Divisive infrastructure has had long-term damage, both tangible and intangible, on Black and Brown communities. While we are beginning to see policies, programs, and funding to combat the destructive legacies of past decision-making, work remains and barriers to finding solutions exist. This panel will discuss how street design, community engagement, and a holistic approach to infrastructure can begin to address disparities, repair trust, and foster new relationships for a future that centers community.
Check out the full Equity Summit agenda
Meet the panelists
Portia Allen-Kyle, Color of Change
Portia Allen-Kyle is the Chief Advisor at Color Of Change where she is a thought partner to the president, working to advance Color Of Change’s vision, impact, and efficiency. Portia is a trusted advisor with a track record of advancing equity in nonprofit, government, and academic settings. Portia comes to Color Of Change with impressive experience as Senior Advisor for Equity, Policy, and Stakeholder Engagement in the Office of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Transportation. There, she advised leaders on how to incorporate equity into agency policy and led the Justice40 initiative, electrifying transportation, instituting diversity equity and inclusion practices, and spearheading funding pools to move towards more inclusive decision-making. She also helped oversee funding for Title VI recipients and managed agency events and outreach with the relaunch of the federal Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity.
Jamila Porter, De Beaumont Foundation
Jamila M. Porter, DrPH, MPH is the Chief of Staff at the de Beaumont Foundation. She serves as strategic advisor to the President & CEO, works across teams to drive results throughout the Foundation, and ensures that equity and justice are organizational priorities. An award-winning researcher and experienced executive, Jamila’s work focuses on transforming the interconnected social, environmental, and power structures that impact health. She is an outspoken leader and public speaker on a range of issues, including the social determinants of equity, transportation justice, multi-sector collaboration, policy evaluation, community power-building, and public health practice.
Nandi Taylor, UNC
Nandi Taylor, MPH, is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her dissertation research explores the relationship between structural racism and disparities in transportation safety outcomes. Her work with HSRC includes analyzing linked North Carolina crash and trauma registry data for the purpose of characterizing the limitations of the KABCO Injury Classification Scale to accurately measure injury severity, among other projects related to the intersection of public health and transportation safety.
The Equity Summit will uplift strategies to advance racial equity in smart growth amidst growing political uncertainty in 2024 and beyond, as well as a shift away from explicit equity initiatives by elected officials, state agencies, and the private sector.