Ian Brickey (202) 675-6270 or ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
Washington, D.C.-- Members of a coalition of environmental and community organizations working to expand public transit to public lands across the country to increase equitable access to the outdoors are hosting a roundtable discussion with federal officials and local activists on the effects of limited public transit systems and nationwide “transit to trails” initiatives. The event will be held virtually and will be streamed on Facebook Live. It is open to members of the news media, who are invited to ask questions of the participants during the audience Q+A segment.
WHAT:
Virtual Roundtable: "Closing the Nature Equity Gap with Public Transit"
WHO:
Moderator: Jackie Ostfeld, Sierra Club
Rep. Jimmy Gomez, (CA-34)
Bryan Matsumoto, Los Angeles Nature for All Coalition
Sharon Musa, The Wilderness Society
Ángel Peña, Green Latinos
Luis Villa, Latino Outdoors
WHEN:
Tuesday, June 29, 2:00-3:00 P.M. ET
WHERE:
View here: https://www.facebook.com/SierraClub/posts/10158867859812572/
BACKGROUND:
Access to the outdoors and green space is essential to individual mental and physical health and for building resilient and thriving communities. Unfortunately, the benefits of the outdoors are not equitably shared by all. Nearly 100 million people in the U.S., including 28 million children, do not live within a 10-minute walk of a neighborhood park. With access to public lands and green spaces largely limited to those who have access to private cars, communities of color, especially Black and Latinx communities, are disproportionately prevented from accessing nature. Panelists will discuss the current state of outdoor access and public transit in the U.S. and efforts to build a robust transit system that connects all people with nature, regardless of car ownership.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.