Explore every episode of the podcast BikePortland Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
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| Portland City Council District 3 Candidate Brandon Mullen | 09 Apr 2026 | 01:06:28 | |
Brandon Mullen has spent 12 years working in city and regional government: Now he wants to enter the political ring. Mullen is running for Portland City Council District 3 (SE). His expansive platform reflects his urban planning and transportation experience, as well as stints managing projects for City of Portland and Metro. Brandon rolled over to The Shed yesterday and we had an expansive conversation that touched on everything from basketball (we're both big fans) to budgets. If you live in D3 and want help figuring out how best to rank the 10 (so far) candidates, you need to listen to this episode. Links:
*BikePortland - Community Journalism Since 2005*
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| Evan Schneider, Mark Hoffman and the new film, 'A Simple Machine' | 09 Apr 2026 | 00:55:52 | |
A Simple Machine is more than just a film, it’s a deeply Portland project that brings our beautiful city and the humble bicycle to the big screen while presenting important and relevant themes that many of us can relate to. I recently sat down in The Shed with Evan P. Schneider, who wrote the book, A Simple Machine, Like the Lever (Propeller Books) that inspired the film; and Mark Alan Hoffman, the film’s creator and director. We talked about the creative process, the film’s deeper meanings, how Evan’s story from 2011 still resonates in 2026, and much more. Evan even read a few passages from the book! Pull up a chair or turn up the volume and join us for a chat in the Shed. Links:
*BikePortland - Community Journalism Since 2005*
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| Blaming drivers and 'safety science' with Sarah Risser | 01 Sep 2025 | 00:43:17 | |
Portland road safety advocate Sarah Risser (Bike Loud, PBOT Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Families for Safe Streets) and I talk about the pros and cons of blaming individuals over the system when it comes to traffic crashes. This conversation was inspired by a social media post when I scolded a driver for causing a bad wreck. Sarah then suggested I watch a video about Safety Science from Transportation Alternatives and narrated by safety expert and There Are No Accidents author Jessie Singer. We dive into the need for blame, the limits of systems thinking (when our systems are totally dysfunctional), and several related issues around why fixing our broken streets and associated traffic culture is so challenging in America. | |||
| Why Reading Names of Crash Victims Matters | 23 Mar 2023 | 00:13:41 | |
In this episode, host Jonathan Maus shares clips from a recent meeting of the Metro Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT). He highlights an exchange between county commissioners that was spurred by the "reading the of the names" - an increasingly common practice at meetings where someone reads names of people killed in traffic crashes at the outset of a meeting in order to add urgency to road safety efforts. Jonathan shares why he thinks this practice is so important — and how it can gain even more value when it spurs an exchange like the one between two commissioners and a Metro staff person in this episode. Links:
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| Portland's Cycling Decline | 22 Mar 2023 | 01:04:29 | |
This episode is all about the headlines I'm sure all of you've seen — that the number of people riding bikes in portland has fallen sharply in recent years. It's a decline that started long before Covid, and it's something we've been stewing about around here for many years now. But now we've got hard numbers from the City of Portland, so it's time to dig in and confront this unfortunate reality. So sit back and hang out with BikePortland Editor Jonathan Maus and Staff Writer Taylor Griggs to hear their reactions to the news, reasons why it's happening, and what implications might be going forward. We'll also share a few reader comments and reactions from folks Taylor bumped into over the weekend. Links from the episode:
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| Behind the Scenes With B-Line Urban Delivery | 08 Mar 2023 | 00:34:44 | |
