COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR DIVERSE POPULATIONS

AVOID THE SINS OF THE PAST BY GETTING 

MEANINGFUL INPUT FROM MARGINALIZED PEOPLE

Anna Zivarts, program director, Disability Mobility Initiative at Disability Rights Washington, is author of the Island Press book “When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency.”

She noted that public transit is great for people with disabilities — but not if the new light rail station requires them to cross multiple lanes of speeding traffic that don’t even have a red light to protect their journey.

“Planning has to be proactive.

Ask paratransit riders about their experience.

Go to a bus or train stop to interview diverse people — and give them a free bus pass in return for their time,” she advised.

“Ease of mobility without depending on driving impacts more than the person with a disability.

Caregivers need to have access to transit to reach the people they are caring for.”