WalkBoston, Author at WalkMassachusetts

WalkMassachusetts & CultureHouse Peer Learning Workshop

On December 1st, WalkMassachusetts and CultureHouse staff came together for professional development and peer-learning opportunities at the Cambridge Innovation Center. Both organizations are funded by the Barr Foundation Mobility Grantees, focusing on improving communities through their unique lenses. CultureHouse transforms and reactivates underutilized spaces into vibrant social infrastructure, while WalkMassachusetts makes walking safer and easier in Massachusetts to encourage better health, a cleaner environment, and more vibrant communities.

The event was a great opportunity for the two organizations to learn from each other and share key techniques to move their respective work forward. In this shared space, both teams had an opportunity to give an overview of their organization and field of work. Time was dedicated during this gathering to deepen our understanding of key intersections of CultureHouse’s scope of work, specifically social cohesion, community engagement methods, participatory community planning, public spaces, civic infrastructure, and much more.

Topics of conversation included how inclusive community spaces can compel pedestrians to visit downtown areas, fostering the desire to walk and increase walkability. Additionally, it was discussed how pop-up community spaces can serve as a vector for community engagement and facilitate civic engagement. Both teams identified key overlaps and discussed how to best support each other as they think about their respective work in environmental justice communities, each with their own unique needs. Both organizations are actively pursuing partnerships with communities across the Commonwealth, particularly beyond Greater Boston.

This convening served both organizations as a great model for professional development and networking. WalkMassachusetts appreciated this opportunity and seeks to continue partnering with other Barr Foundation grantees within the Transit Justice ecosystem to learn and share key information and insights.

CultureHouse has participated in one of WalkMassachusetts’ statewide networking meetings to share its approach to impacting social infrastructure (watch the October Network Meeting). WalkMassachusetts is excited to attend one of CultureHouse’s upcoming Community pop-ups in January 2024 at Union Square in Somerville. Both organizations have committed to continue to develop synergies, sharing opportunities to join future walk audits and other reciprocal endeavors.

The Hack Day was a great success, and both organizations are looking forward to reconnecting again soon. It was a great opportunity for both organizations to learn from each other and share their experiences. WalkMassachusetts hopes to continue partnering with other organizations to improve walkability in communities across Massachusetts.

You can find more information on CultureHouse at culturehouse.cc

East Boston Demonstration Day with Caminatas Seguras

On October 3rd, the staff of WalkMassachusetts organized a demonstration day in East Boston with members of Caminatas Seguras, a walking group for residents that is convened and facilitated by GreenRoots, an environmental justice organization operating in Chelsea and East Boston. This demonstration day was a civic engagement opportunity for residents to make temporary improvements to the transportation infrastructure in their community.

The goal of demonstration days was to offer residents and other stakeholders an opportunity to understand what type of transportation changes would best impact the experience for pedestrians and other road users. During the demonstration day, participants were able to convene at Our Garden (293 Border St.), a community garden managed by Eastie Farm and adjacent to the Mario Umana Academy, which hosts the East Boston Harborside Community Center. The meeting location abutted key corridors that run through East Boston that are heavily trafficked by pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.

Members of Caminatas Seguras connected with WalkMassachusetts staff to identify and plan interventions at key intersections along Meridian Street. The participants identified the intersections of Lexington and Meridian Streets along with Eutaw Street and Meridian Street on Eagle Hill due to their frequent use by young people and families to access the schools in the area, such as the Umana Academy and O’Donnell Elementary School.

Caminatas participants gather at Our Garden near the Mario Umana Academy in East Boston.

The interventions were conducted along the two intersections, and members of Caminatas Seguras made observations and collected data at both locations. In their data collection, they counted the number of road users, which included pedestrians, vehicles, and bikers traveling through the area. Participants also collected the speed of vehicles moving through their intersections using a handheld radar speed detector. Additionally, participants engaged passerby and held conversations with individuals moving through the area to collect feedback on the road user experience.

