Join us for the release of The State of Equity in Metro Boston Policy Agenda 2018.

In 2011, MAPC released “The State of Equity in Metro Boston,” a report providing compelling detail on inequality across many dimensions: housing, transportation, public health, and employment. In response, the MAPC Executive Committee adopted “The State of Equity in Metro Boston Policy Agenda.” In 2017, MAPC produced a five-year update to the State of Equity report which found that some progress had been made and that challenges remain.

The updated equity policy agenda represents a new proposal for collective action to strengthen the region and unlock the potential in all residents across Metro Boston.

To learn more about MAPC’s equity initiatives, visit the Equity webpage.

Join MAPC for our program webinar, Electrify Your Community: Charging Station Purchasing 101, on Thursday, February 15, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Tune in to get up to speed on how to install electric vehicle charging stations to power vehicles in your fleet and community. Webinar attendees will learn more about:

• The basics of selecting a charging station, or stations, to meet your needs and reduce costs where possible;
• The benefits of buying in bulk with other communities through the Green Mobility Group Purchasing Program; and
• Available funding and steps to take to include charging stations, and more, in your Green Communities Competitive Grant application or municipal budget.

Register here.

MAPC and the City of Newton are co-hosting a Community EV Charging Station workshop on Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Whether you’ve already decided to purchase EV charging stations in 2018, or are just starting to think about EV charging stations for your community, this workshop will take you on a deep dive of everything to consider from procurement to installation.

Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Learn how you can participate in MAPC’s Green Mobility Group Purchasing program in 2018 and save money by buying with other public fleets;
• Engage in discussion with other municipalities considering purchases of EV charging station and learn from leaders in the region with experience installing charging stations;
• Connect with EV charging station vendors on the statewide contract and learn about the specifications of the technologies they can provide.

A more detailed agenda with workshop presenters and location will be distributed in advance of the event. Coffee and light refreshments will be provided.

Register here.

What is spatial justice, and how can cities and towns use this framework to rethink how their built environment supports people’s rights to be, thrive, express and connect? What role can artists and public art play in helping us imagine and shape more inclusive, thriving public spaces throughout Greater Boston? Join a lively discussion among artists, activists, and urbanists who are leading the conversation about spatial justice in our region today.

How can public-making—the collective creation and activation of public spaces for interaction and belonging—be a radical, joyful tool for spatial justice? Join artists, activists, and community leaders to discuss how public-making can create opportunities for interaction, laughter, dialogue, and surprise, and explore real-life examples of public-making that you can bring to your community.

Not all public spaces are created equal. Transformative planning and urban design begins with addressing historic and current experiences of racism and exclusion. But what does that mean in practice? Join the conversation with creative community leaders about what it means to design for spatial justice. We’ll explore how skate parks, sidewalk kitchens, and “dance courts” can change how public space is used, who feels welcome in it, and how inclusive creative placemaking can help lead the way toward lasting spatial justice.