Welcome to Around the Table, a regular series where we talk to people in our network and share the incredible work they are doing in their industry. Pull up a chair and join us for conversation and connection.
What first sparked your interest in the intersection of social justice, technology, and healthcare?
My lived experience growing up with a single mom in a low-income rural community where she worked as a nursing assistant. I saw the power of healthcare to help people heal and wanted to pursue a career in healthcare. However, after working in hospitals and clinics for 10 years, I realized that patients were not getting healed fully and that the incorporation of social justice and technology was needed beyond the four walls of a clinical setting – which led me to join Unite Us.
Are there any upcoming projects or events that you are working on that you can tell us about?
Moments That Unite Us: Amplifying Community Voices; Co-Lab: National Alliance for Cross-Sector Collaboration; and the Social Care Advocacy Agenda.
How do you ensure that your work is rooted in the communities you serve?
Conducting community needs assessments: Engaging with community members to learn about their needs, challenges, and priorities.
Collaborating with community members and organizations: Building partnerships with community members and organizations to involve them in the work – gaining their insights, and creating initiatives that reflect their needs.
Remaining attentive to cultural sensitivities: Understanding the cultural differences that can impact the success of the work and striving to ensure that one’s initiatives and materials are respectful and relevant to the communities being served.
Adapting your approach: Being flexible in adapting one’s work and approaches to better align with the changing needs and interests of the communities being served.
Being available: Making yourself available to listen to feedback, concerns, and suggestions from the communities one serves, and being committed to addressing their needs.
What are the challenges in applying a social justice framework to the world of healthcare?
Addressing systemic inequalities: Healthcare systems often reflect and reinforce existing societal inequalities due to unequal access to healthcare resources, discriminatory policies and practices, and other structural barriers. Addressing these systemic inequalities is a critical first step in applying a social justice framework to healthcare.
Balancing competing interests: The principles of social justice and healthcare equity may conflict with other important healthcare goals, such as cost containment, quality improvement, and patient autonomy. Finding a balance among these competing interests is essential when applying a social justice framework within the healthcare system.
Developing effective policy solutions: Social justice in healthcare requires the implementation of policies and practices that address the root causes of health disparities. Developing effective policy solutions that are culturally sensitive, evidence-based, and acceptable to all stakeholders is challenging, but important.
Addressing social determinants of health: Social determinants of health, such as poverty – employment, housing, education, and access to healthcare – have significant impacts on health outcomes. Addressing these social determinants requires a multi-sectoral approach that involves collaboration with non-healthcare sectors.
Overcoming resistance to change: Healthcare systems can be resistant to change, particularly when it involves challenging existing power structures or practices. Overcoming resistance to change and promoting social justice in healthcare requires strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, and a commitment to equitable health outcomes.
What is the best advice you’ve received in your career?
Pie: Performance. Image. Exposure. Develop a strong personal brand and market yourself effectively.
What advice would you give to someone looking to join your field?
Build relationships and get involved in your community.
When you aren’t working, what do you like to do?
Create content and attend Marvel movie premieres with my son and husband.
If we were literally around the table right now, then what food would you have brought to share?
My internship with Avid Core started in April 2022 and when it started, I didn’t have a real idea of what a communications firm did. I had a vague idea that it was to “spread information to others” and once time came to start my role, it was very overwhelming for me. Not necessarily because it was difficult, but because I had another struggle I am constantly dealing with: Bipolar I disorder.
I have struggled with this illness throughout my early adult life. I was initially diagnosed in 2019, late into my sophomore year of college. Then I was diagnosed again this year. I worried how It would affect my career because of how this condition is viewed by others.
It’s very hard for most people to discuss this with their companies, out of fear of being judged. But at Avid Core, they make sure everyone knows it is okay to be different, which made me feel relieved. If I ever needed a day to regroup myself, I had support from my team.
That is one reason I enjoy working here. Avid Core prioritizes our health both physically and mentally, while still prioritizing the firm’s projects and clients.
During my time here, I felt that I have grown significantly as a working professional. The work dynamic here has been amazing. The team focuses on building our connection with each other by having team activities and meetings.
One of my favorite activities are our Avid Core team meetings, which have a theme for that day that allow me to learn a little bit each week about everyone, while they get to learn about me too.
Although I do enjoy learning about others, I would consider myself to be introverted. Being diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder and being introverted has also made me feel that that I was way too different from others, and I have internalized a feeling that I needed to be extroverted to be successful.
I continue to practice and find ways to still feel comfortable and feel like myself while also accepting that I need to speak with confidence to succeed. I have slowly progressed forward and I feel a lot more comfortable giving presentations and hosting interviews. Before, I would almost freeze up just from thinking about speaking to a group. Throughout my time at Avid Core, I have improved a lot.
I began doing these specific tasks because I mentioned to my leadership that I had a public speaking fear that I wanted to overcome, and they supported that goal by assigning me tasks that gave me opportunities to call, present, and interview. At first, I put on a façade to force myself to do what I needed to do, which now no longer feels as forced, but more natural. I do still struggle, but I continue to grow as a professional and as a person.
