Jesus Needed Refuge

 

The murder of the innocents is one example of political violence in the Bible. Mathews Gospel records the Holy Families' flight to Egypt to escape terror.  Jesus' family wasn't safe so they took refuge in a foreign land.  This part of the story doesn't fit into the marketable version of Christmas.   

"Jesús también huyó" is Spanish for "Jesus also fled."I learned from my world-traveling-aunt that many scholars think that while Jesus was in Egypt he was educated at the great library of Alexandria hence his astounding knowledge of scripture referenced later in  Luke.  That is another cool part of the story and it shows how God uses all of our experiences to make us who we are. Jesus sees us and can relate. He came to proclaim goodwill to man.  

Jesus' message of Love your neighbor is a radical world changing teaching. Lucy Calhoun and I created this art to illustrate the deep redeeming love of Christmas.  Jesus sees the mess we are in with xenophobia and he is calling us to remember he too was an immigrant.  The message is that our foreign neighbors many of whom are fleeing violence are welcome here in the Shell Neighborhood of Waughtown. 

5 years ago!

I met Nathan 5 years ago as we were learning to drive.  He and two women are the only 3 bus drivers remaining from our 2019 class of 11 cadets.  Check out our class photo https://www.blindspot.city/2019/02/public-servants.html

The memories of driving came flooding back yesterday while Nathan and I talked about how fast the last 5 years have flown by.  He is enjoying driving and has found a rhythm that is tenable.  He credited WSTA's policy change to max 10 hours of driving per day for helping reduce driver strain. He said before that there were too many accidents and too many drivers getting burn out chasing over time pay.

It was a joy to catch up with him and remember how important public transit is to our community.  I am grateful riding the bus is an option for me. 

Bikes!

I have been spending a lot of time, energy and love on bikes.  I first felt the Lord's love and transcending Grace on a bike.   They are indeed the noblest invention...I recently got an eBike which makes me even more excited about their potential as vehicles.  

Teaching people to ride and helping them access bicycles is a worthy cause.  I think this news article captures that.  Certainly it reflects Scott Sexton's love of bikes https://journalnow.com/news/local/two-things-a-huge-milestone-on-two-wheels-acc-money-makers-and-congratulations-rams/article_7f515c34-b699-11ed-9ec6-d796deb5f3bd.html

Hope Without Borders

 

Hope without Borders

Photography with Graphic Art

Jameson Filston 2021

Waughtown as a neighborhood is affectionately known as little Mexico because of the vibrant Hispanic community that animates its businesses and warms its homes.  For over 20 years, it has been the hub of Hispanic culture in Winston-Salem.  The bus shelter at Broadbay and Waughtown is near iconic businesses like the Disco Rodeo and Tiendas and affordable housing occupied by recent immigrants looking for a brighter future. 

The bus shelter art project entitled “Hope without Borders” illustrates the communities desire for a brighter future as it depicts their jubilant children with butterflies, the internationally recognized symbol of migration.  The immigrants in Waughtown work hard for the hope of a brighter future for their children.  

The children pictured in Hope without Borders live in Waughtown in the tension of being American by birth and Mexican through the pride of upbringing.  They long to see the homeland of their parents and be connected to the prosperity that drew their parents to the United States. 

Creating places through art such as Hope without Borders illuminates the desire we all share to see jubilant children free of worry.  Hope without Borders is a collective art project between adult artists and the children photographed. The project captures the kinetic energy of freedom and the desire to connect with the community. Public transportation shares this value of free movement.  

The group meets Wednesday evening on Peachtree street to play and get to know each other.  Jamo Filston is the primary artist and photographer. He is a Winston-Salem Fellow.   Phillip Summers hosts the  Wednesday gathering and has done extensive research on migration and his neighbors from Guerrero Mexico. Ashlyn Hodges is a Winston-Salem fellow who is interested in social justice and Hispanic populations. 

What a year

One year ago was my last day behind the wheel of a city bus.  It was an emotional day made sweet by singing Christmas carols.  

A lot has happened since and I am grateful for the experience I gained during 2020. 

• Worked with City with Dwellings at the overflow homeless shelter
• Wrote an ebook for Stakeholder Health on public transportation
• Wrote a transit corridor report for CSEM
• Won a bus shelter public art contest
• Case investigation for COVID-19 for the Health Department
• Helped take the US Census as a NRFU
• Arrested at a Black Lives Matter Protest for John Neville
• Returned to WFSM to do project management

Spectrum News

Yesterday I was interviewed by Spectrum News https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triad/news/2020/08/28/winston-salem-uses-art-to-highlight-public-transportation about Marching for Mobility.