In this episode, host Jonathan Maus will take you on a tour and ride with Tegan Valo from B-Line Urban Delivery. B-Line is a Portland company that was founded in 2008 and they have carved out a great little niche for their innovative approach to last mile freight logistics. If you're a BikePortland reader, you'll recall several stories we've written about them over the years because of this simple fact: they use pedal-powered electric cargo trikes for their delivery fleet. B-Line has replaced well over 320,000 truck miles with these trikes in over 42,000 deliveries in the past 15 years. And while they're much smaller and safer than a truck or a van, B-Line trikes can still carry up to 700 pounds of cargo. A few days ago, Jonathan met Tegan at their large warehouse in the Central Eastside to learn more about the company, get a rundown of what a typical day looks like. They then hit the road for a few deliveries. | |||
| Portland City Commissioner Mingus Mapps | 06 Mar 2023 | 00:53:17 | |
For this episode, host Jonathan Maus rode down to City Hall and recorded an interview with Portland City Commissioner Mingus Mapps. Mapps has served as one of Portland's five council members since 2020, and was recently named the commissioner-in-charge of the transportation bureau. Mapps is a graduate of Reed College, he has a PhD in government from Cornell and is a former political science professor. Prior to ousting former Commissioner Chloe Eudaly from her seat in 2019, Mapps worked for the City of Portland's office of civic life. Jonathan and Commissioner Mapps covered a lot of ground in this interview. They talked about the type of person he's looking to hire as the next director of PBOT, how he thinks transportation policy and projects can help revitalize Portland, why he thinks the 2030 bike plan is outdated, his rationale for wanting more police officers patrolling Portland streets, his position on the I-5 Rose Quarter project, and much more. LINKS:
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| Former Metro President & Transit Center ED David Bragdon | 14 Feb 2023 | 00:54:30 | |
As a veteran of Metro Council (our elected regional planning authority) — including a seven-year stint as president from 2003 to 2010 — David Bragdon has been around the block when it comes to Oregon transportation politics. And for the past decade he's been executive director of TransitCenter, a nonprofit foundation that funds and conducts research and advocacy to improve public transit across the U.S. Before that he led a planning office for former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Suffice it to say, Bragdon has a mix of experiences in advocacy and government that I feel BikePortland readers could learn a lot from. So when I heard he was leaving his post at TransitCenter and was making a stop in Portland to visit family, I figured it was a perfect time to invite him into the Shed for an interview. We ended up talking about a range of issues including: how advocates can influence government, what PBOT should look for in their hiring of a new director, PBOT's budget woes, why he doesn't trust ODOT (which he refers to as the Oregon State Highway Department), TriMet and transit governance, and more. Links:
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| PBOT & The Search For a New Leader | 10 Feb 2023 | 00:52:17 | |
In this episode, host Jonathan Maus (BikePortland's publisher and editor) sat down for a chat about the Portland Bureau of Transportation with Kiel Johnson, a Portland bike advocacy veteran and current chair of the nonprofit BikeLoud PDX. PBOT is currently looking to hire a new director of the agency and Jonathan and Kiel have some thoughts about it! They share insights on the state of PBOT in general, why they feel this is a pivotal moment for the agency, what traits they'd like to see in a new director, and much more. Links from the show:
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| Car Culture Researcher Tara Goddard | 07 Feb 2023 | 00:41:01 | |
When it comes to the goal of safer streets and "Vision Zero," how much of a focus should we put on individual driver behaviors and infrastructure design? The "systems versus people" debate is raging as cities and advocates grapple with record traffic fatalities. Tara Goddard, PhD, is an assistant professor at the School of Urban Planning at Texas A & M University. She earned her doctorate in urban planning from Portland State University and she's led several studies about car culture, "windshield bias" and more. Host: Jonathan Maus, editor and publisher of BikePortland. Links:
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| Voices from the PBOT Maintenance Workers Picket Line | 03 Feb 2023 | 00:17:12 | |