Now I am working here full time, which has made me feel great about my overcoming my silent struggles. I still struggle sometimes, but I no longer feel insecure or scared. The team here really makes me feel welcome and they are great at providing support when needed. I am very glad and grateful to be here at Avid Core and encourage more companies to follow their lead to empower and support team members who have different challenges.
Reflecting on my time at Avid Core, I’ve realized this is one of those experiences that has deeply formed me and prepared me for the next stage of my life. I was provided with an amazing opportunity to produce, create and collaborate on meaningful work in the communications field with a diverse set of clients across many different sectors.
Members of the Avid Core team celebrate Abi Ingoglia’s internship.
It’s hard to narrow down the lessons I learned here, but here are a few that I know I will take into my early career.
Be Curious
Act like a sponge and take everything in. I was able to not only connect with skills I had already established and develop them further, but I was able to be curious about new work I had never done before. I wanted to take on projects that I did not have a background in and step outside my comfort zone. I had never worked on the business development side of client relations in the communications field. This was intimidating but I knew that this supportive environment would help me expand my skill set.
Moving forward into my career I am eager to take on new challenges and different responsibilities that I may have never done before.
Embrace Learning Curves
With taking on new projects and work, comes learning curves. I was working on new assignments that I had not done before and at times I was hard on myself for not learning things fast enough or understanding things the first time. Yet, this is how humans learn. Instead of crumbling under the pressure, I made a checklist featuring all of the edits I was consistently receiving and used it to doublecheck my work before turning it in. I learned to not be afraid of asking questions. Feedback is invaluable in the learning process and necessary for progress.
Starting my first job out of college will be exciting and inspiring. I will take the organizational and communication skills I have learned to guide me and my work.
Trust Your Voice
Having to ask questions and be curious is daunting when you don’t trust your voice. I used to have a deep fear of public speaking. I wouldn’t be able to stand up and do a presentation without shaking and stumbling over my words. Avid Core helped me develop and trust my voice. Any ideas you present to the table are valued and wanted. I felt comfortable speaking in meetings and suggesting ideas because everyone was truly interested in what I had to say. Over the course of my internship, I was able to take the lead on projects that Avid Core knew I was passionate about. The endless stream of support through the “Kudos” channel in Slack and the shoutouts in team meetings helped me to trust my gut and voice.
Being able to speak up in a new environment will be tasking. With my newfound confidence in my ideas and abilities, I am excited for what I will be able to bring to the team in my first post-grad job.
Find the Humor
I tend to be hard on myself and get easily stressed when it comes to my responsibilities. The Avid Core team taught me the importance of stringing humor throughout your day. I remember getting ready to go to my first weekly staff meeting, prepping my notes and feeling a bit anxious. When I logged on everyone had a silly background to start the meeting off with some fun banter and ice breakers. It immediately calmed my nerves, and I was ready to participate. Small, seemingly silly things like Teams backgrounds and random Slack channels keep work fun!
Humor creates connections. I am excited to incorporate the work-life fun and energy I experienced at Avid Core into my new job.
I feel prepared, excited, and eager to step into the next chapter of my career. I genuinely will miss working with this team and know I will feel nostalgic for many details of the Avid Core workspace. I will be going into the communications and digital media field after graduation and the lessons I have taken from my Avid Core internship will carry me far into my career.
Abi Ingoglia is a graduating senior from The George Washington University earning her degree in political science. She will be entering the field of digital communications upon graduation. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Welcome to Around the Table, a regular series where we talk to people in our network and share the incredible work they are doing in their industry. Pull up a chair and join us for conversation and connection.
What drew you to the world of government/public service?
Impact at scale. I started my career in the private sector and the work didn’t really align with my values or interests. I’ve always had an interest in serving others. I’ve watched every member of my immediate family do it as either a teacher, nurse, police officer or in the military. When I had the opportunity to join the government and make an impact at scale, I had to take it!
What do you think is the biggest challenge public service/government work is facing today?
The biggest challenge is preparing how we work, our systems and processes for the next generation. We are accountable for critical services and functions that keep our country running. But, while we manage those things, we need to start focusing on recruiting and retaining the next generation of public servants who will maintain or reimagine those services. Finding ways to attract and retain the next generation is critical to the strength of our democracy. We need to find a way to not only be the largest employer in the country but also the preferred employer of the next generation. I want to help the government do that. If you’re reading this and you’re a like-minded government leader, let’s connect.
What inspired you to start HOPS and what is its overarching mission?
The murder of George Floyd changed me. That tragedy forced me to think about what was in my circle of influence and what I could do to try to make a meaningful change for people from marginalized communities. Having worked in government as a federal employee and around government as a contractor, I had a decent network in the public service space. I decided to try to make change in government, in hopes of creating more equitable policies that would hopefully keep murders like George’s from happening again. The overarching mission of HOPS is to increase diversity in government leadership and use storytelling to attract the next generation of public servants.
What has been your most significant milestone so far?
