This report assesses equity work within transportation in California by analyzing the expert perspectives of transportation professionals who also identify as Black or people of color. 28 professionals from across the state were interviewed. Many interviewees work on transportation equity as part of their central job function. Interviews were transcribed and coded for major themes. Key findings centered around a key distinction between “performative” equity work and “authentic” equity work. Performative equity work privileges the comfort and perspective of dominant groups, reinforces status quo, stays in the realm of rhetoric, and often results in superficial changes only. Authentic equity work centers the experience of Black people and people of color, embraces discomfort, transforms dominant culture, and results in measurable changes to the lives of those historically oppressed. Key recommendations include supporting action-oriented equity work, especially around resource allocation and redistribution of decision-making power to communities. The report includes case studies of how to apply findings to new mobilities and policing, as well as visions for more equitable transportation futures.

Transportation equity is a priority for agencies across the state. This research brief summarizes the study, "Assessing the Impact of Equity Work in Active and Sustainable Transportation," that highlighted the importance of distinguishing between performative and authentic equity work. Performative equity refers to actions, words, or gestures that claim to do equity work, but in practice do not improve matters for those historically oppressed, and in turn, reinforces root systems of dominance and status quo. Authentic equity work results in meaningful change to those most impacted by historical racism and oppression.

This white paper provides guidance for how planning, policy, and advocacy may better account for complex sociocultural forces, including gender, class, and race. The authors reviewed a large body of sociocultural research on bicycling with complex models capable of addressing an intersectional understanding of identity, the innerworkings of power in society, and the nature of inequity. These findings coalesced into four recommendations for those promoting bicycling as a mode of everyday transportation: (1) Extend what it means to embrace difference; (2) Recognize that the streets are not equally safe for all; (3) Engage in a meaningful way with marginalized communities and share decision-making power; and (4) Understand how local and national histories of injustice influence and relate to current bicycling planning processes. Integrating these recommendations into advocacy, policy, and planning can lead to greater equity in representation, distribution of resources, and decision-making in promoting bicycling. System-wide implementation of these recommendations will create the greatest impact on improving issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion in bicycling. This requires broad-scale interventions, including but not limited to, training, changes to funding and decision-making structures, valuing long-term community engagement and community knowledge, broadening measures to street safety, and considering historic inequality.

The public mandate to engage the public in transportation planning processes is in the process of becoming more rigorous and democratic. Transportation agencies are recognizing the limitations of past modes of engagement and seek to connect more dynamically with the public, particularly with historically marginalized communities. Doing this work well is a topic of interest to a growing number of transportation professionals. This study identified four successful engagement processes with historically marginalized communities in California by surveying transportation professionals. Stakeholders at each site were interviewed and public documents from the processes were reviewed to identify common themes for positive public inclusion. Interviewees included community leaders, transportation staff, and consultants. Interviews were coded and analysis was conducted using a mobility justice and critical race studies framework. Ten key themes of successful community engagement with historically marginalized communities were identified. These themes are: (1) trust is crucial; (2) treat community-based organizations as equal partners; (3) pay community partners fairly; (3) let community-based organizations decide what good community engagement is; (5) translate technical jargon; (6) engage in community concerns beyond the scope of the project; (7) address major community concerns such as displacement, policing, and youth development; (8) know local histories of transportation injustice; (9) include the community in the final reporting process; and (10) follow-up on planning with implementation in a timely manner.