Disability Advocate Anna Letitia Zivarts To Headline TARTA Community Update
Disability Advocate Anna Letitia Zivarts To Headline TARTA Community Update
As part of its effort to ensure that the things that make northwest Ohio a great place to live are accessible to everyone, the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) is pleased to announce that author and disability advocate Anna Letitia Zivarts will be the keynote speaker for its Community Update Thursday, November 14 at the Glass City Center.
Zivarts is the author of When Driving Is Not An Option: Steering Away From Car Dependency, as well as the creator of the Week Without Driving, a national event which takes place Sept. 30 to Oct. 6. Her work highlights the challenges that nondrivers face while navigating our mobility systems nationwide, and calls attention to how improving those systems with nondrivers in mind would create a better quality of life.
“The majority of involuntary nondrivers are disabled, lower income, young people, the elderly, and many more of the most vulnerable people in our communities,” Zivarts said. “They’re also largely invisible due to a mobility system designed almost exclusively for drivers. Our transportation systems treat these large groups of people as if their needs aren’t as important, or they don’t have a life to live.
“By taking a different approach to how we think about designing transportation systems, not only will we be able to get where we need to go, but the changes will result in a healthier, more climate-friendly community for everyone.“
Facilitated by America Walks, The Week Without Driving Challenge was launched in 2021 to help the public better understand the transportation and infrastructure gaps, and assist nondrivers in learning more about their mobility options. Those interested in participating for one trip, one day or the full week by taking public transit, a bike or a walk to a destination they would normally drive to can sign up at tarta.com/week, or find more information at weekwithoutdriving.org.
TARTA’s Community Update: Transforming the Region Through Transit, is a free event open to the public, and serves as a recap of TARTA activity in the last year and updates on what’s planned for 2025. Find out more or register for this event at bit.ly/TARTACommunityUpdate.