This month, HOPS is celebrating its one year anniversary! Even though it’s been running for a short time, there have been many milestones. The support has been overwhelming and humbling. I’ve been grateful for the awards, AGA and Federal 100. I do this in service of others and the biggest milestone for me was hearing a member of U.S. Congress read a Humans of Public Service story during a hearing. Nothing has felt better than creating an opportunity for the unseen to be recognized and valued at that level and stage of government. I hope this isn’t the last time and I hope I can make public servants feel valued and our residents feel proud of government employees.
What’s the best advice you’ve received in your career?
You should be able to solve any business or technical problem in three phone calls.
When you aren’t working, what do you like to do?
I enjoy spending time with my family. My wife and I like watching our toddler learn and try new things. When I’m not with the little one, I’m listening to new albums that get released every Friday, watching mixed martial arts, and/or eating tacos.
If we were literally “around the table” right now, what food would you have brought to share?
I know what you’re thinking but, in my experience, tacos don’t travel well so I wouldn’t bring that. I like to connect with people over coffee and, if you’re really great, we are eating breakfast sandwiches. We don’t share those where I come from, so as a friend I’m bringing you a biscuit breakfast sandwich from Tatte. I’ll add bacon to your order if you’d like.
Welcome to our series of posts about accessibility in communications. Accessibility is the practice of making information, activities, and/or environments sensible, meaningful, and usable for as many people as possible. This is super-important as persons within your audience all have different needs. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 1 billion people around the world live with a disability. Imagine how many people would never get your message if you didn’t make accessibility a priority!
Accessibility compliance is essential for organizations required to abide by Section 508 and related policies. More importantly, actively pursuing compliance is part of everyone’s social responsibility as well as a communications best practice. At Avid Core, we are committed to providing equal access and opportunity to people of all abilities, while helping our clients and colleagues do the same.
Whether you’re running your own hobby blog or are tasked with creating and posting content online as part of your job, taking the time to dive deeper into alt text – its purpose and its varied applicability – can help you learn new ways to utilize this basic, but indispensable, accessibility tool.
Quick Refresher
Alt text is a way to involve all users with your content. Blind or visually impaired people, as well as people with physical or cognitive disabilities, can use screen reader software that reads the displayed content out loud – capturing visual representation, like photos and graphics, with the help of alt text.
While this article is about alt text, it’s important to understand how screen readers work. According to the American Foundation for the Blind, users press “different combinations of keys on the computer keyboard or braille display.” This instructs “the synthesizer to read or spell a word” or to “read a line or full screen of text,” among many other functions.
Users can adjust the reading speed and use keyboard shortcuts to skip around on a given page, making it easier to get a quick sense of what the content is about and maintain their preferred reading pace.
When scrolling through an article online, alt text helps a visually impaired user understand what the image is supposed to represent and why it’s included. (Alt text provides the same service in case an image fails to load.)
Everyone deserves the same user interface considerations, like speedy maneuverability, consistency, and accuracy. Alt text is one of the several ways to ensure this is so.
Caption:Director David Cronenberg, known for pioneering the “body horror” genre in film, on set. (Image Credit: Bloody Disgusting.)
Above is a photo of Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg, on the set of one of his productions. Effective alt text for this image would look something like this: “Film director David Cronenberg looks through a handheld viewfinder on set, surrounded by his crew.”
This example does three key things when it comes to good alt text: 1) it highlights the central person or thing within the image, in this case David Cronenberg, 2) it explains the main event or action – i.e., what is taking place or who’s doing what, and 3) it relays the general idea of the image in a concise way.
As underscored in “What Is Alt Text & Why It Matters for SEO” by Kelly Lyons, “screen readers and other assistive technologies usually stop reading alt text at the 125 character mark.” Therefore, it’s best to keep alt text well-contained and to the point.
It’s also a best practice to avoid starting your alt text with “A photo of” or “An image of,” because the screen reader will recognize that section of the page as an image.
(For future reference, here’s a free character counter tool that you can save to your browser’s favorites tab; it provides character and word counts for free, helping to streamline your overall creative process.)
As a general rule, naming well-known places, people, or things is okay to do – such as in the example above. Plus, including a keyword, like David Cronenberg’s name, adds sufficient context and can help boost SEO (Search Engine Optimization). As Lyons underscores, “Google reads alt text to help understand what images are about. Without alt text, your images are much less likely to rank on Google Images.”
Here’s another example:
Caption: Director John Singleton, known for films like Boyz n the Hood, Four Brothers, and the 2000 remake of Shaft. (Image Credit: The Los Angeles Times.)
The alt text for the image above would read: “American filmmaker John Singleton poses in front of a Panavision movie camera.”
Not Just For Pictures
People generally think of alt text as something just for images or photos. This is not so! As explained by TechSmith in their article How to Create Alternative Text for Images for Accessibility and SEO, alt text can (and should) also be used for various diagrams, like charts, tables, and graphs.
