On March 15th, our Executive Director Phil Telfeyan participated in a groundbreaking discussion about the role of economic inequality in our transportation system, as part of University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions Engagement Series.
If people can’t get to where they need to go – school, work, medical appointments, social service offices – they suffer, and these issues disproportionately affect people living in poverty. For example, in a study by the Rudin Center for Transportation at NYU, researchers found that areas with the least access to public transportation also had the lowest incomes and highest rates of unemployment.
Equal Justice Under Law was proud to participate in such an important conversation about one of the most debilitating issues facing our country.
Mr. Telfyean participated in a panel discussion called, “License to Drive: How Legal Structures Impact Mobility,” about how our courts disproportionately punish low-income drivers, discussing alternatives to charging fees to encourage equality and new models that will work for both communities and governments.
Other panels discussed issues relating to meeting basic mobility needs, like getting to work and school; innovations in transportation to solve inequality issues; and accessibility in rural areas.
This symposium relied on Poverty Solutions’ interdisciplinary approach to solving deeply entrenched social problems. It included activists tackling rural, suburban and urban challenges, as well as voices from local, state and federal levels of government.
Equal Justice Under Law was proud to participate in such an important conversation about one of the most debilitating issues facing our country.
Watch highlights from the conference here
