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Former PBOT staffer establishing ‘Committee on Transportation Fairness’ for Biden Administration

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Portrait of a person with black curly hair and glasses standing in front of a white background

Irene Marion. (Photograph: US DOT)

A brand new advisory committee to the U.S. Division of Transportation can have fingerprints of a former Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) staffer throughout it.

Irene Marion labored on fairness and inclusion applications at PBOT for about 5 years earlier than taking a job with the Biden Administration in January 2021. Now, as director of the USDOT’s workplace of civil rights, Marion has been tapped to re-establish the Advisory Committee on Transportation Fairness.

The committee was first convened in 2016 by former President Barack Obama and was dissolved below President Donald Trump.

The cost of the committee is to, “present recommendation and proposals to the Secretary of Transportation on complete, interdisciplinary points associated to transportation fairness from a wide range of stakeholders concerned in transportation planning, design, analysis, coverage, and advocacy in pursuit of the Division’s fairness targets.”

Particularly, the committee will deal with applications, insurance policies and tasks that broaden entry to transportation for traditionally underserved folks and can assist make sure the DOT hears extra clearly from constituents impacted by transportation selections. Different targets embody: increasing USDOT contracting alternatives for small and deprived companies; strengthening partnerships with underserved communities “who’ve been traditionally underrepresented within the Division’s outreach and engagement”; create a discussion board for fairness considerations raised by native and regional governments and organizations; and extra.

It’s not a shocking profession arc for Marion. Not solely did she do related work on the Metropolis of Portland, however throughout her time at PBOT the company stated fairness is its “north star” and in August 2020 introduced a objective to be an antiracist group.

The brand new USDOT committee will encompass 25 members “with cross-cutting expertise on the intersections of civil rights, housing, well being care, incapacity entry, and environmental justice.” If this appears like an thrilling alternative for you, functions are being accepted now by June fifteenth. To use, submit an announcement of curiosity and an announcement of {qualifications} (comparable to a resume) to fairness@dot.gov.

Be taught extra at Transportation.gov.