Guest Opinion – Trailnet Intern Reflects on Racial Equity Workshop

Sarah presents what students shared about how they would improve walkability during a St. Louis Public School Health Fair.

On the second day of a two-week internship, I attended Trailnet’s racial equity training. Walking in, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had barely met the Trailnet team, and now I was going to sit in on a training meeting about race. All I had were questions. Was equity a typo for equality? Was this one of those “check the box: we’re getting our diversity quota in” type of meetings? Was this a meeting where no one was engaged and just listens? Was this one of those workshops where people discuss issues in the comfy office chairs and then forget about them as soon as they exit the room?

The answer I soon learned was, “No to all of the above.” I’m glad I got to participate this meeting. As an outsider, I was able to consider my own notions of the problems we face with inequality—the problems that I don’t know how to address.

I’m not very familiar with discussing the topic of race. It’s easier to talk about ethics and respecting the views of other cultures before discussing race. Race is a volatile issue and it rocks the boat. I learned Trailnet is willing to rock that boat.

What I saw is that Trailnet is a group of visionaries. The organization challenges itself to identify equity gaps and offer reasonable, workable solutions. They examine all the angles critically, then offer up feasible solutions that are both financially responsible and sustainable. Trailnet seeks to find problems and then solve them. I watched the staff look within the organization and wrestle its own challenges with inequality. How are you supposed to work to elevate equity when the money mostly comes from rich, white men? Trailnet is actively looking for solutions, and that speaks a lot of this organization.

From this meeting, I gained a greater understanding of how race can influence the systems within companies and organizations. How we speak about helping the “under-served” when we may be treating symptoms more than the cause.

When I see racial inequality in my own life—in the world around me—I see symptoms of larger systemic issues. I see proposed solutions, but they don’t attack the cause. They can solve a bit of the problem if people banded together, but it isn’t the true solution. Trailnet is an organization that wants to address the systemic inequality and racism in our community. That gives me hope; that there are people out there who want to solve this problem, who want to get their hands dirty and consider options that aren’t the easy, traditional way. Who are willing to stop doing it “the way it’s always been done” in order to solve the real problem that exists. It’s refreshing and encouraging to see that Trailnet is willing to begin a conversation to solve a problem that has been with us for far too long.

– Sarah Becker

Trailnet Champions – Michelle Thomas and Keaton Hanson

Michelle Thomas and Keaton Hanson never seem to stop moving. They’ve been bicycling for transportation and recreation as long as they can remember. For them, leading active lifestyles isn’t just about staying in shape, but is part of a larger philosophy guiding their daily lives. Better still, they’re both long-time Trailnet supporters.

In December, Michelle did a Trailnet photoshoot to help us better capture and communicate what it looks like to walk and bike in St. Louis. She initially acquainted herself with the organization during a photoshoot five years ago, then again during one of our Breakfast for Bikers events. Keaton has been aware of Trailnet since he was in middle school and they both participate in the occasional Trailnet ride.

Keaton views St. Louis as, “a city woven together with many independently unique neighborhoods.” He added, “One of the things that makes the Hill special is all the residents truly want and are happy to live here. Walkability and community are two highlights of the neighborhood.”

Asked about Trailnet’s vision, Keaton said, “I love the idea of livable healthy communities. I believe it is very important to live close to everything you do, be it work and pleasure. The vision is very inclusive of all types of people from different diversities and abilities. This is so important to build strong communities not just for cyclists but for everyone as a whole. The more we relinquish our motor vehicles the stronger our relationships with each other and nature will become.”

Michelle and Keaton value activity for more than just the physical benefits, both describing bicycling as a reflective, abstract exercise.

“There is just something about cycling that is freeing and meditative,” Michelle said. “It’s like life—you go really hard up a hill then coast down. It’s the never-ending cycle.”

Keaton shares a similar approach to being on a bicycle. “I keep riding because it makes me feel so good,” Keaton said. “I ride to keep my body in shape, and my mind clear. Cycling heightens my awareness, I have seen so many incredible things because I am on my bike.”

