Southern California's first and most prominent pedestrian advocacy organization, Los Angeles Walks, is turning 25. Angelenos can celebrate Los Angeles Walks' vision, tenacity, and persistence at their Sidewalk Soirée gathering on Saturday, October 14 at the Silverlake Independent Jewish Community Center. L.A. Walks has postponed its Sidewalk Soirée - keep your eyes open for a new date in early 2024!
The annual Sidewalk Soirée features food, friends, and a light program as the organization looks back at how far it has come and looks ahead to how much more is left to do to make L.A. safe and walkable.
This celebration honors a pioneer in the fight for L.A. pedestrians and founder of Los Angeles Walks: Deborah Murphy! Murphy was already called a "pedestrian guerilla" before she founded the organization in 1998. The name, Los Angeles Walks, was chosen because the phrase acknowledges that L.A. does indeed already walk.
Murphy recalls pulling together transit advocates, planners, architects, developers, bicyclists, and others at early L.A. Walks meetings at the offices of Melendrez in the historic Oviatt building downtown. Early advocacy focused on improving pedestrian safety, including getting cities and agencies to implement good policies that were already approved and on the books but not being built. Sadly, those campaigns sound all too familiar to 2023 ears.
Murphy also played a big role in the life of Streetsblog L.A., serving on the blog's board for many years.
Celebrate Deborah Murphy and help manifest Southern California's walkable future by purchasing your ticket to the Sidewalk Soirée.
In related news, L.A. Walks is hiring a new Executive Director. Find the job description and other details at the organization's webpage. Applications are due by October 15.
