StreetLife

A Taste of Boston Open Streets Makes Us Hungry for More!

A crowd of people participating in the JP open streets event. The street is full of pedestrians and people with scooters and bikes.

On July 10th, the City of Boston held an Open Streets event on Centre Street in Jamaica Plain. LivableStreets was so excited to participate and see so many people show up to enjoy the event. It was very powerful to see folks moving along the mile and a half section of Centre St by walking, biking, rollerskating, and more. Most noticeably, we were delighted to see how accessible the event was for folks using mobility devices such as wheelchairs and walkers.

If you attended the Open Streets event on Centre Street earlier this month and you thought that more neighborhoods in Boston should have as much fun as you did, help us spread the joy of Open Streets and volunteer for the coming events along Blue Hill Ave and Dorchester Ave in the coming months. Email Makayla at [email protected] if you are interested.

Candidate Questionnaire for a People-Centered Massachusetts

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The Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition and the Great Neighborhoods Network have distributed a questionnaire to all Governor and Lieutenant Governor candidates in Massachusetts on issues related to mobility, transportation, and housing. The questionnaire gives candidates the opportunity to share their priorities with residents like you, so you can make informed choices in the upcoming election.

Will you help spread the word? Reach out to the candidates who are running to represent you, and let them know their answers to these questions matter! The deadline is next Monday, August 8st at 11:59pm.

Bike the Emerald Network this Summer!

Participants in the MAPC Landline ride stand on a beach, holding their bikes upright, in front of a clear blue sky with occasional white clouds, and smile at the camera.

Photo: Karl Alexander, Civic Space Collaborative

Abby Jamiel, the Emerald Network Program Manager, joined the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)’s LandLine program for a guided bicycle ride on a gorgeous Wednesday night. Along with City of Boston and MassDOT staff, community organizers and a few friends added to the fun! The ride meandered along the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway to Constitution Beach, and then connected to Revere Beach in Revere along Winthrop’s Belle Isle Marsh. The route is a striking one for those out to catch some beach sunsets.

Two more LandLine rides are scheduled for August 8th and 11th along the Mystic and Malden River Trails and Mystic Highlands Greenway. Rides are free and more information can be found here.

Volunteer with LivableStreets!

Makayla, a Black woman wearing a down coat and an orange LivableStreets beanie, smiles at the camera with her mouth open. She has long dark dreadlocks, glasses, and is holding a clipboard while standing in a Mass Ave bus stop in Cambridge. In the background we can see a line of traffic on the opposite side of the street, and on the near side are separated bus and bike lanes.

With all the additional warmth and sunlight in the Greater Boston area, there are many events scheduled for the coming months. LivableStreets has upcoming opportunities for both volunteer and paid work that you might be interested in!

Become a Street Ambassador

In the months of August and September we will continue having conversations with people walking, biking, and riding the bus to learn about how they use the street along Mass Ave. Sign up here!

Participate in Tour De Streets

In September LivableStreets will be hosting our annual fundraiser. We have a lot of fun events planned including group bike rides and trail walks. As usual, all wheels, abilities, and ages are welcome. But we can’t pull this off without a little help from our friends. Email [email protected] if you want to help out!

Volunteer at Open Streets

In case you skimmed past the top story in this newsletter, we had a ball at the JP Open Streets event and could use help tabling at the upcoming events at Blue Hill Ave and Dorchester Ave in August and September, send an email to [email protected]!

Tour de Streets update: rain date set for September 18!

The outdoor courtyard at the Charles River Speedway, with groups of people sitting at picnic tables. In the foreground we can see a person with a ponytail playing guitar (with their back to us). Colorful flags decorate the space, and table shield people from the sun.

Tour de Streets 2022 update: we have biking routes & a rain date! We are keeping our fingers crossed that we won't need it, but if September 10th brings inclement weather, we'll gather at the Charles River Speedway on Sunday, September 18th instead—so keep your calendar clear, just in case! You can check out the routes for the 3-mile Family ride and the 10-mile Urban ride at livablestreets.info/tourdestreets, and don't forget to register!

two sea turtles smack front fins in an underwater high-five

If you've already registered, you get an official LivableStreets high five! The next step is to send an email to your friends and family and ask them to help you hit your personal fundraising goal. Sample letters are available in your participant dashboard—just update the details and hit send!

LivableStreets is Hiring a Transit + Streets Project Manager!

LivableStreets staff zoom photo, with each team member making silly faces and/or hand gestures.

Dust off your resume—LivableStreets has an open position! We're searching for a Transit + Streets Project Manager who is ready to move our advocacy forward across all of our programs and will thrive as part of a small, collaborative team. This position will be particularly focused on bringing an equity lens to transit and street projects, and working with communities to support their needs & voices.

Know someone who would be excited to do this work? Forward this email to them & encourage them to apply soon! More information and the full job description are available here.

Opportunities

Public Policy Specialist, Massachusetts Public Health Association: The Public Policy Specialist will be a core part of a four-person Policy & Campaign Team working to advance MPHA’s health equity policy agenda. Learn more and apply here.
Multiple positions, Muslim Justice League:
- Campaign Organizer
- Communications Coordinator
Senior Research Manager, Boston Indicators: The Senior Research Manager supports and advances the goals of Boston Indicators, conducting original research, managing research projects, and developing ongoing working relationships with TBF staff, community groups, and civic leaders across Greater Boston. Learn more and apply here.
Executive Director, Massachusetts Voter Table: The Massachusetts Voter Table seeks a leader committed to transformational, progressive social change led by low-income people and people of color. The Executive Director provides vision and leadership to facilitate collective action across 30+ nonprofit partner organizations. Learn more and apply here.

As a policy, LivableStreets will only advertise opportunities that include salary or compensation information.

Thank you!

Check out the following resources to learn more about what we've been up to lately!

Press: Read local and national press featuring LivableStreets and our work.
StreetFilms: Watch videos highlighting our advocacy and events.
Greenway Stories: Join us as we explore greenway successes and challenges around the Boston area.

Was this email forwarded to you? Here's where you can sign up for StreetLife! www.livablestreets.info/join

Issue #168 - July