These conversations were particularly illuminating as this demonstration day came in the wake of a community meeting of the proposed vision for East Boston, which is articulated in PLAN: East Boston. The PLAN presents recommendations for rezoning in the neighborhood, which could impact the design of the public realm. The demonstration day provided participants with the opportunity to engage their neighbors and bring awareness to the release of the initial draft, which was generated by the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA). Participants used this demonstration day to solicit feedback and encourage residents to share their opinions during the feedback period, which is open until October 27th, 2023.

Camintas Seguras participants encourage passing neighbors to share thoughts on how to make Meridian Street safer for all.

One of the implemented interventions included a simulated curb extension to the existing intersection of Eutaw Street and Meridian Street. The participants used traffic cones and high-visibility vests while conducting their demonstrations and making observations. The objective of this intervention was to decrease the length needed for pedestrians to cross the intersection.

Demonstration day participants simulate a curb extension through the use of high visibility cones.

The demonstration day proved to be successful as participants identified some of the key challenges that are found along the short section of Meridian Street where interventions were implemented and data was collected. Using pedestrian experiences as qualitative data within the public realm proves to be an effective tool to shape neighborhoods as they undergo change. Camintas Seguras participants hope to use this experience to continue to bring awareness to the pedestrian hazards that are in the built environment. This experience for participants and neighbors demonstrates that with collective organizing and data collection, feedback can be generated to transform streets like Meridian Street and make them safer for all. Caminatas Seguras will continue to work with WalkMassachusetts to advocate for key transportation changes and to share their insights with local decision-makers.

Camintas Seguras participants share a photo at the end of the demonstration day in East Boston.

This demonstration day is part of a larger program called Connecting Kids and Families to Parks and Open Spaces which is funded by Boston Children’s Hospital and in partnership with GreenRoots. Thank you for your support!

2023 MassDOT Moving Together Conference

Last week WalkMassachusetts had the opportunity to attend and table at MassDOT’s Moving Together Conference. It was wonderful to once again join colleagues who are as passionate about the possibilities of active and public transportation as our staff is. Walking, alongside bicycling and public transport, encourages better health, a cleaner environment, and more vibrant communities in Massachusetts.

Brendan, Althea, Iolando, and Jonny attended workshops and panels, networked with fellow transportation advocates, and shared about WalkMassachusetts’ work while tabling.

WalkMassachusetts team at Moving Together. Left to right: Brendan, Jonny, Althea, and Iolando.

Althea and Brendan presented on the WalkMassachusetts rebrand and our continued statewide growth at the Pedestrian Safety and Equity in the Commonwealth and Across State Lines panel. They were joined by panelists from the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission and VHB to discuss pedestrian issues and opportunities in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Speakers for the conference included Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll as well as new Acting Secretary and CEO of MassDOT Monica Tibbits-Nutt.

Slideshow presentations from our Pedestrian Safety panel as well as many others will soon be uploaded to the Moving Together Conference website, so if you weren’t able to join us keep an eye out. Additional panel topics included talks on climate resiliency, multimodal infrastructure, equity initiatives in the Gateway Cities, and much more.

Thanks to MassDOT and the UMass Transportation Center for once again bringing us all together and hosting a wonderful conference!

Acting Secretary and CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Monica Tibbits-Nutt giving the Keynote address.

Full-Time Position Available: Development & Communications Coordinator

WalkMassachusetts seeks a self-motivated, detail-oriented, full-time Development and Communications Coordinator with experience in development (fundraising) activities, communications, and office management. The Development and Communications Coordinator would support the Co-Executive Directors, the Development Committee, and the Communications Committee, and play a key role in ensuring that the WalkMassachusetts team and office functions efficiently and effectively.

Job Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Co-Executive Director in charge of Finance and Administration, the Development and Communications Coordinator will assist in development, communication, and office management activities that support our work. Primary responsibilities include:
- Development (fundraising) support
- Communications and event support
- Office administration and human resource activities

Desired Qualifications:

Minimum 3 to 4 years of experience

Commitment to WalkMassachusetts’ mission to create more walkable communities across the state.
Demonstrated experience and comfort with fundraising, soliciting donations, and/or event planning.
Strong communication skills both written and verbal.
Proficiency with CRMs (preferably Salesforce).
Superior organizational and critical thinking skills.
Strong technology skills, including knowledge of Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Suite (Drive, Docs).
Experience with running virtual meetings and workplaces (Zoom, Google Meets, Slack).
Experience with website management (preferably WordPress), event management systems (EventBrite, RunSignUp/GiveSignUp), and email systems (MailChimp/Constant Contact).
Experience with Adobe Suite and Canva is a plus.

