Last month, we were pleased to join other walking advocates at PedsCount 2018, hosted by California Walks. California Senior Policy Manager Jonathan Matz and Senior Equity and Policy Manager Demi Espinoza both attended the conference, which highlighted the obstacles to full use of and participation in our streets faced by communities that are marginalized due to race, gender and disability.

In one session, Demi joined Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes and Go Human for a panel on Strategies for Cultivating Safe Routes to School Champions. We discussed community engagement efforts in Muscoy and Vermont Schools, which are in the Inland Empire, particularly why we need investments for infrastructure. The presentation highlights included personal testimony from parent and child Rosa and Angela Loerca from Muscoy, who lifted up the pedestrian infrastructure needs of their community.

Senior Equity and Policy Manager Demi Espinoza (left) with (from left), Rosa and Angela Loera of Vermont Parents in Action Group of Muscoy; Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes; Maha Rizvi (office of Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes) and Julia Lippe-Klein (Southern California Association of Governments)