A presentation given at NADO's 2022 National Regional Transportation Conference.

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Planning with not for:
Rural Transportation and Equity
Carrie Kissel
National Association of Development
Organizations and NADO Research Foundation

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About NADO
 National association for 540 regional development
organizations, including emerging network of Rural
Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs or RPOs)
 Promote public policies that strengthen local governments,
communities and economies through the regional strategies,
coordination efforts and program expertise of the nation’s
regional development organizations

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Image source: Washington Post, Jan 3, 2020

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Aging Rural Places
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Rural Migration
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Increasing Rural Diversity
• Rural minorities are 22% of the population in 2017 (compared to
42% in urban areas), but diversity is increasing. USDA ERS: Rural
America At-a-Glance 2018
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Rural Poverty
• Rural poverty occurs at higher rates than urban poverty
– Rural: 16.4% in 2017 (down from 30-yr peak of 18.4% in 2013)
– Urban: 12.9% in 2017
• Rural racial/ethnic minorities had the highest poverty rates
– 2017: black 32%, Native American 31%, Hispanic 24.5%
– Poverty among whites was 13.5%, but whites made up 80
percent of the rural poor in 2017
Source: USDA ERS, Rural America At-a-Glance 2018
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Compliance
• Environmental Justice:
– Avoid, minimize, or mitigate disproportionately high and adverse human health
and environmental effects, including social and economic effects, on minority
populations and low-income populations (FTA Circular:
www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/FTA_EJ_Circular_7.14-
12_FINAL.pdf)
• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act:
– Prohibits discrimination by recipients of Federal financial assistance on the basis of
race, color, and national origin, including the denial of meaningful access for
limited English proficient (LEP) persons (FTA Circular:
www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/FTA_Title_VI_FINAL.pdf)
• Americans with Disabilities Act:
– Prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity and access for persons
with disabilities (FTA Circular:
www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/Final_FTA_ADA_Circular_C_4710.
1.pdf)
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Beyond Compliance
• Equity & justice work
– Doesn’t discriminate, avoids disproportionate effects, but also…
– Has a broad lens on fair treatment, meaningful participation, and
removing barriers, beyond those identified in Title VI, EJ, ADA
– Internal organizational policies and processes
• Hiring, dress codes, leave policies, communications, workplace
evaluations, procurement, board/committee recruitment
– External programming
• Public outreach/input gathering, information sharing, participation in
programs/services or benefit from outcomes of programs
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Concepts in equity & justice work
• Everyone benefits from support or removal of barriers at
least some of the time; who benefits from what kinds of
support might change over time
• Individual characteristics such as race, class, gender,
sexuality, age, health & disability status, educational
attainment, English language proficiency, religion,
immigration status intersect and shape people’s lives
– Intersectionality: experience differs based on individual,
characteristics and identity, and context (Crenshaw)
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Concepts in equity & justice work
• Agency: capacity of individuals/groups to act independently
• Look for ways to engage people as:
– Producers
– Consumers
– Investors
– Entrepreneurs
– Planners
– Beneficiaries
• All of whom have a role and a stake in the programs you work
with and can contribute to its success
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Concepts in equity & justice work
• Implicit bias, explicit bias, and stereotyping about others
(and what others need) affect our work
• Intent vs. Impact
– Sometimes we offend without meaning to
– But it still causes harm
– It’s a learning process
• We can mitigate biases
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Doing equity & justice work
• Build relationships with people/organizations already
working in communities
• Plan for authentic engagement
– Make it easy to provide input
– Be open about what happens with that input
– Acknowledge agency: offer opportunities to shape the future
• Make sure there is a value proposition for them to work
with you… The perspectives of diverse participants will
improve your work. How are you improving theirs?
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Doing equity & justice work
• Honor the lived experience of community members
– Recognize that community members might have had negative
interactions that shape their perspective
• Include space to share stories
– People tell stories about issues/events that are significant to
them… Stories indicate meaning
• Listen for and acknowledge past pitfalls
• Focus on desired outcomes of community members
Partially adapted from The Community Engagement Guide for Sustainable Communities, PolicyLink
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Now what?
 Look for local/regional data; find out the “who”
 Not just EJ, Title VI, ADA populations, but look broadly at who has
power, influence, and access
 ID partners, build relationships
 Include individuals from historically marginalized populations
in decision-making bodies
 Make planning processes accessible to anyone
 Build in accountability
 Prioritize collaborative problem solving
 Analyze internal processes + programs for ways to improve
consideration of equity!
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Questions to consider in transportation
• Internal processes, which could include:
– Who are we reaching in our hiring practices? Who are we
reaching in our boards/committees? Who are we missing?
– Are there barriers that would make it less likely for
underrepresented candidates for employment or
board/committee leadership to be successful?
– Would they/do they stay over time, viewing their contributions
as meaningful?
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Connecting Equity and Transportation
• External programs/service delivery: Who are our customers?
How are we connecting to them? How do we get feedback on
our existing products and services or new ones? Do our staff
need training to better serve diverse populations? Is our
language accessible, and are our processes clear?
• Can we better address equity & justice in deliverables?
– Public participation plan?
– Project prioritization?
– TIP/LRTP/other transportation plans?
– Performance measurement?
– Operational decisions?
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Goals of equity & justice work
Adapted from educational equity models:
• Recognize biases and inequities
• Respond in the short-term
• Address biases & barriers over time
• Create & sustain equitable environment
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Resources
• Data
– USDA Economic Research Service (look for economy and policy maps,
and Atlas of Rural and Small Town America)
– Stats America (custom region builder tool)
• Engagement
– The Community Engagement Guide for Sustainable Communities,
PolicyLink
– Orton Family Foundation Community Heart & Soul
• Ideas for internal/external policies and programs
– Conscious Style Guide (inclusive language)
– Kirwan Institute (implicit bias, inclusivity training)
– Central Appalachian Network Org. Policy Webinar
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Connect with NADO
Carrie Kissel, Associate Director
ckissel@nado.org | 202.643.9560
Visit us online: www.NADO.org
www.RuralTransportation.org | www.CEDScentral.com
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Incorporating Equity at a Regional Level:
Inspiration & Actions
Profile of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion work of 10
EDDs/RDOs
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Inclusive Recovery Initiative
• EDA funded project
– New Growth Innovation Network (NGIN), National Association of
Development Organizations Research Foundation (NADO - RF)
• Goal of this project is to provide insights, best practices and
training for a National Community of Practice on inclusive
economic recovery from coronavirus economic impacts.
• Providing technical assistance to six Economic Development
Districts (EDDs) as they embed economic inclusion and
equitable economic strategies into their CEDS coronavirus
economic recovery plans

