ITS California stands with the Black Lives Matter movement and condemns all forms of systemic racism, discrimination and intolerance.

With the grave loss of countless Black lives, we reflect as an organization on this industry’s role in confronting racial inequality and injustices. As transportation professionals, we must acknowledge and better understand how the transportation industry has contributed to the creation and proliferation of structural barriers disproportionately impacting communities of color. As we aim to drive the transformative power of technology in transportation, we acknowledge that a focus on racial equity will allow transportation systems to combat the systematic oppression of our disadvantaged populations.

While our mission is to educate all sectors on the merits of technology in transportation and connect our members, we also have a duty to understand our biases and educate the industry on the potential adverse impacts of our work. We vow to become shepherds of change by highlighting the impacts of transportation projects and policies on built environments in Black and Brown communities.

Within our organization, we will continue to educate ourselves and give attention to addressing historical, institutional, and societal inequality. We commit to do the following:

• Create an inclusive space for Black, Indigenous and People of Color within our organization through the means of membership, leadership roles and session speakers
• Broaden our outreach and partnership efforts to organizations committed to equity
• Include topics related to the intersectionality of equity and transportation technology in our programming

In pursuit of our mission, we recognize that diversity and inclusion are markers of a thriving transportation industry and economy. We have a responsibility to engage our members, colleagues, and communities from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds so they are included in shaping our future. ITS California is committed to anti-racism and will take action to create meaningful change within our industry now and in the future.

Please consider joining us in this effort. If you have any ideas for future topics, programming, or policy changes, please email us at its-caadmin@itscalifornia.org.

Respectfully,