Meet the newest member of the Cal Walks Team: Areli Morales

Cycling has always been a part of my life. My father grew up racing and fixing bikes in Oaxaca, Mexico, and in Los Angeles, he commuted over 20 miles to work by bike. I grew up in Venice Beach where driver speeds along Interstate 2 and long stretches of unsafe crosswalks made the under two-mile ride to my middle school and high school too dangerous for me to bike or walk. When I started working, I realized my bike allowed me to take control of my time and transportation costs. Energized by bicycle-powered humans that took over streets, reclaimed space, created friendships while reducing environmental pollution, and saving money, I became a car-free Angelino. 

My commute to work made me see the disparities in our cities infrastructure and services. I wanted to understand how to create space for alternative forms of transportation, and how to advocate for bike and pedestrian-friendly policies. I started volunteering for CicLAvia, People for Mobility Justice, and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC). Volunteering soon turned to paid positions, first at CicLAvia as a part of the outreach team, then to co-leading projects with People for Mobility Justice. As outreach lead with CicLAvia, I walked what feels like all of Los Angeles talking to residents and small businesses about Open Streets. At People for Mobility Justice, I co-led Blue Line First Last Mile community engagement where we partnered with housing rights lawyers to provide information to concerned community members regarding displacement and gentrification. At LACBC I created rides, classes, and workshops in English and Spanish to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety throughout Los Angeles County communities. Helping organize and execute educational bike rides with community partners and local agencies, I saw the impact that experiential outreach can have on creating community investment and advocacy—empowering community members to transform their communities as they see fit. 

As a Cal Walks team member, I am excited to continue working closely with community groups and local agencies throughout our state. I will be working with our Community Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Training communities where I look forward to learning from them and helping them share their stories and visions for their future.