Specific Tasks:

Development (60%)

Maintain CRM (Salesforce) database. Perform Salesforce data entry including creating and updating contacts, gift processing and donation recording, and running reports.
Maintain email/subscriber lead conversion pipeline with Salesforce.
Support with grant research and writing.
Engage in donor stewardship activities and fundraising appeals.
Assist with Development campaigns, appeals, and events (Annual Celebration, Beat the Bay State Annual Fitness Fundraiser).
Phone and email outreach to potential and existing sponsors. Includes cold calling.
Manage donor acknowledgement letters (printed and digital).
Handle credit card payments (Square).
Check mail and make weekly bank deposits.

Communications (25%)

Assist staff with communications strategy and content creation, including the production of e-news, blog posts, social media posts, and other regular communication outputs.
Oversee the creation of the bi-weekly e-news, and assist with the development of the bi-annual printed newsletters and appeals.
Manage social media accounts.
Assist staff with website maintenance (WordPress), email systems, and event platforms (RunSignUp/GiveSignUp).
Assist with event planning and promotion, including WalkMassachusetts Network meetings, the Celebration, Beat the Bay State, Talk the Walk sessions, and advocacy walks.

Admin (15%)

Provide administrative support to Executive Director(s) with meeting scheduling, records management, and personnel time tracking.
Schedule meetings and activities – including in person and zoom meetings, board and committee meetings, staff meetings, shared office (CIC) bookings.
Take notes for meetings.
Support Executive Director(s) and Program Staff with community engagement activities (virtual and in-person) including: workshops, walk audits, and other events.
Prepare presentations and take notes for internal and external meetings.
Support Bookkeeper in maintaining office administrative files including contracts, filings, human resources, and other organization records.
Coordinate use of shared office space, including reserving conference rooms, tracking attendance, etc.
Provide basic IT assistance and work with outside IT vendors to maintain system security, purchase new equipment, and maintain current IT systems.
Answer general office phone line and organization email, responding to general inquiries and forwarding other messages on to the appropriate contact.

Compensation and location:

Full-time position (37.5 hours/week)
Annual salary range: $50,000 – 56,000 based upon prior work experience
Standard benefits include: holiday compensation, paid time off, health and dental insurance (75% employer covered), and flexible scheduling
CIC membership and access to all CIC offices. WalkMassachusetts office is located at the 50 Milk Street, Boston location.
Hybrid, flexible scheduling. Minimum two in person days a week required.
In-state travel is required. Availability for occasional early morning, evening, or weekend hours required.

WalkMassachusetts staff is working on a hybrid model, with a flexible number of days spent in-person. We have a shared office space at the CIC in Downtown Boston which we share with several other transportation advocacy organizations.

Interested applicants possessing the above experience and skills are encouraged to apply by sending a resume and cover letter with salary expectation to jobs@walkboston.org.

About WalkMassachusetts

WalkMassachusetts, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) advocacy organization, makes walking safer and easier in Massachusetts to encourage better health, a cleaner environment and more vibrant communities. We know that walking improves personal, economic, environmental and civic health. Working on walking takes us across Massachusetts to empower people with knowledge and proven strategies to make their own communities more walkable. Our small, committed staff work as a team to make change: whether it’s getting a crosswalk painted in a neighborhood, or influencing Massachusetts state policy to make streets safer for all.

WalkMassachusettsis committed to better understanding, identifying, and undoing the racist processes and policies that lead to inequities in the walking environment for communities of color across the Commonwealth. We are deepening our engagement in meaningful program and organizational strategies that lead with racial justice. WalkMassachusetts is actively seeking to build a diverse staff. We encourage multiple perspectives and experiences, support a multicultural environment, and strive to hire and retain a diverse workforce that reflects the populations we work with and the communities where we work.

