CIIP '18: Week 7

At the start of week two, I received finally my MTA badge and I remember how excited I was to flash it in front of bus operators to ride for free. Little did I know that donning on that little lanyard essentially made me public enemy #1 in the eyes of Baltimore citizens; or at least that is what it felt like at first. Whether I was on a bus, on some street (probably North Avenue), getting my hair cut, or even at the CSC with fellow CIIPer’s, wearing that little lanyard gave everyone around me the permission to voice their frustration with the public transit system (pretty much BaltimoreLink). Every single one of these interactions are what made my experience with the MTA’s Office of Planning: Office of Engagement an incredibly impactful one. I began my summer exploring the idea of transportation as a social justice issue and this office was the perfect way to develop my opinion and ideas about it. I had the opportunity to see how planners think about problems and how they work to involve community members in proposals. I saw how difficult it is to get the community involved with various projects because it takes a certain level of flexibility to be able to make it to a community meeting. I struggled to decide how to support bus operators having learned the difficulty of their jobs, while having some sour experiences with them myself. I learned from different perspectives how access to reliable transportation can act as a gatekeeper between socio-economic classes. I learned how far we are from reaching “peak transit.” I was guided through my exploration of these ideas by my wonderful coworkers who were open about their work and their experiences. Everyone shared with me why they believed their work mattered and to me, those were some of the most meaningful encounters.

I am beyond grateful to have spent a second summer as part of CIIP. As a peer mentor, I advanced my own narrative as a Baltimore citizen and in doing so, I have come to understand the city in more comprehensive way. I write this last “blog post” with bittersweet feelings about my time with CIIP coming to an end. However, I am thankful for the impact is had on my journey and the people I worked with.