Reclaim Las Calles

The 2017 Youth Bike Summit was an inspiring experience for the Tucson delegation who left the conference full of insights from other diverse communities and the youth-led conversations, whether it was getting tips on how to start a girls’ bike club, connecting bikes to advocacy, or seeing how public art creates stronger communities.

During their time in D.C., the delegation members got to experience the freedom of a multi-modal city and were delighted by the accessibility of transportation options, taking note of comfortable and pleasant bus shelters, wide protected bike lanes, the bustling metro and simply the diversity and volume of people enjoying the city on bike and on foot. While the city inspired many of the teens to dream about moving to a city like D.C., these observations started to evoke critical questions in their mind as to how can we make Tucson a better place for alternative forms of transportation.

The South Tucson Delegation (comprised of young leaders and adult mentors from the John Valenzuela Youth Center, Tierra y Libertad Organization, Cicli Noe Bike Shop, and the Pueblo Gardens bike club) took on the Big Apple for the 2019 Youth Bike Summit. Nearly 500 youth from all over the country came together to talk about “bicycle cities of the future” at the summit which provided a platform to delve into issues such as equity, accessibility, and inclusivity when it comes to “bike culture” and bicycling infrastructure.

Much like 2017, exploring a major city and packing in some sightseeing was a big part of the trip. The young people learned to navigate the complex train system, sometimes getting a little lost along the way, and experienced what it was like to get around a city without needing a car.

For all the young leaders, this was an opportunity to step out of the comfort zone and connect with their peers from other cities who are using bikes as a tool for responding to the needs of their community. Several delegation members came home, inspired to start their own bike programs, lead bike rides for families in their communities, and get more young people on bikes!

On May 9th, over 200 people of all ages came together to transform the intersection during a block-painting party and end-of-school-year celebration. Over the course of the afternoon, Mission View staff, students, family members and neighbors painted the traffic circle and adjacent corners designed by and with local artist Mel Dominguez. Kids participated in a bike rodeo, and everyone enjoyed food, music, and lots of mingling with friends and neighbors. Using low cost materials such as paint, planters, and flex posts, LSA and partners created a traffic circle to make it safer and more inviting for kids and families traveling on foot and bike in the area.

Photos by Scott Griessel (Creatista)

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Seeing the outcome of the Mission View block party, neighbors to the north at Ochoa Community School voiced interest in doing something similar, as did many neighbors along 8th Avenue. Just six months later, another colorful traffic circle mural was co-created by the Ochoa community, adjacent to the school. On November 15th, over 200 people came together to create the traffic circle mural during an after school block-painting party. While LSA took on the role of coordinating the event, we were delighted by many surprises throughout the event: older residents (Ochoa alumni!) in the area brought plants to include in the planters; Kat showed up with hula-hoops to add to the fun; neighbors brought out fry bread and drinks to share. Designed by local artist, Mel Dominguez, and incorporating imagery generated by the youth, the mural created a safer and much more enjoyable space or kids and families walking and biking to school each day.

Photos by Scott Griessel (Creatista)

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