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE) Statements
• Crucial to have buy-in from the Executive Director, Board, and staff, although different parties
could lead the effort.
• West Michigan Shoreline (MI) Equity statement driven by a desire to put into words the equity
and inclusion work they were already doing
– ensuring future work is aligned with the statement
• Souris Basin Planning Council (ND) developed a mission and inclusivity statement
– Inclusivity statement has helped when building new programs to ensure that they align with the
organization’s stated goals
• Old Colony Planning Council (MA) DEI task force created Reflection, Opportunity and Action
statement
– imperative to include actions OCPC will take to ensure equity in their work
– statement took several months to develop before it was adopted by the Council, with the intent to
review it annually
• MORPC (OH) has an Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan, alongside a Diversity Statement
– partnered with YWCA Columbus to provide social and racial justice classes for MORPC employees,
member organizations and community partners.
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Internal Strategies
• Chittenden County RPC (VT) brought on a DEI Consultant who completed an equity assessment
of the organization and led a CCRPC sponsored Equity Summit
• Old Colony PC (MA) developed a procurement policy that ensures RFPs are intentionally sent to
diverse suppliers
– created a repository of workforce agencies that intentionally reach diverse candidates when
advertising for staff members
• Triangle J (NC) created an internal task force to address DEI
– brought in consultants to conduct equity trainings and began a book club to read relevant works.
– Allocated funds to dedicate 10% of one staff members time to DEI work
• Manages the organization’s relationship with the Government Alliance on Race & Equity (GARE)
– working to incorporate equity principles throughout all their programs.
• Land of Sky (NC) DEI committee meets monthly
– Includes Council leadership, a contracted HR firm, and staff
– reviewing hiring and contracting policies, and updated the policy manual in 2021 to reflect changes.
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External Engagement Examples
• Importance of local partnerships and consulting with local groups already focused on equity
• Mid-Columbia EDD (OR) contracted with a local non-profit to conduct focus groups with
underrepresented communities to get their feedback on the document/CEDS development.
– Resulted in better identification of local needs, including the need to translate select documentation into Spanish.
• PlanRVA (VA) developed an Equitable Community Engagement Strategy
– Represents commitment to placing equity at the center of community outreach efforts and decision making.
– on-call bench of consultants identified to assist PlanRVA in implementing the strategy and to fulfill other
communications and public outreach needs
– Establishment of a new a full time Community Engagement Manager position which was filled in November, 2021.
• Chittenden County RPC (VT) contracted with Vermont Professionals of Color Network to help
with CEDS public engagement, with a goal of incorporating perspectives of under-represented
business owners.
• Land of Sky Regional Council (NC) holding hiring fairs at public housing developments
– partnered with the Asheville Chamber Inclusive Hiring Partners program and ARC INspire, focused on re-entry,
second chance hiring and supporting those with substance use disorders
– LOSRC is also a member of the Generation Plus team, which is working to reduce isolation, build social networks,
educate and advocate for the LGBTQ+ 55 and older population.
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Research Needs
• Research to better understand regional demographics and disparities
• Land of Sky (NC) developed an online Story Map to share data on racial
disparities within the region to promote a conversation to better
understand these challenges and how to address them
• Chittenden Country RPC annual report on regional disparities
• Mid-Columbia EDD (OR) recommended leveraging relationships with
organizations that already have ties to underserved and/or minority
communities
– Importance of building trust and relationships
• PlanRVA (VA) building connections with local groups, and working to
develop best methods of communication
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Challenges
• Funding
• Staff time
• Advice from Old Colony RPC: “Don’t be fearful to take the
first step, be sure to consult with local groups already
focused on equity, listen to people of color and those with
lived experience, and be willing to change previous opinions
and perspectives”
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Rural Social Mobility
• A 2018 study found 6 characteristics that support upward
mobility for rural youth:
– A high expectation that youth will work hard to acquire skills
– Strong, informal support systems
– An early focus on career pathways
– Opportunities to build life skills, regardless of community size
– Many potential challenges to accessing opportunities, but creative
solutions for overcoming them
– A sense of shared fate and a deep commitment to sustaining the
community
• Source: Social Mobility in Rural America: Insights from Communities Whose Young People
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• Diversity as asset, how do you recognize assets that people
bring. Not a threat or a weakness.
• Struggles/challenges
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