TechSmith does point out that “unlike images, most tables are accessible to screen readers. A user is able to move through the table to get the…information if they choose.” In addition to using a caption – which can accurately describe the graph, table, or chart’s data and how it relates to the overall article or story – effective alt text can briefly relay an overview of the diagram, helping a user choose whether or not they want a closer look.
Additionally, since graphs, tables, and charts usually pack a lot of information, it’s important to make the caption work in tandem with the alt text, so that the two components support each other on the page – and not needlessly overlap or copy each other. (Keeping in mind the typical 125 character limit, there’s no way that describing a given graph or table can be accomplished solely through alt text.)
In this case, “your alt text could then just describe the chart’s title and note that a full description of the content is available in the caption” or body copy. Ultimately, the alt text, the caption, and the surrounding text need to “provide all of the relevant information” as a unified whole, so that people using screen readers can understand and navigate a page “in the same way as someone who can see it.”
Below is an example I found in an article posted by Penn State, titled Image ALT Tag Tips for HTML. This example includes a table, a caption for the table, and its accompanying alt text.
As stated in its title, the chart reflects the ten states with the highest number of Pennsylvania German speakers. For the sake of this example, picture that you’re writing a short blog post about these findings. Naturally, you’ll include the chart, a caption (as below), and some alt text for the chart itself.
Caption: The chart shows the 10 states with the highest number of Pennsylvania German speakers based on recent U.S. Census data.
In this case (as provided by Penn State), the alt text reads: “Chart of top 10 states with Pennsylvania German speakers.” The specific states and the number ranges (and where on the table both sets of data are located, the left and bottom or the y and z axes) should be expressed in the surrounding body text.
Putting this information in the caption would also work, but including it in the alt text would definitely exceed the character limit – making it an unnecessary impediment for someone using a screen reader.
Don’t Forget About Decorative Images
Harvard University’s Write good Alt Text to describe images has some great information about decorative images, another kind of visual that people will often find online. Specifically, decorative images are those that “don’t really need further explanation.”
“There’s no need to include alt text for decorative images like icons, horizontal line page breaks, a magnifying glass icon in a search bar,” or anything else along those lines. “Those using screen readers don’t need to know what these images look like to understand the page, and Google doesn’t need further information or additional context in order to rank the webpage.”
Images with Links
TechSmith’s article on alt text also briefly talks about images with links. “All hyperlinks should describe to the user where it will take them.” Links that say “Click Here,” for example, lack the considerations needed for visually impaired people (since “here” doesn’t impart any useful or specific information).
“If you have a button on your page that reads, ‘Download a free trial,’ your alt text should read something like, ‘Link: Download a free trial.’” That way, you’re informing your readers that 1) there is an active link present and 2) where it will take them or what it will do.
Parting Thoughts
Remember, alt text is about making sure everybody gets to understand a given page or article. It’s more than just a facet of one’s accessibility checklist or a way to improve one’s SEO. Alt text is a small but lasting way to foster both accountability and inclusion in today’s fast-paced, digitized world.
What do celebratory GIFs from The Office, dancing parrot emojis, and a Slack channel have to do with Earth Day? More than you might think!
According to the EPA, the world began celebrating Earth Day in 1970 through what started as a grassroot movement. At the time, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson organized a national demonstration to bring attention to environmental issues. Protests and rallies occurred across the U.S. Eventually, this led the U.S. to formally commemorate Earth Day and to create the Environmental Protection Agency.
Senator Gaylord Nelson overlooking the St. Croix River between Minnesota and Wisconsin, a waterway he worked to protect as the first “Wild and Scenic River” in the United States. (Image Credit: Senator Nelson’s Official Website.)
Earth Day has continued to be a day for communities to come together to promote sustainability, environmental education, and to make an investment in our planet. Avid Core was founded with a similar commitment to sustainability and community building and this Earth Day, we wanted to share one of the ways we put these values into practice in our virtual office.
Avid Core uses Evergreen, a peer-to-peer recognition software, to give back to the planet and to each other. Evergreen partners with Eden Reforestation Projects, which plants a tree every time we give a “kudos” to our coworkers.
Each week, every team member is given three seeds to share and is prompted to write a note recognizing a coworker’s work or support. It is set up on Slack, our internal communication system, and the whole channel is full of warm fuzzies, painting a picture of the breadth of work being done each week at Avid Core.
Through Evergreen, Avid Core is making a difference for the environment – both our team environment and around the world. To date, Avid Core’s kudos have led to the planting of 576 trees and offset 48384.00 kilograms of carbon.
Avid Core’s impact through peer-to-peer recognition. (Image Credit: Evergreen.)
“We have such an amazing team at Avid Core, it’s nice to get the weekly prompt to recognize those who have been working so hard to help our clients meet their goals,” Amanda Roberts, Avid Core’s co-founder and Chief Marketing Strategist, shared. “By planting trees, Evergreen also aligns with our core value of giving back to our community.”
Abi is a senior graduating this May from George Washington University, where she majored in Political Science and History. At Avid Core, Abi is working as the Communications Specialist Intern.
