help people take back their power?’” said Cecilia V. Estolano, who leads the Los Angeles-based Estolano Advisors. 

“How do you help communities to become places where they can actualize all their abilities? Diversity as a perspective makes our profession better.” 

When it comes to sustainability, Estolano emphasized that firms owned by people of color can frame issues of climate justice, pollution, the clean energy transition, and water quality in terms that reflect the direct experience of the communities that have been most impacted.

“We had our neighborhoods bulldozed to build freeways that caused more air pollution that seared our lungs,” she added. 

“We understand what it means to live within the evacuation zone of an oil refinery and can appreciate what clean cars and renewable energy can mean for our kids and their kids.”

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

To generate incremental, sustainable development, Cecilia V. Estolano, who leads the Los Angeles-based Estolano Advisors, said cities often have to overcome cynicism and mistrust in working class communities of color — because those communities have been misled, disappointed and underestimated in past failed planning processes.

“We work closely with communities on changing the things that result from poor planning and poor policy,” she added. 

Estolano’s firm is currently leading the planning process for the future of a state-owned site in LA’s Crenshaw district that’s been shuttered for more than a decade. 

Served by light rail, it could be redeveloped with housing, job training and other community services.

 

 

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

Cecilia V. Estolano has been working on redevelopment and economic development issues for over three decades. 

Her experience leading the Los Angeles-based Estolano Advisors has made her skeptical of strategies that call for luring large firms into a community with big subsidies and tax breaks without asking much in return.

Estolano said most consistent growth comes from home-grown small businesses. 

“This is how we build wealth in this country, particularly when so many folks are locked out of home ownership in high cost cities,” she added.

“We need to invest in infrastructure because it is the foundation for our quality of life and for business growth. 

And we have to work directly with businesses to design workforce training programs tailored to their needs, but only if they can deliver jobs and careers that pay enough to support a family.”

 

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

The resulting COTA plan didn’t simply look at sourcing environmentally friendly materials as part of the transit authority’s resilience effort.

It also charted ways of sustaining economic justice by ensuring small, diverse businesses could become contractors for the transit agency, balancing social impact with economic growth. 

“Our only shareholders are the community,” said Charnelle Hicks, who serves as principal at Philadelphia-based CHPlanning.

“[If the plan lacks an element of diversity, we need] to ask the question:

‘So you’re good with not including this consideration for the community?’” 

 

 

 

 

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

“Whether the community is Amish or Muslim, unique perspectives exist,” said Charnelle Hicks, who serves as principal at Philadelphia-based CHPlanning.

“You must think about [questions like,] ‘What are the things they care about?,’ and ask, ‘What are their priorities?’

At some point, we all will have disabilities. So we must design for accessibility.”

Hicks cited a plan for the Central Ohio Transit Authority that looked at sustainability not just in terms of the environment, but also in terms of how the transit system of greater Columbus, Ohio could be more inclusive.

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

Experts such as Charnelle Hicks note that minority communities help foot the bill for public projects — even though hiring minority-led firms is the exception to rule. And that imbalance leads to unfair outcomes for travelers on the ground.

“In the public sector, taxes are paid by everyone – so you would think the plan would be for everyone, but we all know it doesn’t always turn out that way,” said Hicks, who serves as principal at Philadelphia-based CHPlanning.

If different people with different backgrounds are not considered from the beginning of the planning process, Hicks argues that projects will fail. 

MAMDANI WILL REBUILD THE BQE TO LAST UNTIL 2080

DESPITE CALLS TO TEAR IT DOWN

All I can think of is tens of thousands of people with disabilities virtually trapped because of terrible sidewalks, crosswalks, curbramps in NYC.

I thought Mamdani is the mayor of the marginalized. 

This action makes him more like the lobbyist for the more than trillion dollar per year auto industry.

$4 billion in pedestrian/wheelchair mobility is game changing. 

Spent on an expressway = failure.

https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/08/24/mamdani-bqe-plan-august-2026?utm_source=streetsblog-nyc.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-triple-cantilever-is-here-to-stay