After the murder of Renee Good in Minneapolis (MN) in January 2026, former St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said:

Our own biggest opponent is our own weaponized federal government who says put America first, but arrests American citizens.… I recognize Jim Crow…you show me an era where people had to carry papers to keep from getting harassed and arrested by government agents, I’ll show you an era of profound human rights abuses.… That’s un-American. (WCCO, 2026)

Hearing this searing sermon from Carter reminded me of Charles T. Brown’s (2025) book, Arrested Mobility: Overcoming the Threat to Black Movement. As I looked back to the cover of Brown’s book detailing Black mobility and the way it is policed in the United States, I could not help but see the white stripes stained in blood against the black background morphing from cell bars to the stripes of an American flag. Carter implored his fellow Americans to understand that people being herded, disappeared, and murdered across the country is not who we are as a nation. Yet, throughoutArrested MobilityBrown makes it clear that government actors, including urban planners, have made arresting the mobility of Black people an enduring part of America.

Over five chapters, Brown interweaves his personal story, interview excerpts from Black Americans, and statistics that elucidate arrested mobility: “The intentional and incomplete access to all means of movement in public and sometimes private spaces by way of deliberate overpolicing, which…made us less safe and limited social mobility” (p. 7).

To read the full book review, click here.

Transportation affordability is a major concern for low-income people and households across the United States. While car ownership rates remain relatively high, the associated costs — insurance, gas, and repairs can place a significant financial burden on low-income households. Even for those who own a vehicle, these costs can limit how often they use it. As a result, in Los Angeles, many low-income residents rely heavily on public transit or active transportation options. In fact, 69% of Metro bus riders report annual household incomes below $25,000.2 Despite this, there is no federal mandate to financially support the mobility needs of low-income people — besides fare discounts for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

To read the full policy brief, click here.

Photo by Lauren Kan on Unsplash

Sharing my thoughts on the experience of being a student on a university campus. To see my full feelings about the environment UCLA students are currently experiencing please read more here.

A lot has been happening at Stanford Law School. There have been calls to fire administrators. That’s not the Stanford Law School I know and love. That’s not the type of just society my mentors at Stanford taught me to advocate for during my three years there. I hope it’s not the Stanford Law School that now exists. I hope it’s not the unjust society that now exists.

I shared my thoughts here…

As we passed the anniversary of George Floyd’s death, I couldn’t help but wonder if Black Lives still matter to people who bike and the bicycle industry. Last year, I saw all sectors of our cycling world splash social media with images of Floyd’s face, black boxes, and hashtags, as they desperately tried to pander to my beautiful Black existence.

These companies, clubs, and advocates pledged to change their normal course of business, be more inclusive, and center the experiences of Black people who bike. As I as saw these promises stacking up, I wondered what would happen in the bicycling world.

In October, not quite a half year since Floyd’s death, the first hints of a change in bicycling came as the summer’s pandemic-induced bicycling boom continued to grow. Bicycle advocates saw a moment to make their work more impactful and help new converts to bicycling understand the importance of advocacy for safe streets. What remained unclear is whether this shift would center race.

Within this context of change and uncertainty Bicycling published an article titled “How Bike Advocates Are Eyeing Safer Streets for All.” The article’s headline indicated that this moment in history caused bike advocates to change and start focusing on seeking traffic solutions that did not involve police.

To read the full essay visit Bicycling Magazine…

This is the moment we hoped wasn’t coming. This is the moment we knew was coming. This is the moment that never really left.

For months I’ve been present on panel after webinar after phone call after socially distanced hangout with people optimistically asking if this time it was different. Breonna is trending and on the cover of a magazine. George Floyd’s face and name are etched into the thoughts and prayers of everyone you know.

Your favorite company and your least favorite company have both released statements saying they care for their Black employees, they care for the Black community, are hiring a new diversity Black, and that they care about Black Lives. Shit, we even have a Blasian woman reppin a Divine Nine sorority trailblazing a path to the White House.

Many people wanted to believe this time was different. Many people wanted to believe we reached a tipping point. I have had countless Black colleagues exclaim that FINALLY, white people had seen what it is to be Black in this country.

Did they? Did it matter?

I’ll tell you what I think on Medium…