Avid (adjective) – having or showing a keen interest in or enthusiasm for something. It’s more than just our company’s namesake. Passion for our work and for the things we love is part of our core values. In this recurring series, we’ll share some of the things we’re Avid Fans of with you.
While shuffling through a Spotify playlist or cleaning out old CDs, you may stumble upon a song that transports you back to a time that you may have forgotten. Songs carry sentimental meaning and value. Your “Oldies but Goodies” playlist may take you back to a time in college with friends, or a classic rock song may be the tune that your dad constantly played in the car. In this edition of Avid Fans Of, we’re sharing some of our favorite memories that are tied to music or a specific song.
Abi Ingoglia – “And Your Bird Can Sing” by The Beatles
It is the summer between 7th and 8th grade and I am sitting in the front seat with my dad in his old convertible on the way to the beach. While driving over the bridge to Jones Beach, the Beatles Revolver album played on shuffle. The memories almost seem out of a movie. Our car was packed with towels, sunscreen, and our cooler with iced tea and sandwiches. Our family was squished into the two-door car, but it never felt cramped. Listening to songs like “And Your Bird Can Sing,” I can feel the sun hitting the top of my head. I can hear my younger brother and I yelling every time we saw deer on the side of the road towards the beach. Forming these core childhood memories around the Beatles has made me one of their biggest fans and I continue to listen to their albums every day. I will always associate this band and their music with my relationship with my dad.
Alex Russell – “Dinah (Take 2)” by Thelonious Monk
High school means different things to different people – but for me, it presents a very ambivalent mix of feelings; some good, some awful. One thing I might never have found without going through high school language arts, however, is Jazz. As much as I love rock (Lou Reed, Warren Zevon, Joe Walsh) and film scores (Jerry Goldsmith, Danny Elfman, Tom Holkenborg), Jazz – particularly Bebop – remains my all-time favorite genre. My first year in high school introduced me to writers whose works I still admire – Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs – as well as the music of their time: Jazz. Exploring Jazz music on YouTube late at night or on (very) early weekday mornings, I came across a magical, iconoclastic album of solo piano works by the great Jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk (appropriately titled “Solo Monk”). While each song is imbued with his signature spirit, rhythm, and humor, the very first number – “Dinah (Take 2)” – remains one of my favorite compositions and, without fail, always brings me back to a time underscored by discovery. From falling in love with Beat writers to writing my own poems, “Dinah” is a song that encapsulates and illuminates this formative part of my life.
Ashley Dobson – “Life is a Highway” – Rascal Flatts
There are so many songs that have memories for me but one that really sticks out is the Rascal Flatts version of “Life is a Highway.” Yes, the one from the Cars soundtrack. I turned 16 the year this version came out and my dad and I were listening to music while filling balloons with helium for my birthday party. We were doing an absolutely terrible job with this particular task because we just took turns singing to each other with our ridiculous helium-induced chipmunk voices. My mom, who was handling all of the real party responsibilities, came home to find us laughing hysterically on the kitchen floor as we attempted to give her a concert. “Life is a Highway” was a real showstopper of a number and it has remained a running joke for years. To this day, my dad and I can immediately make the other person laugh if they start singing the song. My dad even snuck a clip of the song into our father-daughter dance at my wedding!
Susan Hernandez – “Ojos Así” – Shakira
I had too many choices to pick from, but this song reminded me of my favorite times as a little kid. When I hear this song, it reminds me of trips my family and I took when I was at least 4 years old. I was obsessed with Shakira’s Laundry Service album. I’d make my parents listen to it every single time we went to “Water Safari” (a water park in New York). I remember at some point my parents hid the CD from me, so I’d stop asking to play it, but they ended up giving in and playing the whole album again for me. “Ojos Así” is overall a great song that I still listen to today with this small memory of traveling with my parents.
Rossana Gonzalez – “Let’s Groove” – Earth, Wind, & Fire
I really have to thank my family for putting me onto some great music. For example, they didn’t know how to speak English, but there was huge fanbase of The Beatles in Cuba when my mom was younger. She even said people would get the infamous Beatles’ haircuts. They also LOVED Motown in my house. Even though you wouldn’t be able to understand the words, the music was so good that it was still popular in my neighborhood. Names like Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Donna Summer, The Supremes, and The Temptations were regularly used in my house. Thinking of these songs makes me reminisce of how my family would take me on drives with my mom’s booklet filled with labelled burned CDs and playing them throughout the drive. Sometimes, we wouldn’t even have a destination. We just cruised and listened to music. My younger sister, who is still in high school, now goes on these drives with me and has Motown karaoke sessions while we drive. My partner has to endure my karaoke sessions where I’m all three Supremes.
