Meet the newest member of the Cal Walks Team: Theresa Do
When I was in high school in East San José, my daily walk to campus included walking on upheaved sidewalks, crossing unsafe intersections, and keeping an eye out for distracted drivers. My parents would always remind me before I left the house, “Remember to watch out for cars!” All my life, it’s been more or less communicated to me that our roads were designed for drivers, not for the safety of all users, and that it is my responsibility as the pedestrian to safely navigate the streets.
When I began my undergraduate education at UC Irvine, I continued to walk to school. This time around, the sidewalks were wider, streets were well-maintained, and I felt safe. Everyday, I saw people walking, skating, biking, rollerblading, and—at times— running to their classes. However, 5 miles outside of the campus’ pedestrian-friendly bubble revealed a car-dominated culture with an underdeveloped public transit system. I started to think more about the socioeconomic, cultural, and structural factors that created this car-centric society and prevents people from accessing active transportation options.
For two years, I researched the intersection of culture, public space, and physical activity, eventually focusing on the Vietnamese-American community in Orange County. Under UC Irvine’s Public Health Honors Research Program, I created a bilingual intercept survey and spoke with community members on which factors influenced their physical activity. More often than not, participants would cite the lack of walking and biking infrastructure, fear for personal safety, and their hectic daily routines as factors that were limiting their physical activity. As I continued to work on this project, it became clear that we needed to look beyond people’s individual choices and critically examine the systemic reasons why the people I surveyed drove more often than they walked.
San José is a city of over a million people, from all walks of life—all of whom deserve equal access to opportunities that allow them to lead healthy, fulfilling lives. As Walk San José Community Outreach Assistant, I am excited to work in partnership with community members and local organizations to create a more connected city where people can move and exist freely. I look forward to working with Cal Walks to advocate for transportation equity, pedestrian safety, and a healthier San José!