Bicycling for this couple goes beyond competition, originating in their youth when getting a bicycle meant complete freedom.

“I’ve been cycling for as long as I can remember,” Michelle said. “I guess I started around eight years old. I grew up on a farm, so the nearest neighbor was a mile away. My bike was my only mode of transportation as a kid. If I wanted to go to the pool in the summer, I’d jump on my bike and ride two miles down the gravel road.”

Their hunger for activity doesn’t stop at the bike, or yoga, or traveling, or any number of recreational activities that keep their minds and bodies healthy. When they’re not engaged in physical activity, they help promote it through professional photography.

“I feel the need to be constantly moving and engaged, so I also do photography under my Instagram @michelle_yogogirls for Lululemon, Trailnet, Yoga Six, SoiLL, and other fitness brands as my alternative creative outlet,” Michelle said. “Keaton and I take every chance we get to travel also. Last year I traveled to Portland, Oregon, Tulum, Mexico, New York, Florida, California, and Iceland. Next year I’m planning on Switzerland and Amsterdam.”

Michelle is a partner, executive creative director, and photographer at Origin Agency (which she started with partners Julie Wood and Lance Thomas). Keaton is an art director at Ansira Marketing. It appears their momentum is on track to keep building—both participating in and promoting active living and pedal-powered transportation.

“I’ve always had an excessive amount of energy,” Michelle said. “In my youth I ran, did tumbling, rode bikes, climbed trees, jumped off roofs. Wait… I still do all that stuff.”

Our Impact – Record Giving Numbers are a Win for St. Louis

In 2017, we saw a 32% increase in individual donations through membership to Trailnet, making it a record-breaking year! We’d like to thank everyone who joined or renewed in December and give a special thank you shout-out to the anonymous family foundation that sparked giving with their dollar-for-dollar challenge. Not only is this increase in donations a win for Trailnet, but the funds we raised are critical for the implementation of our vision for protected bikeways and improved sidewalks. This also means more energy to advocate for better walking and biking, more resources to teach adults and youth practical skills that make walking and biking easier, and an elevated commitment to plans for streets that reflect best practices for encouraging safe connections for biking and walking. Check out our website to learn about our wins in Advocacy, Education, and Planning.

We’re off to a great start in 2018! We recently attended the Mississippi Valley Bike + OutdoorExpo and it was one of the best ever. With the record attendance, hundreds of people stopped by our booth and from those we signed up 16 new Trailnet members and two renewals! We also drew Michael Browning, a two-year Trailnet member, as the winner of the Niner gravel bike from our Winter Membership Drive. Thanks to Bike Surgeon for donating the bicycle! On top of that, we had free drawings for a case of Urban Chestnut beer, and an entry to this year’s Ride the Rivers Century!

November/December Trailnet Champion | Cass Rose Carnahan

Whenever Cassandra (Cass for short) Rose Carnahan gets on her bike, she feels like a kid again. “There are very few things that still feel like childhood fun to me. Biking is fun, it gives me this feeling of exercise freedom out in the fresh air. It’s pretty much the same to me now as it was when I was little,” she says with a huge smile. From a young age, Cass has always had a passion for health and fitness which is why she took part in various athletic activities growing up. Although her interest in high school sports ended with graduation, her interest and passion for biking continued to grow. Riding her bike to and from school or to meet friends was her first taste of independence and freedom as she explored her hometown.

At 18 years old, Cass moved away from her rural hometown of Red Bud, to the big city, St. Louis! She was overjoyed that she could finally call herself a “city girl.” Riding around on country roads in Red Bud did not prepare her for riding on the streets of St. Louis. “I had to learn how to get around safely. I had learn to share the road with cars– even though some drivers didn’t want to share the road with me,” says Cass about her first few weeks riding around St. Lous. Yet, it didn’t take her long to adjust to the city cycling rules of the road. Biking helped her come to love St. Louis. Cass had found her home in our city.

