Transportation Justice Fellowship Alumni: Journeys Beyond the Fellowship

BBSP was thrilled to connect with some of our past Transportation Justice Fellows to share how their careers have evolved since completing the fellowship.

This week, we’re catching up with three Transportation Justice Fellowship alumni — Abdullahi Abdulle, Anne Phillips, and Barry Greene Jr. Dive into their interviews below to learn more about their paths and the impact they’re making in the field of transportation.

HOW DID YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE TRANSPORTATION JUSTICE FELLOWSHIP SHAPE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS?

“The Transportation Justice Fellowship deepened my commitment to promoting transportation equity. During the program, I began my previous role at MnDOT, where I led the agency’s Advancing Transportation Equity Initiative, helped define equity, and acknowledged past injustices while centering on the voices of impacted communities. As a member of the New Brighton City Council, I also advocated for enhanced transportation options, supporting the development of a climate action plan, and a living streets plan focused on equity and community needs. My work continues to emphasize ensuring that transportation investments benefit people who have historically been underserved and excluded.” – Abdullahi Abdulle

“The fellowship reinforced to me that transportation inequity is a systemic problem requiring systemic solutions and there are lots of ways to work towards these solutions. Hearing from practitioners during our capacity building sessions and being in a cohort with talented folks working in a variety of spaces showed me that there was not necessarily one way to address transportation inequity. I saw that the work can take many forms, whether it’s focused on data, community engagement, or anything in between. As someone who was considering a career transition, it was reassuring to see the variety of ways in which one could do the work of transportation equity.” – Anne Phillips

“I believe my experience with the TJF ultimately reminded me of how much I belong in this work, especially as a person of color with lived experiences often walking into rooms with decision-makers regarding our transit system who aren’t fully representative of an equitable transit system. As someone who is deeply involved in helping people understand why equitable transportation systems matter, it was the first time I looked around and felt that I truly belong, seeing people of color who were not only experts in the work but also users of the system, coming with big ideas and diverse paths to how they arrived here.” – Barry Greene Jr.

IN WHAT WAYS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING TO ADVANCE TRANSPORTATION JUSTICE OR RELATED CAUSES IN YOUR COMMUNITY OR PROFESSION? 

“I focus on capturing and elevating the stories of marginalized communities impacted by systemic injustice. As a consultant at Humanize MN, I help center people’s needs in government projects and create strategies for direct community engagement. My work ensures that people can share their stories in their own words. As an immigrant and planning practitioner, I bring lived experience to this process. The Transportation Justice Fellowship strengthened my commitment to advocacy, giving me the confidence to push for change despite systemic resistance. It reinforced my belief that progress must be intentional and that the status quo is not acceptable.” – Abdullahi Abdulle

“As a consultant, I have been working with the City of Durham to create a Transportation Equity Action Plan since September 2023. We recently completed the plan which is the product of an in-depth discovery process, spatial analysis, staff-capacity building, and a staff-led action planning process. As a Durham resident, I was heartened to see my city’s commitment to transportation equity in action. A lot has changed since we started working on the plan, but I’m reassured that the city remains steadfast in its commitment to building a transportation system that works well for all its residents, especially those who have been historically excluded or undermined in planning processes.” – Anne Phillips

“When I applied for TJF, I was a board member at a rapid transit advocacy organization working in ad sales. I felt inspired by my fellow cohort members, so I left that job to pursue a direct connection. I pursued a grant writing role in environmental justice, leading to a Next City fellowship on reparative justice. I recently founded Transit First CLT, a nonprofit promoting active and rapid transit, and was appointed to Charlotte’s public transportation advisory committee. I’m unsure if I would have had the confidence to step out in this way without the TJF.” – Barry Greene Jr.

WHAT INSIGHTS OR ADVICE WOULD YOU SHARE WITH NEW FELLOWS ABOUT MAXIMIZING THEIR IMPACT DURING AND AFTER THE PROGRAM? 

“My biggest piece of advice for new fellows is to confidently express their values. Early-career professionals are often told they lack the experience to offer meaningful insights. However, those who are new to their careers possess a unique advantage: they can clearly identify where existing processes fall short and where systems need to be adjusted or completely transformed. Speaking up is especially important when working in environments that lack diversity.” – Abdullahi Abdulle

“Lean into the network created by the fellowship! My cohort has a group chat that we use to coordinate meeting up at conferences and celebrate each other’s personal and professional wins. The fellowship also provides you with access to a network of folks who are advocating for transportation equity in diverse and creative ways. If you are exploring a career transition like I was during the fellowship, reach out to fellows who are doing work that you want to do for career advice. I’m always happy to speak to fellows, and I’m betting others would be too.” – Anne Phillips

“Lean in as much as you can as the time goes by quickly. Try to spend some one-on-one time with different members of your cohort to learn more about their work and share what you’re working on. We have had virtual coffees, let each other know of big life events, or conferences we will be attending.” – Barry Greene Jr.

________________________________________________________________________________________
The Better Bike Share Partnership is funded by The JPB Foundation as a collaboration between the City of Philadelphia, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), and the PeopleForBikes Foundation to build equitable and replicable bike share systems. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or sign up for our weekly newsletter. Have a question or a story idea? Email odochi@peopleforbikes.org