Steph Mace – “La Copa de la Vida/The Cup of Life” –Ricky Martin
My heart melted when I learned that my musical crush, Ricky Martin, was going to perform at the biggest event in 1998. I was a soccer-loving teenager set to watch the World Cup on my grandparent’s couch in Paris while the World Cup was taking place in various stadiums around France. My heart jumps every time Ricky Martin exclaims, “Do you really want it!?” followed by the horns, drums and infectious techno sounds. It became the repeat offender in my CD player before soccer practice. When I arrived in France, I was surprised to see my grandmother was also obsessed. Every day, we would tune the TV to the latest match and she would sing all of the parts with her various Spanish, English and French accents. I would catch her multitasking and singing along. Apron on, my mamie would pretend she was Ricky by waving her hands in the air while preparing delicious meals. My grandfather and I would encourage her by clapping along. This image of Mamie Martin still makes me laugh and treasure how this song brought my worlds together. Some have deemed it to be the best World Cup performance, but that’s just as controversial as the G.O.A.T. discussion.
Amanda Roberts – “Waka Waka” – Shakira
I was visiting my friend in Madagascar who was wrapping up research for her PhD. She had just gotten engaged, and her local friends decided to throw a pirate-themed surprise party. At one point, the party spilled out into a neighboring lot, which attracted the neighborhood children. They gathered around (understandably) expecting to be entertained by the white people dressed as pirates. Not one to disappoint, my friend suggested we sing something that the kids might know. One friend suggested Easter hymns. While I wracked my brain to think of a hymn, another friend yelled “Waka Waka!” The world cup had taken place in South Africa just a year prior, so Shakira’s Official World Cup theme was fresh in my head. We burst into the chorus:
Tsamina mina, eh, eh Waka waka, eh, eh Tsamina mina zangalewa This time for Africa
The children sang and danced with us as we sang the chorus on repeat. We handed out pirate-themed party favors to the children as we wished them well and headed back to the party with giant smiles.
Virginia Arroyo – “Listen to the Music” – Doobie Brothers
My dad loved music. He played the drums in a band called “The Flintlocks” when he was in high school in the Philippines. As a child, I recall hearing Smokey Robinson, Fleetwood Mac, Whitney Houston, Hall and Oates, and Michael Jackson, to name a few. But we all have that one song that we keep on “repeat” and for my dad, that was the Doobie Brothers’ “Listen to the Music.” My 12 year-old self would scream….NOT AGAIN – but now I’d give anything to hear my dad say, “one more time….” and play it again. Thankfully he was able to reunite with his band members (pictured) before he passed away.
Welcome to Around the Table, a regular series where we talk to people in our network and share the incredible work they are doing in their industry. Pull up a chair and join us for conversation and connection.
I care about cities. One thing I realized in graduate school was that thriving cities need good public transportation. I became a huge advocate for better public transportation and, as a naturally curious person who likes to share what he learns, research is a natural place for me. Research, oftentimes, is just trying to find an answer to a question.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the transportation industry today?
Money is always the biggest challenge. The second would be how to get more people walking and biking because it’s better for their health and our planet.
What are some of the projects you’re currently working on at the Eno Center?
I just finished a report that identified strategies to improve the hiring of bus operators. That’s timely because there is a shortage of bus drivers all across the country and, as a result, transit agencies have been cutting services.
I’m also coming up with ideas to help transit agencies do a better job managing large projects. That’s important because in the U.S. we spend more money to build rail projects than any other country.
I’m also helping the City of Chicago improve the way they’ve structured their transportation agencies. Like many cities, Chicago’s transit system is about to face a financial crisis because ridership is down and the federal government’s COVID relief funds are drying up.
What’s some of the best advice you’ve received in your career so far? What advice would you give to someone starting out in the transportation infrastructure industry?
Here are four things worth keeping in mind:
The old Boy Scout adage – hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
A 90-year-old engineer taught me that if you learn from your mistakes, you can become good at what you do. If you learn from other people’s mistakes, you can become excellent at what you do.
It’s OK to take a job that pays less. I’ve done that a couple of times and it’s always worked out for the best. Before you take a new job, make sure that you like your supervisor, the organization you’ll be working for, and the work that you’ll be doing.
You always need to improve your technical skills (such as learning a geographic information system, or GIS) and soft skills (such as learning how to write a persuasive memo and making a great presentation).
You have written two books and have a third one coming out in May 2023! What’s the most challenging thing about writing a book?
For the books I’ve written, you have to be curious, persistent, and patient. I often want to find out who made a decision and why. Like, what were governors thinking and who was whispering in their ears? That means you have to ask lots and lots of people and go through lots of documents.
Sometimes I want to answer a question that is current, like why did New York Governor Andrew Cuomo decide that it was worth spending tens of millions of dollars to accelerate one project at the risk of disrupting subway service to millions of New Yorkers?
Sometimes it’s a more historic question. I was going through the Rockefeller Family’s archives at a mansion north of New York City, reading a letter written by Governor Rockefeller about a meeting he had in the White House with President Nixon. I was curious what really happened in that meeting and remembered that Nixon taped a lot of his Oval Office meetings.
So, I contacted the Nixon Library and they retrieved the tape for me so I could actually listen to what the Governor and President talked about. It was super fascinating. (Check out Chapter 4 of Last Subway to read about it!)
In my new book, Mobilizing the Metropolis, I dug deep into the ways that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has had dramatic successes and equally dramatic failures. The Port Authority is an important government agency for a lot of reasons, including the fact that it was the very first public authority in the U.S. – now there are more than 30,000 copycats.
