Pedestrian Pride for Local Motion

A safer, more accessible Columbia starts with us

My name is McKenzie Ortiz, and I run Pedestrian Pride. I also work for Local Motion, the nonprofit this fundraiser supports. I see the work Local Motion does from both sides: as someone who relies on walking and transit every day, and as someone who works for the organization trying to make our streets safer.

Local Motion is my employer, but it is also the group that helped me find my voice as a pedestrian in Columbia. Before I ever worked for Local Motion, I was someone who walked everywhere, took the bus, crossed dangerous intersections, and navigated the same gaps that so many of us experience. That is what shaped my creation of Pedestrian Pride. And it is the same lived experience that fuels my work as Advocacy Director at Local Motion today.

I believe deeply that our city can be safer and more accessible for all of us. The money raised supports programs that directly help the people most affected by our transportation system: working class families, disabled neighbors, bus riders, and anyone who moves through the city without a car.

Your support helps fund:

• Community walk audits led by residents

• Locals in Motion, our paid neighborhood leadership program

• Transit advocacy and education

• Storytelling and public-facing content

• Childcare, food, and other tools that remove barriers so community members can participate

Working for Local Motion gives me a close view of how community power is built. Walking every day reminds me why it matters. If you’ve ever walked on a dangerous shoulder, waited for a bus without a shelter, or felt invisible in our streets, I hope you’ll support this work.

Thank you for giving and for showing up for a safer Columbia.