  

WSTA Prominent Transit Corridors Report

Winston-Salem was once a leader in public transportation.  I believe it could be again.

Please read my WSTA Prominent Transit Corridors Report that suggests expanding bus service in historic transit corridors.

The report's data tables are online for accessibility and transparency.

Below is Map 1, which illustrates the most prominent corridors that warrant expanded service.

My E-Book is online!

I am so excited to announce that my E-Book is now available from Stakeholder Health online at https://stakeholderhealth.org/bus-community-health. 

Gary Gunderson wrote an intro for the piece and it links to our 3 podcasts. I am so grateful for how the stories are woven together.  

I hope you will enjoy reading it but more importantly I hope it will promote positive change for transit riders!     

Miasma

Fear has a contagious power like Miasma. 

I first read about Miasma in the book The Ghost Map; The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic - and how it Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World.  We are easily made afraid of things we don't understand. John Snow was courageous in following his conviction of how to halt the cholera outbreak. He was bound to find a way to prove his theory and by taking off the water-pump handle he made history. 

As a person who believes in the supernatural power of Jesus Christ, I am aware of how science while rational, is also taken on faith.  Miasma was a working scientific theory until it was discredited. 

COVID-19 is a modern-day example of something that is terrifying because we are figuring it out together.  We will need courageous leaders who work hard to fight prejudices towards neighbors just as Dr. Snow had to convince folks that slums were not the cause of the disease.  Today we know that slums are a symptom of our own greed and fear of neighbors.  Slums are the built environmental manifestation of social distancing. 

As a person of hope, I have to work hard to keep my heart open towards my neighbors when society is practicing social distancing. We have seen that social distancing is a privilege that many can't afford. I am aware of my own impulse to be selective in allowing who my family comes in contact with.  I have to choose courage over fear.

As we move into a new phase of Corona pandemic let's remember that love finds a way forward. I am struck by the prophetic meaning of the name Isaiah.  His name means "God to the Rescue." 

Isaiah wrote 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Maybe we are being called to be part of the rescue operation by loving our neighbors even when it feels scary. 

Dreaming of 2045

Please visit http://www.wsmtpupdate.com and fill out the survey to provide input for transportation planning in our region.  I was thrilled to rank public transit as a priority issue.  I hope you will too.

Also, check out the environmental justice map in the Existing Conditions Report.  Expanding public transportation is a justice issue. 

Please join me in speaking up for transit! 

Greenways are Open

I am seeing a lot of greenway usage as a refuge during this trying time of COVID-19.  It is an opportunity to see the critical role of recreation in public health as people try to practice social distancing while maintaining their health.

It is encouraging that bike shops are considered critical and allowed to remain open as a transportation option.   I've been busy with Salem Bicycle Works.

I am posting my physical activity to https://www.strava.com/athletes/faithful_feet.

Marching for Mobility

Marching for Mobility
Digitally enhanced photography (2020)
By Phillip Summers
Waughtown and MLK Bus Shelter Proposal
https://www.cityofws.org/1267/Public-Art-Commission

This is my application. The deadline is 3/27/20.  Submit an application!

Mobility and freedom of movement have long been social justice issues. Unfortunately, we still live in a context of segregation and stagnation of economic mobility. And yet, improved public transportation has the potential to positively impact the lives of passengers and the community at large. The proposed public art project Marching for Mobility invites every one of us to see ourselves in the long struggle towards social justice.

Marching for Mobility features neighbors who are specifically involved in mobility justice. The percussionists in the picture work at the used tire shop across the street from the bus shelter. Their business of selling used tires helps make owning a car more affordable in Winston-Salem. The elder statesman (Mr. Wilson) in the picture (right) works with me to salvage bicycles, thanks to his side hustle of collecting scrap metal. (See Scott Sexton’s 2018 article for a wonderful explanation of how this effort is building social capital on the southside.) The piccolo player is a longtime friend (Maria) who I met riding transit. Through her eyes I have seen how the system needs to improve—how to become loving advocates we must listen to one another’s stories. The flute player is an educator in the public school system and a source of comfort to many neighborhood children. The two young horn players (my children) represent the next generation, the future of the social justice movement.

