Connecting with Leaders: Advocating Equitable and Accessible Mobility in Hawaii
In June, we had the exciting opportunity to present our body of work at the People, Planet and Prosperity for a Sustainable Future Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii—the location of one of the case studies from Women Driven Mobility: Rethinking the Way the World Moves.
During our session, Equitable Intersections: Sustainability as a Connector for People and Place, we talked to attendees about the promise new mobility can bring to transform places to become more equitable and accessible. Our presentation focused on the intersection of the built environment and the disparities that can show up when places are designed without vulnerable populations at the forefront. We shared stories about how some programs are focused on innovation and new technology, and some show promise by going back to the basics. We also had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Katie (Kathleen) Rooney, Director of Transportation Policy and Programs at the Hawaii-based Ulupono Initiative, whose work was featured in our book (page 148).
The presentation took place at the People, Planet and Prosperity Conference where we were joined by national and international researchers and industry leaders to discuss how the UN Sustainable Development Goals can be implemented for better economic and environmental outcomes, and to discuss the ways we can work across industries to develop solutions related to the climate change crisis.
Click here to learn more about Governor Green’s presentation and investment in making Hawaii the first state to be fully reliant on clean energy.
We also had the incredible opportunity to meet and talk with Hawaii’s Governor Josh Green, who was the keynote speaker for the conference. We were able to share a bit about our work in supporting equitable and accessible mobility and how it connected us with the Hawaiian transportation ecosystem.
Our time at the conference brought to light a lot of the work we have been leading since Women Driven Mobility was published. While all but one case studies featured in the book were based in the mainland United States, discussing the unique geographical mobility challenges in the framework of an island community provided a great backdrop for the discussion of how planning for few can benefit most. In addition to water resources and biological conservation, understanding urban to rural landscapes and holding space for indigenous knowledge were front-and-center of our discussions.
Finding Unique Solutions that Serve Unique Communities
During our time on the island, we had the ability to see first-hand something we work to highlight at home: one-size- fits-all mobility approaches don’t work beyond concept. Every region has its own needs and issues and every community has its own quirks. What works for us in Detroit, doesn’t work in Hawaii—just as what works on the island of O’ahu doesn’t necessarily work in Hilo on the Big Island. The only universal truth is that people deserve equitable and sustainable transportation options—and the way that we can arrive at those solutions, is by finding common ground in problems and shaking up the status quo–and asking the hard question: “Does this work, or are we making it work?” By aligning with other communities and listening to their stories, we can find these creative solutions, tailored to communities, and possibly bypass the risk and ask of having a community serve as a test subject.
Celebrating Local Contributions
Having Katie as part of the presentation added a local perspective to our work and helped ground it within the context of what the people of Hawaii were experiencing. Her contributions and the work of the Ulupono Initiative, featured in Women Driven Mobility, showcase the importance of grassroots efforts in creating tangible change that matches the needs of the community—while also considering their future needs. This collaboration between authors, government representatives, and local advocates exemplifies the power of collective action in driving progress. It also holds space for missteps and lessons learned, something that can feel defeat on a local level, but helps foster larger conversations about problems that might exist across the mobility ecosystem, highlighting that they may be more closely linked to use case or mode, rather than place.
Honoring and Fostering Collaboration
Being able to speak with stakeholders in other regions highlights why best practice sharing and collaboration is important. We were able to open up a dialogue and share insights from our national work and how various regions—including our home state of Michigan—are working to not only advance equitable and accessible mobility, but to serve as the global leader for it. With Governor Green we talked of Michigan's Governor Gretchen Whitmer, her impactful work, and how cross-state collaboration and knowledge sharing is key in fostering a sense of unity in advocating for inclusive transportation solutions. The opportunities that states like Michigan and Hawaii have in rethinking energy and transportation offer will help design the blueprint for clean energy, sustainable cities, and a reduction in negative health outcomes.
Amplifying Voices and Building Momentum
Whenever we have a chance to tell our story away from home, we are always reminded of our mission and what led us to building the Women Driven Mobility movement in the first place. By sharing our work, the work of many mobility experts and leaders and initiating dialogues with changemakers like Katie, we are continuing to grow a platform for addressing mobility gaps associated with diversity, equity, sustainability, and accessibility. Our work is focused on promoting representation in both the built environment and in the business space where the places are being designed. We are committed to creating spaces where this work can be showcased and the stories can be amplified. There are so many people committed to doing this work, striving for change, that we hope to share this platform with. In the light of the rapid advancements in transportation technology and the ticking clock of climate change, we hope our work will foster a sense of urgency and momentum in creating a more inclusive transportation landscape.
We would like to take a moment to thank the Ulupono Initiative and Grid Power Partners for sponsoring our expenses for this trip and for your support in helping more voices be heard and supported in this industry.
