Transit Equity Day 2026: We Organize. We Ride. We Rise.

Transit Equity Day is more than a local event. It is a nationwide celebration held each year in honor of Rosa Parks’ birthday and her lasting contributions to transit equity and civil rights. Her quiet act of resistance — and the 381 days of people power that sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott — remind us that transportation has always been about dignity, access, and collective action.

That history grounded Transit Equity Day 2026 in Memphis.

On a Saturday morning at the Orange Mound Community Center, community members came together not just to listen, but to participate. From the start, the focus was on inclusion and care — making sure people could fully engage, move through the space comfortably, and contribute in ways that worked for them. That tone mattered. It reflected a simple truth: transit equity begins with who gets to show up.

Throughout the morning, the theme We Organize. We Ride. We Rise. was not just spoken — it was practiced.

Participants took action at the Show & Prove table, writing postcards and statements calling for better public transit in Memphis. These messages addressed real, everyday concerns: affordability, accessibility, service reliability, and accountability. They will be delivered to Memphis City Council and other decision-makers because the people who rely on transit every day deserve to be heard.

At the 40K Strong Rider Station, riders shared their lived experiences with public transit — what it means to depend on the system, where it falls short, and how it shapes daily life. Seven new rider stories were recorded during the event, adding to a growing archive of voices that will continue to inform advocacy and public accountability efforts.

One moment from the rider station captured the stakes with striking clarity. A 64-year-old woman, Vernice Foster, who has never driven a car, was asked what she would do without public transit. After a pause, she simply replied, “Nothing.” The room didn’t need explanation. That single word said what statistics never could.

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Another rider, Myron Draine, spoke about the real-life consequences of inadequate transit service: “I lost a job some years ago because of public transportation. I couldn’t make it on time, so they let me go.” His words reminded the room that transit failures aren’t abstract — they directly affect livelihoods, opportunities, and daily life.

One of the most powerful moments of the event came from Dorothy Connor, whose remarks connected today’s transit challenges to a longer legacy of organizing in Memphis. Her words reminded the room that change has never come from waiting — it comes from people staying engaged, even when progress feels slow.

The program also included remarks from Rodrick Holmes, MATA Trustee, who spoke about the current state of public transit and the challenges facing the system. His presence underscored the importance of transparency, dialogue, and continued public engagement between riders, advocates, and transit leadership.

Looking forward, participants gathered at the Get on the Bus roundtable, a facilitated discussion centered on what people want Memphis’ public transit system to look like in real, everyday terms. Riders talked about routes that actually connect neighborhoods, service that is frequent and reliable, stops that are safe and accessible, and a system designed around the people who use it. The conversation grounded vision in lived experience — not abstract planning, but practical change.

Yes, we are asking for better public transit in Memphis. That means affordable, accessible, and integrated transportation, the reinstatement of the MATA board, an end to capacity constraints, and a dedicated funding source that allows the system to grow and serve riders well.

As Allison Donald shared during the event, our coalition is urging the Memphis City Council to increase funding for public transit. Riders deserve a system that is reliable, accessible, and works for the people who depend on it every day. This call is rooted not in theory, but in the realities riders described throughout the morning.

But Transit Equity Day also reminded us of something just as important: systems change when people stay involved. The Montgomery Bus Boycott succeeded not because of one moment, but because thousands of people showed up — day after day — for over a year. That same commitment is required now.

The work continues.

The first next step is joining us at Mayor Paul Young’s State of the City address, scheduled for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, from 5:00–7:30 p.m. at First Baptist Broad, 2835 Broad Avenue. Transit riders and advocates will be present, listening closely and making our presence known.

We are also continuing this work by engaging with partners across the city, including joining the MICAH Transit Equity Task Force, to build sustained, coordinated advocacy for transit justice in Memphis.

This event also produced seven new rider videos, amplifying voices that will continue to drive accountability and inform future advocacy. Showing up together is how momentum becomes movement.

For ongoing updates, opportunities to get involved, and continued transit advocacy, visit and follow us at DisabilityMidsouth.org.

We organize. We ride. We rise — together.