When it comes to your street and community design, who knows better than you and your neighbors? That is the central belief when it comes to our Safe Street Promotore Educators: that community members - armed with organizing tools and technical expertise - are best equipped to direct cities and governments on their infrastructure needs.

Through a 10-month Ped Power Workshop series, LA's Wilmington and San Pedro parents gained knowledge on topics like safe street infrastructure, navigating City programs and systems to secure said infrastructure, Google Earth/GIS mapping tools, and more. Now as graduates they're prepared to not only deftly navigate City systems and power to secure safe street infrastructure but train their neighbors and peers to do the same.

So say hello to our first graduating class of Safe Street Promotore Educators! 

We've got some big news! Los Angeles Walks is an official Champion organization of the Super Bowl LVI Legacy Program!

Our friends at LA84 Foundation, the Play Equity Fund, the National Football League (NFL) Foundation, and the Los Angeles Super Bowl Host Committee are honoring 56 Champion organizations doing tremendous work across the Los Angeles region.

The program is recognizing Los Angeles Walks for our impact in local neighborhoods that often goes unrecognized. For many Angelenos recreation and physical health begins at home, on the streets and sidewalks. And so we're proud to be advocating for pedestrian rights and access on such a platform!

Subject: Parents of Los Angeles harbor communities call out pandemic related safe street problems and their solution: build a community-led pedestrian movement.

Have you noticed those no-touch signs on pedestrian signal buttons? During the early months of the pandemic, the LA Department of Transportation (LADOT) deactivated many of these buttons, making them touch-free by turning on automatic walk cycles. 

Having had negligible impact on traffic congestion and delay, the LA Pedestrian Advisory Committee recently called on the department to make the no touch signs permanent. Consistent and reliable walk cycles not only make our streets safer but treat those walking and rolling: our essential workers, our seniors and our children with dignity.

You all did it! We asked you to support LA's pedestrian advocacy non-profit and you came through! Last Thursday, we hosted our Spring Forward with Los Angeles Walks: a Fundraiser in 4 Stories and we had over 45 participants in our digital world, the LA VILLAGE. And thanks to all the love, we raised $30,000!

Los Angeles Walks family relax at the bar post-event.

by Mehmet Berker, Board Member of Los Angeles Walks

On Wednesday, March 24th, after a series of opaque statements and actions by Los Angeles Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell’s office, the LAPD was sent in to forcibly evict an unhoused community who had been encamping in Echo Park for some time. During the night, coordinated with the police violence, the City of Los Angeles erected fencing around Echo Park as well as the playground south of Bellevue Avenue to ostensibly “make repairs”.

if people of color are not free to exist in public space without the threat (and reality) of state violence, they can’t exist peacefully in the pedestrian realm

This action was incredibly irresponsible and “anti” a lot of things, but we do want to talk briefly about how it specifically was anti-pedestrian and also how the state of affairs the City was ostensibly “solving” in Echo Park is now worse for people walking. We hope this serves as a reminder that when those in power use walkers in their rhetoric to further state control and violence, that one should be extremely skeptical of their claims.

Pedestrianism is about a lot more than just people walking of course. Crucial to pedestrianism is Freedom of Movement, Freedom of Association, and the Freedom of Assembly. Inherent to pedestrianism are also informality, negotiation and cooperation, and tolerance. It is why, for just one example, criminal justice reform and ending police violence is inherently a pedestrian issue: if people of color are not free to exist in public space without the threat (and reality) of state violence, they can’t exist peacefully in the pedestrian realm--they are being excluded and being denied their Freedom of Movement, and that is anti-pedestrian.

Last week, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced their intention to permanently remove and not replace a pedestrian bridge connecting communities divided by the 101 Freeway. 

You heard right! Los Angeles Walks and our partners at California Walks and Cal Bikes are co-sponsors to Assembly Member Phil Ting's AB1238, the Freedom to Walk Act, which would repeal California's "jaywalking" laws.

But isn't this law meant to protect pedestrians?

What do you imagine when you think of safe streets? A mural, trees, safe spaces to walk?

For years, the LA community of Wilmington has been fighting for safe streets, including a much needed major crosswalk. We are excited to share a design beyond the decorative intersection at L St. and Figueroa St., created by Cal Poly Pomona Professor Nicole Lambrou.

We invite you to join us in reimagining L St. and Figueroa St. this Wednesday, March 17th from 1pm - 2pm via Facebook Live.

Join the community discussion!

Remember in September 2020 when LA Metro cut bus services by 20%? You all responded with a flood of emails and calls. By January 2021, the Board directed their staff to restore funding. But something's still not right. 

The plan proposed by LA Metro fails to meet the directive and goals originally set forth by the Board and community to restore bus service. It overlooks an obvious public health hazard of overcrowded buses that many of our neighbors, our essential workers still face.