Of all the roles you’ve fulfilled, from professor to urban planner, researcher to author, which one do you most associate yourself with?
I’d have to say “storyteller.” My articles, reports, and books all teach people lessons, share suggestions, and warn them about potential problems. That’s what I’ve done as a Dad, also. Here is a good transportation-related lesson turned into a bedtime story…
“Once upon a time, a boy named Nelson was thinking about what he wanted to do when he grew up. He could run an oil company and a bank like his Dad. Or, he could buy the world’s biggest yacht and sail every day in Maine (in the summer) and in Florida (in the winter).
Nelson didn’t have to worry about money because his grandpa, John D. Rockefeller, was the richest man in the history of the world. After giving it a lot of thought (and after ruling out architect, firefighter and police officer) Nelson decided that the best job would be President of the United States.
Now, it’s not so easy to run for President and win – even if you are super rich. So, he decided he would start with being the Governor of the state of New York and then run for President. And that’s exactly what he did.
After he was elected Governor, he got the state to build really big things like office towers, hospitals, apartment buildings, and even colleges. The state borrowed billions and billions of dollars and started building these big projects even though it was at a time when a lot of New Yorkers and their companies were moving out. That meant New York was collecting less taxes to pay for big things.
But, Nelson didn’t worry about money. He also didn’t worry about how New York’s subways were having problems. Many of the train stations were 60 years old with peeling paint and bad lighting.
The train tracks were getting old, too, and that meant the trains had to go really slow or they had to stop and wait until the tracks were repaired. Water was ruining some of the stations because some of the old pipes were leaking. The subway workers were having trouble fixing the old trains because the buildings they worked in didn’t have all the right tools and equipment they needed to do a good job.
Nelson didn’t worry too much about money and fixing old stuff. He wanted to build new train lines – then everybody all over the country would hear about them and people would want Nelson to become President. So, that’s what he did.
New York started building new train lines and the President of the United States asked Nelson to be his Vice President.
But, all the money the state had borrowed had to be paid back. Because there wasn’t enough money to finish Rockefeller’s new train lines, all the construction had to stop. And things got even worse on the subways because so much money had been wasted on new train lines that weren’t going to be finished. Every day on the subways, there were fires because the trash on the tracks wasn’t getting cleaned and it was catching fire on the electric lines.
The trains also broke down a lot. Sometimes when you rode the train, the doors opened up in between stations but not at the station. That was pretty dangerous.
And, this is what the subways started to look like:
Things got even worse on the subways… (Courtesy photo.)
So, here’s the lesson, boys and girls, that the richest boy in the whole world did not know. If you have a house with a leaky roof, you shouldn’t buy a vacation house until you fix the leaky roof. The same thing with transportation – you shouldn’t build new train lines until you fix up the old ones.”
If we were literally around the table right now, what food would you have brought with you to share?
I lived in Korea for all of 2021 and I could have eaten bingsu every single day. Here’s a photo for those of you who aren’t familiar with the magical combination of ice, rice cakes, condensed milk and black beans.
Bingsu – a milk-based, shaved ice dessert with sweet toppings – is a staple of Korean cuisine. (Courtesy Photo)
We could all find a table in L.A., Seattle, New Jersey or northern Virginia and get some pretty good bingsu. But, I suggest we all fly to Seoul and get some great bingsu, instead. While we’re there, we’ll go for a ride on what is arguably the safest, most extensive, and easiest to use, transit system in the entire world. Even Nelson would have been impressed.
Avid Core is committed to highlighting community engagement and service that benefits younger generations. In her own words, Breana Day, Avid Core’s Project Management Specialist, explains the importance and lasting benefits of participating in and coaching a high school dance team, and what the experience means to her. We encourage you to learn more about Breana’s vocation and how you can help support her team, the Westlake Wolverinas, as they continue their dance journey.
Dance has been an important aspect of my life since the 2nd grade. Looking back, I know that I’ve always loved it. It’s a form of artistic expression that has stayed with me since childhood.
My high school dance coach was very important to me because she was more than just a coach – she provided a much-needed positive influence on the girls and was a source of support for us. Being a positive presence in young girls’ lives became something I wanted to do – I wanted to be that safe space that I found so many were missing.
Breana (middle, front row) with her dance team, the Westlake Wolverinas. (Courtesy Photo.)
Fast forward to my life as an adult, I now coach the dance team at Westlake High School in Waldorf, Maryland – the Westlake Wolverinas *Woot Wooot.* I create all of the choreography for the team, typically in three steps: working out the idea in my head; trying it out for myself; and then showing it to the girls. This process typically takes about 3 or 4 hours, but the dance itself always changes when I start the process of teaching it to the group.
As rewarding and fun as it is, there are of course challenges.
A big hurdle in teaching a public school dance team is often the lack of parent participation and support. There can be a lot of reasons for this, but it often shows no matter what the cause might be. From not purchasing team uniforms to simply not showing up to the performances and other events, parental support is, dare I say, lackluster.