The bus shelter at the intersection of Waughtown and MLK Boulevard is a very important place to our neighborhood. The Southeast Neighborhood Association began requesting a shelter at this location more than two years ago. Today, the shelter serves many daily riders who are very grateful to have this new amenity. Adorning the new shelter with local art will further complement and celebrate the public transit rider experience here in Winston-Salem.

On February 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. preached “The Drum Major Instinct” from the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church. He concluded his sermon with the now-famous quote: “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. (Amen) Say that I was a drum major for peace. (Yes) I was a drum major for righteousness.”

Carol Davis, who is a prominent member of our community, suggested this MLK quote. Carol’s vision and leadership through the SG Adkins Community Development Corporation has inspired many of us, and her suggestion to share this quote holds power. Carol, like each of the band members in the photo, sees herself as part of the march towards mobility.

The use of red as the prominent color in this artwork is intentional. It is the school color of the historically black university less than a mile north of the shelter. The marching band at Winston-Salem State University is nationally recognized for its excellence in the performing arts—again, something to celebrate.

I took the original photograph at the bus shelter, so that it could be scaled to near life-size. The .png file of the image has been uploaded with this application. I used the open-source applications of Paint Brush and Gimp to enhance the image with the quote and instruments, to convey the fact that we can all join MLK in the march toward social justice. The image follows the second proposal guidelines to be printed on vinyl by the Public Art Commission. I am grateful that the Public Art Commission is making this project accessible to creatives from all levels of experience and expertise. 

As a creative person, I have been a part of educational and documentary filmmaking, website and flier design, and the creation of academic posters. (Several samples of this type work can be found on my website www.BlindSpot.City.) I have included the original photography that became Marching for Mobility. I have included a picture of my custom bicycle. I chose every component and accessory on the bike to illustrate a joyous celebration. I see it as a celebration of active transportation in our city. I also included a picture of Mr. Wislon bringing bikes to my house. He posed for this photo with neighborhood kids who were recipients of the bikes. The photo conveys the connections that only caring neighbors can forge. Finally, I included a picture with my longtime passenger friend Maria, taken on the bus while I was a bus driver. We have been riding buses and talking about transit together for 10 years.

To improve the bus system in Winston-Salem is to ‘march with a drum major’ like Dr. King towards social justice. When we improve bus service, we bring passengers more social and economic mobility, more freedom, and more peace. Positive experiences—yes, simply waiting at the bus stop—help us have strong, righteous relationships with our neighbors and environment. Marching for Mobility captures that spirit: improve transit to improve our community.

Public Works Committee Wants Your Input

Come give input on the importance of bus frequency at the public works committee meeting on Tuesday, March 17th at 6pm at City Hall.

City Council member, Dan Besse invited transit advocates to attend the public works committee to provide input.  You can watch the video of his invitation in the story "Making News."

99% Invisible's podcast "Missing the Bus," has a brilliant explanation on why bus frequency is so important.  It is an interview with, Steve Higashide a transit expert, bus champion, and author of a new book called Better Buses Better Cities.

Take a look at WSTA's ride per hour of service ratio to see which routes are transporting the most people.  I believe there is a lot of latent demand on routes 92 and 96. Improved frequency on those routes would generate more rides and many corollary benefits for our community.

Come out to the public works committee meeting on Tuesday the 17th to weigh in on making our city better via improved bus frequency.

Making News

I pray that the newspaper article, "Scientist turned bus driver advocates for Winston-Salem passengers" helps improve public transportation locally.  I am grateful Scott Sexton wrote the story and I appreciate his skill as a writer.

On Monday, we went to City Hall to speak up for improved bus service.  You can see the video of our comments online.  If you want to skip to the comments, below are the list of time points:

• Minute 54 - Phillip opens with a challenge to the council to consider how privatization keeps the system at an arm's length. 
• Minute 60 - Luke shares a brilliant summary of the CSEM Rider Study
• Minute 68 - Brian shares a passionate personal testimony and plea for the city to do better 
• Minute 70 - Ray closes with a call to improve bus service as we aspire to be a city
• Minute 77 - City Council Member Dan Besse thanks us for showing support and gives rebuttal. 

Please follow Council Member Besse's invitation to come to the Public Works Committee meeting on March 17 at 6pm to comment on proposed service changes.

Editors note on 3/4/20 Public Works committee was changed from 3/10 to 3/17.  

FaithHealth Recording

I presented to FaithHealth today and was grateful to tell stories from the bus. 

You can hear the recording and view the slides.

FaithHealth Slides

Tomorrow is the big day. 

