building (transit) people’s political power
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Building (Transit) People’s Political Power. Americans for Transit CFTE June 2013. Who we are. Americans for Transit’s mission is to strengthen, create, and unite grassroots transit rider organizations across the country. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Building (Transit) People’s Political Power
Americans for TransitCFTE June 2013
Who we are• Americans for Transit’s mission is to strengthen,
create, and unite grassroots transit rider organizations across the country.
• Founded in May of 2012 year by the Amalgamated Transit Union & Good Jobs First.
• Conduct national capacity building trainings, develop & distribute training materials, provide on the ground support in targeted areas, and build a national coalition of grassroots transit rider organizations.
Who we are
Who am I?Political Hack…
Turned Transit Nerd/lover/advocate/organizer…
As Transit Advocates, Organizers, & Proponents we ALL have problems…
#Transitprobs
#Transitprobs .09 Cent Fare Increase
#Transitprobs
2009 Cuts! NOW?
#Transitprobs
#Transitprobs
#Transitprobs
One SOLUTION TO ALL Of These problems???
• Overcrowding• Fare increases/Service cuts• Route abandonments/layoffs/people can’t get
to work• Lack of public support
• Lack of POLITICAL SUPPORT?
One SOLUTION… Are you Crazy?
Maybe… But Together we can stop the proverbial bus
crash…
Not to mention today’s news… Voting Rights Act
Axed!!
Which will directly hurt many transit users political voice…
The Solution to our #Transitprobs
What Do all of these photos have in common?
Building (Transit) People’s POLITICAL POWER. Why?
Because these fair public servants…
Have a common ultimate goal…
We Know WHY we need political power
So the last question is… HOW?
1- Organize Transit Riders (& Supporters
http://americansfortransit.org/transit-organizing-directory/
Rally the Transit & Mobility Nerds!
2- Organize/Partner with Drivers and Labor Broadly
3- Galvanize Transit supportive businesses
http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/bossesforbuses
Many people in the room TODAY
&
&
4- Make Transit an Electoral Issue! #Transitvote
ATU 1 Million Rider Flyers in 2012
Rider Flyers
SC1 Special Election Education
We HAVE to make these folks…
Feel that they CAN NOT say NO to greater investment in Public Transit for the people
who rely on it and use it every single day!
Because if they don’t (care about and invest in public transit &
its riders…) This will happen to them…
Stay in Touch!• Like us on Facebook at /Americansfortransit• Follow us at Twitter @A4Transit• website www.americansfortransit.org• Email me with additional questions or news
you’d like to share with national pro-transit audience.