But my girls really love dance, and I love them – which is what inspires me to keep coaching. Loving your actual team more than you love dance is key in staying with it. There are always going to be trials and tribulations, especially with coaching teenagers – whether it’s attitude, or their home life – but if you love THEM, and not the benefit of them or how they make you look, you’ll stay.
The Wolverinas pictured in the Westlake High School gymnasium. (Courtesy photo.)
For me that means doing whatever it takes to make sure they can also stick with it. Often, that means buying their uniforms myself, or taking them home and helping to babysit siblings during practice. While the team’s latest fundraiser just ended, there are several being planned for this summer. The school doesn’t give us funding or support – they do not consider us a sport, but a club, so to find out how to support the team, contact me on Facebook (Breana Johnson) or on Instagram (@Planning_pumps_pearls).
Teaching and guiding others may bring with it various stresses and frustrations, but it can also be a great source of joy and pride, and can provide others the support and inspiration they may not be getting elsewhere.
Find the Westlake Wolverinas on Instagram at @WHS_Wolverinas.
Transit equity may be an issue that you have seen but never put a name to. Whether it is public transportation being isolated from rural communities or inaccessible and unsafe paths to walk or bike, transit inequity surrounds most major cities, towns and communities. National Transit Equity Day is celebrated on February 4th in honor of Rosa Parks’ birthday.
Rosa Parks fought for equitable access to public transportation and civil rights. Her legacy impacts the continuous efforts towards fair and equitable transportation. Today, student activism and organizing plays a huge role in the amplification of certain issues. Student activism often fuels the fire of progressive civil and social movements in the United States.
I was able to interview two different student organizers involved in sustainability and advocacy from two different schools on two different coasts. It is important to understand the impact that public transportation has had on this large demographic and how their mobilization has helped push this movement into the mainstream. National Transit Equity has only circulated throughout communities deeply invested in transportation, yet it has now evolved to circulate in other groups invested in equity, accessibility and sustainability. The intersectionality of all these issues must be emphasized in order to fully understand the issues at hand.
Zennon Ulyate-Crow is the current president of the Student Housing Coalition and is the youngest commissioner for the Transportation and Public Works Commission in Santa Cruz, CA. He first began his activism in 9th grade by consistently sending letters to the California Department of Transportation in regard to the dangerous conditions of his walk from school to the public library.
Zennon Ulyate-Crow.(Photo Credit: Natasha Jessen-Petersen — Santa Cruz Local.)
His passion for transit equity and public engagement continued into his now sophomore year at University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC). Zennon has been able to engage with students to continue the conversation of transit equity as well as ways in which they could participate in National Transit Equity Day. This week around the UCSC area, there are several events going on that he has promoted through the Student Housing Coalition organization and plans on attending. These events include a speaker series highlighting the head of the local metro agency, the local bus drivers’ union and county supervisors. There will be a Food and Bus Fair which encourages attendees to use bikes as their method of transportation from one event to the next.
As commissioner Ulyate-Crow has stated, “There is a lot of inequity when it comes to representation. Especially in the area I am from, there is a lack of representation of students, and they make up 55% of the ridership within the entire bus system.” It is important to combat this inequity with targeted outreach. The commissioner wants to start conversations and open accessibility to education on these issues. By being an involved public figure, he has been able to spark conversations on a very personal basis.
On the opposite coast, Kristen Caldwell works at the George Washington University (GW)’s Sustainability Office as a Compost Educator. Besides her work with the university, she has worked at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park as an Education and Interpretation intern. Kristen is deeply involved in sustainability and believes that intersectionality is the core to education as it displays the nuanced effects of transit inequity and other sustainability related issues.
Kristen Caldwell. (Courtesy Photo.)
Being a student hyper involved in sustainability issues has shown the importance of organizing specifically on college campuses. Kristen found that organizing on college campuses provides another layer of community involvement for students to gather and expand their message quickly. Because of this, outreach and community engagement flourishes on college campuses.
As a student involved in sustainability, Kristen views campus resources in a new light, saying that “Owning a car is very expensive and inconvenient since GW has little parking spaces. DC’s metro and bus systems allow me to go anywhere in DC and its metro area.” GW provides a U-Pass, which is an unlimited metro card that allows students to access the DC area and most of the surrounding areas in Virginia and Maryland.
As students, we have access to more resources than the rest of the DC community, which is a privilege to recognize. At the Office of Sustainability, Kristen and the team will be utilizing social media to spotlight National Transit Equity Day and spur outreach. By using her experience with sustainability in a college space, she is able to connect with other students and organize people to invest in sustainability.
Students have been historically influential in the spread of social and political movements. Zennon and Kristen are perfect examples of how Gen Z is molding the framework of youth involvement and social justice. The voice of this generation is deeply invested in social justice and advocacy, which has made them a cornerstone of most social movements today. No matter your age or where you live, there are so many opportunities to get involved in National Transit Equity Week.
Below are some resources to learn more about the various ways to participate in this impactful week:
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