CEC Welcomes LINK Houston as a New Member Organization
CEC is pleased to welcome LINK Houston as a new organizational member!
LINK Houston advocates for a robust and equitable transportation network so that all people can reach opportunity. LINK Houston believes that transportation – how people get where they need to go – should not be a barrier to accessing jobs, education, healthcare, shopping, or anything else we need in our lives. People should be able to reach such opportunities safely and with dignity by walking, rolling, biking, and riding transit. These deeply affordable options must be as viable as owning a personal vehicle.To achieve its mission, LINK Houston analyzes data and works closely with community members across Houston to highlight their stories to shape transportation-related policies and investments.
Through the power of people’s stories and data-informed research, LINK Houston’s advocacy aims to:
- Ensure inclusive mobility options for people to move around the region affordably and sustainably by walking, rolling, biking, and riding transit.
- Keep communities united in the face of infrastructure projects, particularly highway expansions that displace families and impact climate change; and
- Increase access to opportunity, particularly access to affordable housing, as well as access to work, education, and healthy living.
LINK Houston’s focus is on how the lack of transportation options in Houston is a significant barrier to reaching opportunities – affordable housing, education, work, healthcare, and grocery stores. The organization’s advocacy in Black and Latinx communities addresses equitable access to affordable transportation by seeking policies to correct past injustices and avoid further harm, while also seeking policies and equitable investment in zero and low-carbon emissions transportation options to ensure a just and healthy future for all.The organization does not work on ballot measures, elections, or specific legislation.
LINK Houston upholds the core values of equity, independence, inclusivity, health, and respect. The organization also aims to be bold and constructive in their efforts towards informing transportation decision making with real people and real choices.
LINK Houston’s efforts include community engagement, research and data analysis, and hosting events. Examples include:
LINK Houston hosted a virtual 2-part series on “New Leaders in Transportation†in January and February, 2021. Session 1 addressed Equity in Public Spaces and Session 2 covered Equitable Mobility in Our Region. Both sessions included some of Houston’s newest transportation leaders discussing equitable mobility in our region. You can download a recording of session 1’s virtual presentation here and session 2’s presentation here. LINK Houston hosted the two-part series in late January and on Feb. 4, 2021, in observance of Transit Equity and Rosa Parks Day, also on February 4. Transit Equity Day is a national day of action on the birthday of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, who peacefully protested to end segregated seating on public buses.
The organization released a report, Equity in Transit: 2020 – How to equitably improve public transit services, particularly for people who ride the local bus. The report combines data analysis and riders’ experiences to discuss how transit has, and should, connect people to opportunity in Houston, especially in communities of color where demand is high and transit services are historically low. Watch an overview video of the report by LINK Houston’s Executive Director, Oni K. Blair on youtube or download the report at linkhouston.org.
Health & Highways: Impacts of Transportation Infrastructure on Communities was co-hosted by LINK Houston with Air Alliance Houston and the Kinder Institute for Urban Research. The organizations presented this webinar with national experts to discuss how transportation infrastructure projects impact the health and quality of life of surrounding communities, such as Houston’s I 45 expansion project.
Let’s Get Out the Vote! LINK Houston teamed up with Roll to the Polls to help ensure that transportation is not a barrier for voters to access polling locations during the 2020 Election Season. LINK Houston created neighborhood maps showing bikeways and transit services alongside early voting and Election Day voting sites.
Learn about LINK Houston’s Community Action Network – a passionate group dedicated to effecting change – and help them advocate for a more robust and equitable transportation network so that all people can reach opportunity, visit linkhouston.org.
LINK Houston
www.linkhouston.org
info@LINKHouston.org
(713) 353-4604
Facebook: @LINKHouston
Twitter: @LINK_Houston
Instagram: @link_houston
LinkedIn: @linkhouston
YouTube: @LINK Houston
VolunteerHouston.org @linkhouston