Cass started beauty school in St. Louis and tried out a few different career paths after graduating that centered more around health and fitness, but she missed being a Hairstylist. She spent time trying to figure out a way to merge the two worlds so her career could combine her two passions. Cass decided to focus on naturally curly hair helping clients to maintain their natural beauty in their curls using healthy hair styling techniques. This is the moment her career path became clear and her studio name, Curls By Cass, was born.

Cass has been a Hairstylist for 15 years and she currently hosts her own studio within ChopShop in The Grove. For the past five years, Cass has watched The Grove grow and it is now one of her favorite St. Louis neighborhoods. “The Grove is an absolutely amazing diverse neighborhood. There is art everywhere, delicious food, craft beer, and small businesses are opening left and right. Plus, this area is perfect for biking!”

As someone who loves to be social, but isn’t big on the typical bar scene — Cass found an immediate connection with the biking community in St. Louis. She is a huge fan of group rides such as the Ghost Ride, South Side Cyclery Group, and the Monthly Cycle. Riding with these groups helped Cass keep up with her fit and active lifestyle while engaging in social gatherings that included food and drinks with many of her best friends. Cass recently got an urge to advance her riding from community rides to more long distance cycling. She decided to get advice from the one person she trusted the most– knowing he’d point her in the right direction– Mike Weiss from Big Shark. Mike fitted Cass with a Cannondale Synapse and recommended that if she wanted to ride longer distance rides, she should join the Trailnet Bicycle Fun Club rides.

Most new riders transitioning from casual group rides to long distance rides like to take their time by working toward 50, 60, or even 80 mile rides, but not Cass — she was ready to take on a century right away. She learned from Mike Weiss that Trailnet was hosting the Birthday Bridge Bash Ride, which had a 100-mile distance option the following month. Cass decided to learn more and reached out to Trailnet’s Rides Manager, Steve Schmidt. Steve encouraged Cass to tackle the century ride saying she’d have full support from our SAG van if she needed any help. Since then, Cass has completed five Trailnet rides, including the Bottleneck Bridge Ride and the 62-mile Metric at Ride the Rivers Century Ride.

Cass shared her thoughts on the Trailnet Vision for St. Louis.“The Grove and where I live in The Hill are pretty bike-friendly communities, but I hear people constantly expressing how scared they are to ride in the streets alongside people driving. There are just too many drivers who don’t share the road with bikers. It can be scary for people who aren’t comfortable riding. We need to have these lanes so people can ride and feel safe. This has to happen! St. Louis is capable of being a more bike-friendly city and this vision could make that happen,” Cass says with hope. She believes that everyone should not only have access to bikes, but also have the opportunity to easily bike to the places they want to go and our vision is helping make that a reality for St. Louis.

“Kiddos on the Move” by Ginny McDonald

Trailnet has always been dedicated to getting people moving, and has enjoyed longstanding partnerships with two St. Louis Public Schools, where we work to get kids moving in safe, fun, and active ways.

October marked the annual Fall Walk to School Days at both Froebel Literacy Academy in Dutchtown and Farragut Elementary in north city. These events welcome students, staff,  and parents to celebrate the benefits of walking: bringing the community together, getting kids to school on time, and starting their day with physical activity that improves their ability to learn. All who attend are treated to orange juice and snacks, and “footie” tokens to attach to backpacks.

At Farragut, the event also provided a way to display the efforts of a group of students who participated in Trailnet’s Safety Class. The class was one of the offerings of “Farragut University,” a new initiative at the school that allows third through fifth graders to choose Friday afternoon electives. Students in the Trailnet class learned about ways to stay safe as people walking, and also collected data about driving behaviors that put walkers at risk. Using Trailnet’s speed guns, they clocked people driving speeds around the school, and also monitored drivers’ reactions at area stop signs.

Students found that nearly 50% of people driving exceeded the 25 mph speed limit, and that only 25% of people driving came to a full stop at stop signs, most rolling through the stop (nearly 50%), and the remaining people driving not stopping at all. Participants in the class also learned about ways that they can advocate for their community by improving safety for people walking, especially kids walking to school.

