The last year and a half has been extraordinarily challenging for communities across Washington. We have lost loved ones and neighbors, we’ve lost jobs and businesses. Now as we look ahead to what rebuilding looks like, we know that a just recovery will take transit.
Transit and inclusive transportation options will be an integral part of Washington’s recovery as well as an important piece of our continued effort to correct racial and economic injustice. In the months and years ahead, our efforts to fund transit in Washington will be more necessary than ever.
In recognition of that, the Transportation Choices Coalition Board of Directors is proud to launch the Resilience & Recovery Fund, our 2021 fundraising campaign to support transportation advocacy in Washington. This is the outcome of an idea from Patience Malaba, a 2020 Bullitt Environmental Prize winner, advocate at the Housing Development Consortium of Seattle-King County, and TCC Board Member. Join us in contributing to the Fund today:
Like nearly every organization, in the last year TCC approached transportation advocacy work in adaptive and resilient ways. We became the convener of Washington Transportation Advocates, a powerhouse coalition of agencies and advocates that are now coordinating work in unprecedented ways.
We became experts at virtual events, and held panel events on COVID-specific issues. We aggregated a resource list about COVID and transportation, and shifted our annual Ride Transit Month to an all-virtual, month-long celebration (this year’s celebration just started yesterday, and we’re so excited for everything in store!)
We also set a roadmap for how transportation in Washington will need to change after COVID. A “return to normal” simply is not acceptable. We must rise to this moment and push for the transformational change that our communities deserve.
Now we’re looking ahead to recovery. TCC’s advocacy will help shape the direction of billions of dollars of key transportation funding by leaders in Washington DC and Olympia. To support these efforts, the organization is staffing up for the fights ahead including growing leaders from within TCC. TCC is hiring three new staff members and recently promoted former Advocacy Director, Kelsey Mesher, to a Deputy Director role. As the Board of Directors, we’re here to help ensure we have the advocacy power we need for Washington’s recovery.
Make a gift to TCC through the Resilience & Recovery Fund today in recognition of how far we’ve come and all the work still ahead. Together we can create more and better transportation choices for everyone in Washington.
