Streets Are For Everyone's Year In Review 2021
2021 was an excellent year for SAFE! As the world re-opened, our Finish The Ride/Run events returned, legislative actions could resume, and the awareness of the increase in traffic violence in the past two years could be spread even farther through our community events.
SAFE did not slow down this year, and our team is very proud of what we produced in 2021! Through our advocacy efforts, awareness events, media, legislative efforts, and other activities, SAFE reached over 16 million nationwide with the message of making safer streets! Our 2021 Year in Review highlights just some of our best accomplishments.
SAFE’s “Faith for Safer Streets” Chapter Unites in South L.A. and Spreads the Message of the Need for Safer Streets
In 2020, we talked about our SAFE South L.A. Chapter starting 2020 off with a bang. Well, 2021 was no different. A new chapter of SAFE formed in South L.A.
Earlier this year, SAFE was approached by Pastor Patricia Strong-Fargas, the Senior Pastor for Mt. Salem New Wave Christian Fellowship Church in South L.A., requesting help to address this problem of increasing traffic violence in South L.A. In a part of the city where religion plays a more prominent role than in other parts of Los Angeles, she realized the power that churches hold to help convey the message of safer streets.
Pastor Fargas' idea was to unite the faith community to start addressing the traffic violence in South L.A. and needed SAFE's help to carry it forward. SAFE was immediately on board and pursued funding through the Southern California Association of Governments to help develop a network of faith-based opinion leaders in South L.A. to address this problem.
The word about Faith for Safer Streets spread like wildfire throughout the South L.A. community. Two virtual "Welcome Events" were attended by leaders of the South L.A. faith community and representatives from the L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell's office, LAPD's Deputy Chief Regina Scott, the retired Mayor of Culver City, and a host of other VIPs.
But the group was not finished.
Remembrance of Those Lost and Prayer for Safe Passage in South LA event
On August 28th, 2021, the Faith For Safer Streets group came together to bring South LA the Remembrance of Those Lost and Prayer for Safe Passage. Religious leaders, civic leaders, and community leaders all came together to raise the alarm of the spike in traffic violence since 2020 in South L.A. In honor of those injured or lost, 811 yellow flags and 124 white roses were placed along a walkway and altar. The remembrance event was covered by ABC 7 News, KTLA 5, NBC 4, KPPC Radio news, and other internet-based news. This coverage reached more than 2.4 million people with the message of the need for safer streets in South LA.
World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2021: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
All across the nation, on the weekend of November 21st, families, victims, and advocates gather to honor and remember those lost and injured to traffic violence. This day is called World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
On November 20th, 2021, Streets Are For Everyone came together with civic leaders and faith leaders in South Los Angeles to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! It’s time to end traffic violence in L.A. and across the U.S. The March brought out 100+ people, including civic leaders like Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, who spoke and initiated the march with the community. Other leaders that joined the march include Dr. Didi Watts (Chief of Staff, Board district 7, LAUSD), Dr. E. Wayne Gaddis (President of Greater St. Augustine), Pastor Patricia Strong-Fargas (Faith for Safer Streets Co-Chair), John Yi (Executive Director, LA Walks), and our very own Dr. Shawna Charles (SAFE Board Member). ABC 7, Telemundo 52, and Spectrum news were present at the press conference, which kicked off the march. Chanting could be heard from down the street as everyone in unison demanded safer streets in South L.A.
Live Events Returned with Finish The Ride and Finish The Run – Halloween!
One of the hardest things about 2020 was canceling our Finish The Ride/Finish The Run events. We were not only delighted to return to live events in 2021 but decided to bring our Santa Clarita event back on Sunday, 31 October 2021, to Heritage Park with a twist: a costume ride/run!
The event was our first one in person since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Five hundred ninety-six people turned out to support SAFE and make safer streets. It was our most successful event in Santa Clarita to date, seeing a 54% increase in attendance! What made the event special was the costume ride/run! Participants were encouraged to wear costumes. A fun, festive atmosphere with Halloween decorations, a costume contest, and a dedicated photo area with a graveyard and throne made for great photos and memories!
Hundreds participated and LOVED the event. This is not the end of our live event return: our iconic Finish The Ride/Finish The Run Griffith Park event for its 9th year on Sunday, May 1, 2022, and Santa Clarita will return in October of 2022.
Legislation for Safer Streets – Lowering Speed Limits, Speed Safety Cameras, Street Racing Penalties, and more.
In 2021, SAFE supported more individual bills for safer streets than in any year in the past. Much of the legislative work we did centered around making it easier to manage speeding and protecting cyclists and pedestrians, the most vulnerable road users.
It's no secret that speed kills. In fact, it is the number #1 killer of school children aged 4-14 in Los Angeles. In 2018, the National Traffic Safety Administration identified speeding as a contributing factor in 26% of traffic fatalities. In Los Angeles County, speeding was the primary factor in 34% of serious injuries and fatalities, more than any other factor.
School zones are particularly vulnerable areas for traffic injuries and fatalities. In 2019, 134 people were killed by drivers while walking in Los Angeles alone. This is why we got involved in sponsoring Senate Bill 735 -- Speed Safety Cameras legislation during the past year. Studies have found that two-thirds of drivers exceed the posted speed limit in a school zone during the 30 minutes before and after school. This has got to change.
As California's children return to school under social distancing and mask requirements, they are being dropped off farther from school and are walking and riding their bikes more than ever.