I hope you can join me to hear stories from my year of driving a city bus. I learned a lot about the social determinants of health. 

Come to the 10th Floor of the Wake Forest Baptist Health Comphrenshive Cancer Center at 9am to hear the presentation for FaithHealth. 

I have the slides ready to go!   

Bed Bugs

Even the thought of bed bugs makes my skin crawl.   They are a mysterious cause for concern.

But as I read more about them I feel even more sad about the stigma that I have witnessed.  The stigma that is based on irrational fear about how they are spread and the assumed failure of anyone who has been exposed. It is breaking my heart. 

A colleague who is a brilliant doctor and medical director for infection prevention and health system epidemiology sent me an email that taught me a lot. Below are the materials he recommended that I read.

1. A detailed plan of how to deal with bed bugs with a lot of great tips (including protection of staff)
2. Very nice intro into the bed bug problem with great tips

I am working as the night monitor at the overflow homeless shelter and we follow these guidelines.  

While I was a bus driver the hysteria of concern about possible bed bug infestation would come up with drivers. I am realizing that our ignorance about the issue is a potential barrier to compassion.  Public servants from volunteers in shelters to bus drivers need more education about bed bugs so they don't perpetuate the stigma.  

Greater understanding of bed bugs enables us to be compassionate, not frightened. 

CV

CV is short for Curriculum Vitae, a Latin phrase meaning "course of life."

I recently updated my CV and included it as a tab on the navigation bar for easy access. My life followed an interesting course in 2019. It turned down a road of solidary with the poor and it followed a calling for radical advocacy for the expansion of public transportation to improve mobility.

As I ponder what is next professionally I feel open to what 2020 has in store.  Please check out my CV and reach out to me with job offers!

Hours, Rides, and Pay

I began working for the Winston-Salem Transit Authority on Monday, January 28th and ended my tenure on Friday, December 13th. I learned a great deal about the public health importance of public transportation during the course of the year of our Lord 2019.

I worked 2,037 hours providing an estimated 24,721 rides (hours multiplied by rides per hour ratio) and earned $26,764 in take-home pay.

The chart below shows that my hours were trending up from an average of 43.3 hours per week.  My longest week was 55.8 hours which resulted in an estimated 832 rides.

The average American works 1,811 hours in a year (TMFBookNerd).  I worked 226 hours more than that which helps me rationalize the completion of my goal of driving for a year. I logged 8 weeks of working 50 hours or more.

My income was below the federal poverty line for a family of 5.

View analysis of my hours, rides and pay online in this spreadsheet. Data comes from the ADP App of my pay stubs; any error in data entry or analysis is my own.

Vacation Analysis

I accrued 17 hours of vacation for 2020. It made me wonder how I compared to my fellow drivers.

Table 1 shows the breakout of allotted vacation hours by the number of drivers. You can see that the 5 most senior drivers (whom each get 6 weeks off) account for almost 15% of all the allotted vacation hours. By comparison, my classmates (4 drivers) account for .08%.  The average driver will get 80 hours of vacation in 2020.

Table 1: Vacation Allotted by 102 Drivers
Allotted Hrs	N Drivers	%	Vacation Hrs	%
240	5	4.9	1,200.0	14.6
200	3	2.9	600.0	7.3
160	13	12.7	2,080.0	25.3
120	11	10.8	1,320.0	16.1
93	1	1.0	93.0	1.1
90	1	1.0	90.0	1.1
80	23	22.5	1,840.0	22.4
62	1	1.0	62.0	0.8
40	13	12.7	520.0	6.3
36.6	4	3.9	146.5	1.8
29.9	2	2.0	59.9	0.7
23	1	1.0	23.0	0.3
20	2	2.0	40.0	0.5
19.9	2	2.0	40.0	0.5
17	4	3.9	68.0	0.8
13	1	1.0	13.0	0.2
10	2	2.0	20.0	0.2
7	1	1.0	7.0	0.1
0	12	11.8	0.0	0.0
1,261.6	102	100	8,222.4	100

Creating groups makes it easier to visualize the fact that 30% of the drivers do not have much vacation.

Using seniority as the primary means of bestowing benefits tilts the scale in ways new drivers feel but often lack the words to express. It works against newbies.  New drivers are doing extra work to cover for everyone else's vacation. The current policy forces them to wait to years to receive one week of vacation.

Figuring out an equitable vacation policy would reduce the high initiation burden that new drivers face.   Addressing such issues would aid in the retention of drivers.

Here is the link to the data.