On the eve of Rosa Parks’ birthday, Rhode Island celebrates Transit Equity Day

“Transit equity is about action. Our policies, decisions, and investments should reflect our commitment to fairness and opportunity."

“While equity might be a dirty word in Washington, it is still a core value in Rhode Island,” said Liza Burkin, Board President of the Providence Streets Coalition. “Let’s not forget that. Let’s not let our leaders forget that. We are not here to dilute or let go of the progress we’ve made on equity, whether in transit, housing, or climate. It doesn’t matter. Equity is core to this State and those who lead it.”

Burkin spoke at the Transit Equity Day program in Kennedy Plaza on the eve of Rosa Parks’ birthday. The annual event seeks to honor Rosa Parks and other civil rights activists for their role in ensuring public transit is available to everyone, thank RIPTA for maintaining full bus service, thank the drivers for risking their health to transport Rhode Islanders to work and medical appointments throughout the pandemic, and highlight what needs to be done to achieve full transit equity. Other speakers included leaders at RIPTA, ATU Local 618, the Rhode Island Organizing Project, and Rhode Island Transit Riders.

You can watch the video here:

Jim Vincent, Community Outreach Officer at RIPTA, said:

“Thank you for being here today to recognize Transit Equity Day, which reminds us of the deep connection between public transit and social justice. Today, we honor the legacy of Rosa Parks, whose courage ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott and set the stage for a larger movement for equality. The civil rights movement was, in many ways, a fight for the right to mobility - the right to access jobs, education, healthcare, and opportunity.

“Public transit has always been a lifeline, especially for marginalized communities. RIPTA is committed to ensuring that transit continues to serve as a pathway to opportunity, not a barrier.

“Transit equity is not just history - it’s a present-day issue. According to our 2024 Rider Survey, 22% of our distinct riders are Black/African American, and 59% are people of color. This underscores public transit's critical role in ensuring access and mobility for diverse communities.

“We are responsible for ensuring that service is reliable, accessible, and fair for everyone who depends on it. Transit should create opportunities, not obstacles. We need to ask: What more can we do to break down barriers to mobility?

• Investing in more frequent and expanded service

• Enhancing affordability and accessibility

• Strengthening community engagement to listen and respond to rider needs

“Transit equity is about action. Our policies, decisions, and investments should reflect our commitment to fairness and opportunity. As we celebrate Black History Month, let’s not just reflect on the past - let’s continue the work that started with Rosa Parks and many others.

“Equitable transit isn’t just a goal - It is a responsibility. RIPTA is committed to this. RIPTA is installing a Rosa Parks Bus Shelter on Smith Hill to honor her legacy here in Rhode Island and remind us of all the work we have done and must continue to do. Together, we can ensure that public transit remains a driver of opportunity and is accessible to all.”

Rochelle Lee, from the Rhode Island Transit Riders:

“Greetings to our Transit Equity Day Community on Monday, February 3rd, a day before the birthday of the honorable civil rights legend Rosa Parks.

“Here we are. 70 years after her indelible rebellion against discrimination on buses and public transportation, continuing to honor the meaning of transit equity.

“We are here today, 70 years after Rosa sat down to stand up for equal access to public transit because the work is not done. Each of us must continue to stand up, sit down, run, walk, and do whatever it takes to protect our civil right to transit equity.

“We are here today, standing on the shoulders of countless others who believed the fight for public transportation - here locally and nationally - is a fight for economic opportunity and justice.

“We join with our friends in the transit equity movement throughout the nation to celebrate and lift up the meaning and imperative to support transit riders because whether we ride or drive, walk or bike, everybody intersects with someone who relies on public transportation.

“We are here today because access to transportation is a civil right, a human right, regardless of age, physical ability, income, zip code, occupation, background, or where you live.

“We are here today to stand up for bus drivers, bus riders, businesses, and employers whose workforce depends upon reliable and affordable ways to get to work.

“We are here today to stand with our family and friends, students and elders, frontline workers, and transit workers whose jobs provide the means for many to find and keep employment, get to school, access healthcare, recreation, and essential goods and services.

“We are here today to ensure public transportation continues to infuse our economy with a workforce from all walks of life, because a workforce made of a diversity of backgrounds makes for a stronger and more just economy and a more compassionate society.

“We are here today to support climate justice advocates leading the fight for a sustainable planet. Because an enduring public transportation system is a cornerstone of our collective mandate to protect Mother Earth today and for generations.

“We are here today to shine a light on our elected officials' decisions when the time comes to allocate our tax dollars to support RIPTA, our statewide people mover.

“We are here today to fulfill our sacred obligation as a society to leave no one behind, due to underfunding the agency’s ability to pay competitive wages, maintain reliable real-time system information, or enhance transit equipment.

“We are here today to stand up for Rhode Island’s communities with limited bus services and for those who depend on public transportation.

“Operating our State's transit system without the necessary resources is not an option. We can not defer needed resources for public transportation if we are to make RIPTA a desirable alternative to cars and vehicles which fuel a steady proliferation of parking lots, traffic jams, and an array of pollution. Particularly at this time when housing and the infrastructure of our roads and bridges are in crisis.

“Along with my fellow champions for a robust public transit system, I urge each of us to stand in the space where public transportation is held up as a political priority, no different than fire, police, and public education. None of us can afford to pass the buck when fighting for transit equity.

“I hope to see you all on the front line at the State House, supporting our elected officials with the heavy lifting to fully fund RIPTA.

“I hope to meet you at public hearings on bus services or at community meetings to educate the public on the human rights inherently linked to public transportation.

“And I hope the days ahead will also bring people together in a spirit of friendship and trust, where we can strike up a conversation to get to know one another and share stories. Bus rides are known to foster friendships between riders and drivers alike!

“Thanks for standing with us on Transit Equity Day!”