We are continuing to increase our commitment to diversity and equity
Cherriots is celebrating the achievements of Black Americans and reaffirming our commitment to equity this Black History Month. February has been designated as Black History Month by every president since 1976, pre-dating Cherriots by three years!
We know the great achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks with the Montgomery Bus Boycott ushering in a powerful civil rights movement to protest segregation. But there are numerous other Black Americans who contributed significantly to our society. In 1923, Garrett A. Morgan Sr. invented the three-position traffic signal, giving vehicles a warning between green and red lights to greatly improve safety at intersections. We owe him, and many other Black Americans, a debt of gratitude.
Since our beginning, Cherriots has been dedicated to respecting the rights of all people. We receive some federal funding, so we operate under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That means we offer service without discrimination to all people regardless of race, color, and all other protected classes.
We strengthened this commitment this past year when the Board of Directors formed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. They have been meeting monthly to define their objectives and explore the areas Cherriots can better address these issues. To learn more about virtually attending these meetings, visit our Public Meetings and Notices page.
We’re also excited to announce that Transportation Options Coordinator Kiki Dohman has been appointed the chair of the Association for Commuter Transportation’s (ACT) national Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. ACT is the premier national organization and leading advocate for commuter transportation and transportation demand management professionals. For more details about her work on that committee, click HERE.
As we kick off Black History Month, we re-commit to celebrating the diversity that makes the Salem-Keizer community a great place to live and work. We will continue to look for ways to improve our organization and make it more diverse and equitable. And we will keep offering excellent service with a focus on equity for all.