SAFE also has lent support to other important street safety legislation in the past year:
Assembly Bill 3 – Exhibition of speed on a Highway: Street Racing
Assembly Bill 43 – Traffic Safety, Controlling Vehicular Speed
Assembly Bill 1238 – Freedom to Walk Act/Decriminalizing Jaywalking
Assembly Bill 122 – Bicycle Safety Stop Bill
Assembly Bill 582 – Hit and Run Penalties Bill
Assembly Bill 550 – Speed Safety System Pilot Program
Traffic collisions are the #1 killer of children in Los Angeles, with many of these collisions occurring in school zones. SB 735 would allow speed safety cameras along high injury corridors in school zones.
Streets, Art, SAFE Film Competition: Return for the 2021 - 2022 Season
With the world re-opening, the 6th Annual Streets, Art, SAFE High School Film Competition continues to move forward! Last year, the difficulties of COVID-19 and virtual learning interfered, and we got creative in keeping this unique competition going on. This year will be the best year yet!
We already have several schools and groups registered, and they have started the creative process of producing their PSAs. Winning schools and students will receive grants for their art departments and special awards in our ceremony in May/June of 2022.
Photo from Best PSA: Gold Award 2020
“Too Close for Comfort” about Road Rage.
To check out the details of the competition, to register, or view previous year’s PSAs, please visit www.streetsareforeveryone.org/streets-art-safe.
Let’s Ride Bicycle Camp
Anyone can learn to ride a bike, but not everyone has access to the tools to make that a reality.
Our first Let’s Ride Bicycle Camp was brought to the VeloDrome in Carson in October. SAFE joined multiple organizations in executing the event, including USA Cycling, LA Galaxy Foundation, Herbalife Foundation, Eastside Riders, The Bahati Foundation, and the Velo Sports Center. The bicycle camp aimed to inspire the next generation of Olympic athletes ahead of the 2028 Olympic games in Los Angeles. Beginning youth learned how to ride bicycles as their parents watched and memorialized the moment for the first time. Experienced riders learned essential bicycle skills like turning safely and stopping. All the kids learned how to correctly put on their helmets and other essential points of riding safely, like signaling a turn with their hands. The day ended with a group bicycle ride around Dignity Sports Complex at Cal State Dominguez Hills with world-renowned champion cyclist, Los Angeles native Rahsaan Bahati, and world champion Olympic silver-medalist Mari Holden. The biggest surprise? We provided free refurbished bikes and helmets to the 100+ kids who did not show up on a bike, ensuring that more kids get active and stay safe while riding in South Los Angeles.
Additions to our Team!
Stephanie Torres – Director of Support Services
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Stephanie attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, majoring in Political Science and German studies. After losing her cousin to a vehicle collision caused by street racing, she decided that she didn't want anyone else to experience the pain her family went through. Today, she works to ensure that streets become safer for all and offers a helping hand to those affected by traffic collisions by serving as SAFE’s Director of Support Services.
Cesar Cruz – Director of Outreach and Community Engagement
Born in El Salvador and having migrated to the US at the age of 10, Cesar has learned what it means to live in poverty and navigate inequalities in the system. He graduated from the California State Polytechnic University Pomona with a degree in English Education, the first in his family to graduate college. His dream is to bring back the educational component into communities similar to his own and help bring awareness around issues that often go unnoticed due to the lack of education. Today, he works at SAFE as the Director of Outreach and Community Engagement. His primary focus is on engaging volunteers in different communities to help bring awareness to street safety. He also helps promote and coordinate the Finish The Ride and Finish The Run events.
Justin Hager – Director of Policy and Legislation
Justin Hager is an award-winning national advocate, educator, and author on diversity, equity, inclusion, and cross-cultural communication. He is an accomplished political, non-profit, and higher-education consultant who has helped dozens of higher education institutions and non-profit and political organizations become more innovative, efficient, and sustainable by promoting increased representation and participation of non-traditional and marginalized communities; open-dialogue that transcends traditional social, political, and professional boundaries; and greater integration of technology and experiential learning as a tool for both social justice and organizational excellence.
As the Director of the Legislative Advocacy Training Program, he shares his experience and expertise to train the next generation of advocates for safe streets.
SAFE Support Expands
The first of its kind, SAFE Support is a support system for those who traffic collisions have impacted. SAFE Support continues to be a critical safety net during those first days or weeks after a collision when help matters most. You are not alone. SAFE Support is there to help.
This year, SAFE has brought additional staff and volunteer peer mentors, including a Case Manager. The program is currently in 20 major hospitals, trauma centers, and organizations in Southern California, resulting in more people helped during the year 2021!
Reaching Millions in 2021!
There's so much more SAFE accomplished in 2021, such as continuing the expansion of our SAFE Support, growing our staff, increasing our legislative work, etc. Still, I would like to close with a snapshot of the numbers, the tens of millions of people that we reached in our efforts to save lives and make streets safer.
Statistics for the Year 2021
Total People Reached: 16,170,294
Total Social Media Reached: 1,006,626 (SAFE and FTR social media)
Total Website Reached: 136,910 (SAFE and FTR websites)
Total Media Reached: 14,317,187 (through TV, radio, newspapers, and blogs)
Total Number of Media Pieces: 23
Total Reached at Events: 11,201 (FTR events, webinars, press conferences, school education events, etc.)
Total Number of Events: 9
We continue to be proud of SAFE and what it has accomplished in the last year, and we are thankful for each of you who helped make all of this happen: our volunteers, our staff, our wonderful donors, supporters, and participants. Thanks to you, we can continue our work and save lives.
Dayna Galbreath
Senior Director of Public Affairs