The students produced graphs of their data, which Trailnet has sent to elected officials and to the St. Louis Street Department, alerting them to the risks that drivers pose to walkers in the area. Students also outlined specific suggestions that they felt would improve conditions, such as speed bumps, painted crosswalks, and the use of crossing guards and enhanced police patrols.

Walk to School Day also became a way for Safety Class students to spread the word to younger kids about ways that they can be safer as they walk to school. The students’ display cautioned fellow students not to jaywalk, to always look both ways for cars, and to wear bright colors when walking, advice that is especially important at Farragut since many of the students are walking before the sun comes up.

The ultimate goal of the Safety Class is to organize a “Walking School Bus” at Farragut Elementary. Parents who walk their own children to school have signed on to lead bus routes that will “pick up” other kids along their way to school. Our hope is that a sustainable walking bus program will bring members of the community together, and will make the trip to school safer for all of the students. Thanks to the generous support of the Saigh Foundation, Trailnet will offer incentives to bus route leaders who have taken on the responsibility of leading students to school on time.

October also brought the second annual “Bike Week” at Froebel Literacy Academy. Every student in the school got to spend their P.E. class pedaling around the playground, weaving through obstacle courses, and improving handling skills through “slow bike races” and other challenges. Von Smith, Froebel’s Family and Community Specialist, summed up the value of Bike Week: “This gives our students a special experience that many would never have had otherwise. It’s vitally important that parents learn about gems within the community. Trailnet has become an important part of the academic and social growth of our students.” Many of the students summed up their feelings about Bike Week with a straightforward question: “When are you coming back?”

Trailnet thanks Mr. Smith and Robert LaPlante, Farragut’s Family and Community Specialist, for welcoming us to work with their students. Special thanks to Ron Effland of MoDOT for his invaluable help with Bike Week, and to generous support from the Saigh Foundation and Great Rivers Greenway.

Board President, Michael Hickey, Reflects on the Movers and Shakers Gala

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported our 2017 Gala. What an incredible night and tremendous success — a sell-out crowd of over 400 movers and shakers excited about Trailnet’s vision for connecting St. Louis through a network of protected bikeways and sidewalks. Ron and Kelly Kruszewski and Jason Hall set the tone and created even more momentum for Trailnet’s mission to connect people from where they live — whether it’s north, south, east, or west – to where they want to go.

For almost 30 years, Trailnet has been advocating for, planning, and helping build safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians throughout St. Louis. Throughout that time, Trailnet has been a catalyst for change and has shown itself to be inclusive, interactive, dynamic, nimble, and responsive to the needs of the St. Louis community. We can make St. Louis better – we can make Chicago, New York, Seattle, and San Francisco jealous of what we have and what we strive to become. We can create a network of connected and protected bikeways and sidewalks that people from around the world will come to see, study, and use.

You can be part of that vision. Check out the latest video and help us make Trailnet’s vision a reality by renewing your membership today! And don’t forget – memberships also make great holiday gifts!  Thank you again for your support!

-Michael Hickey, Trailnet Board President

Trailnet Hosts Pop-Up in Kansas City

This summer, Trailnet has been using a Planners4Health grant to assist American Planning Association (APA) Missouri Chapter with bridging the connection between planning and public health. APA has already bridged this connection with Trailnet, St.Louis County’s Department of Planning, and St.Louis County’s Department of Transportation. This month, they helped bridge one more Trailnet connection with Missouri Council for Activity & Nutrition, BikeWalkKC, and BetterBlockKC by hosting another pop-up traffic calming demonstration in Kansas City, MO.

Pop-up traffic calming demonstrations are temporary installations that provide an opportunity to review the impact that street design can have on public health and pedestrian activity. Slowing vehicle traffic can assist in making streets feel safer and more livable as well as welcoming to residents of all ages.

The purpose of this demonstration was to draw attention to the intersection of 38th and Warwick in Midtown which was chosen due to the high speed traveling through this interior residential street. We added stop signs and crosswalks to this intersection demonstrating a simple, low cost solution to ensuring the intersection could be safer for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers. Learn more about this Kansas City demonstration by watching this KCTV5 news coverage.