WalkMassachusetts is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information.

Join our Board (or a Committee)!

Are you passionate about walking, transit, the environment? Do you want to help make Massachusetts more walkable? Join us!

We recently completed a self assessment of our board’s strengths and weaknesses. Through that, we identified several areas as those of greatest need: most notably the fields of legal, finance, operations, human resources, technology, development, public health, climate resiliency, and DEAI.

We are also looking for people from all backgrounds and demographics across the state to fully represent the diverse communities in which we work, not just in the Boston area, but from the Hilltowns, throughout the Merrimack Valley, and down to the Cape.

If you’re interested in getting more involved, let us know by filling out this google form.

Please also share this information with members of your network if you think you know someone who would be a good fit for us. We’d love to talk to them!

Board Member Description

The board of WalkMassachusetts (previously known as WalkBoston) is responsible for the strategic governance and oversight of the organization. Working with the Executive Director, the board ensures the organization’s financial health, strategic plan, and goals are aligned with the mission, vision, and values. Members are committed to executing all fiduciary responsibilities and serving as advocates of WalkMassachusetts to the community.

Responsibilities of a Board Member

Attend board and committee meetings and significant organizational events.
Chair and/or participate in at least one board committee.
Participate in establishing and maintaining organizational policies.
Make an annual contribution at a level commensurate with personal capacity.
Participate actively in organizational fundraising activities.
Identify friends and associates who might be prospective donors or board/committee members.
Participate in hiring and periodic evaluation of WalkMassachusetts’s Executive Director.
Support and advise the Executive Director as appropriate.
Participate actively in assessing WalkMassachusetts’s performance and setting its strategic goals and objectives.
Serve as an ambassador for WalkMassachusetts in the community.

Desired Qualifications

Significant experience in business, nonprofit, academia, government/public service, or another field.
Ideally, experience in a field closely related to WalkMassachusetts’s work – e.g. planning/transportation, finance, development, public health, or community organizing.
Knowledge of, or willingness to learn about issues of walkability in Massachusetts and the work of pedestrian advocacy.
Belief in, and commitment to WalkMassachusetts’s mission to create more walkable communities across the state.
Connections to personal or professional networks with capacity and interest to support the work of the organization.
Personal capacity to make an annual contribution to the organization in addition to supporting fundraising efforts.
Understanding of the role that diversity and inclusion plays in the work that WalkMassachusetts does.

WalkMassachusetts is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We seek candidates that represent the diverse perspectives and lived experiences throughout the commonwealth, with the goal of having a board that mirrors the diversity of the communities we serve. While a candidate may not demonstrate every qualification listed above, we encourage candidates to apply if they are interested.

WalkMassachusetts’s board currently meets monthly (10x / year) via Zoom, with a hybrid Annual Celebration in the Spring. Some board meetings may have a hybrid / in-person option. WalkMassachusetts has office space in Downtown Boston at the CIC (50 Milk Street, Boston, MA 02109). Meetings are the fourth Tuesday of the month from 5:30pm – 7pm EST unless otherwise stated. Committee meetings are scheduled separately, based on the availability of committee members, and occur monthly.

WalkMassachusetts Board Committees

Communications
Development
Events
Executive
Finance
Governance

About WalkMassachusetts

WalkBoston is now WalkMassachusetts!

WalkMassachusetts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization that makes walking safer and easier in Massachusetts to encourage better health, a cleaner environment and more vibrant communities. We have a vision of a Massachusetts where people walking – no matter their race, identity, age, ability, or lived experience – feel safe, connected, and valued on our streets and sidewalks. Founded in 1990 as WalkBoston, it was the first organization in the U.S. dedicated to pedestrian advocacy. Our small, committed staff work as a team to make change: whether it’s getting a crosswalk painted in a neighborhood or influencing Massachusetts state policy to make streets safer for all. Key to our effort is the value we place in Community, Equity, and Partnership.