PBOT workers are on strike. Host Jonathan Maus visited the picket line outside PBOT's Maintenance Operations headquarters on the first day of the walkout and talked to a few workers — the same folks who sweep our bike lanes, patch the roads, replace signs, and so on. In this episode you'll hear those interviews, learn a bit about why the strike is happening, and hear what PBOT says the impacts will be. Links from the episode: | |||
| BikePOC PNW Co-Founder Will Cortez | 09 Dec 2022 | 00:53:00 | |
In this episode we welcomed BikePOC PNW Co-Founder Will Cortez into the Shed. Host Jonathan Maus wanted to check in with Will about Portland's progress on welcoming more Black, Indigenous and people of color into the local cycling and transportation advocacy scene — nearly three years after the George Floyd protests. Will and Jonathan touch on a number of topics including: Will's concerns on how BikeLoud PDX tokenizes "equity" in the framing of their new lawsuit against the City of Portland, why progress to diversify government advisory committees is slow/nonexistent, his disappointments with the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association's attempt to attract more Black racers, and more. He also shares about his beloved cat (named after a Japanese fruit) and why he thinks the PDX Trophy Cup cyclocross series is the best local example of progress toward a more welcoming and inclusive community. *** LINKS:
Our theme music was provided by The Podcast Host and Alitu: The Podcast Maker app. | |||
| Lawyer Scott Kocher on the Bike Bill Lawsuit | 21 Nov 2022 | 00:44:16 | |
Go deeper into the lawsuit filed Friday (11/18) by BikeLoud PDX against the City of Portland in this informative conversation between host Jonathan Maus and Oregon lawyer Scott Kocher of Forum Law Group. *** LINKS:
Our Podcast music was provided by The Podcast Host and Alitu: The Podcast Maker app. | |||
| In the Shed Episode 40 | 29 Aug 2025 | 00:34:18 | |
We're back! Eva Frazier joined me (BikePortland founder and editor Jonathan Maus) for our 40th episode of "In the Shed," the show where we chat about whatever comes to mind. In this episode we touched on a bunch of good stuff:
And more! Thanks for listening. And thanks to all BikePortland financial supporters and monthly subscribers. Please become a paid subscriber of BikePortland today so we can keep making cool things for you to read, watch, and listen to. | |||
| What Charter Reform Means for Bike Advocacy in Portland | 17 Nov 2022 | 01:03:47 | |
Portland voted for a new form of government. It's a huge deal and bike advocates need to understand why — and more importantly — how to take advantage of it. In this episode, host Jonathan Maus talks to two people with important insights into what lies ahead: former policy advisor for City Commissioner Mingus Mapps Matt Glazewski (who was interviewed in ep. 18), and researcher/writer at Sightline Institute and former BikeLoud PDX leader Catie Gould. *** LINKS: Our Podcast music was provided by The Podcast Host and Alitu: The Podcast Maker app. | |||
| Voices from the SE Powell Blvd Community Forum | 01 Nov 2022 | 00:22:18 | |
Host Jonathan Maus attended the Powell Blvd Community Forum at Cleveland High School on October 20th. For this episode, he has pulled out several powerful remarks from attendees. It's a rare opportunity to hear advocates speak out about the tragic collision that killed Sarah Pliner on October 4th just a few hundred yards from where the Forum took place. Among the voices you'll hear from in this episode is Bike Loud PDX Chair Kiel Johnson, who starts things off with a moving speech delivered on stage as ODOT Director Kris Strickler and PBOT Director Chris Warner sat just a few feet away. *** LINKS: Our Podcast music was provided by The Podcast Host and Alitu: The Podcast Maker app. | |||
| Live From the World Naked Bike Ride | 02 Aug 2022 | 00:44:01 | |
Host Jonathan Maus put on his headphones and took off his clothes to bring you the first-ever podcast episode recording by a naked person riding a bike. Seriously! Join him for a full episode of interviews with attendees of Portland's 18th annual World Naked Bike Ride. You'll hear from a wide variety of people — from professional nudists to people who have never shown their bare bodies in public — and you'll hear why this ride is so meaningful to so many people. *** LINKS:
Our Podcast music was provided by The Podcast Host and Alitu: The Podcast Maker app. | |||
| Metro Council Candidate Ashton Simpson | 22 Mar 2022 | 01:04:31 | |
This week you'll get to know a rising star in local political and advocacy circles, Ashton Simpson. At just 34 years old Simpson is running for Metro Council, and with no challengers for his east Portland district seat, he's now Metro Councilor-elect Ashton Simpson. Simpson will be just the 2nd Black man to ever sit on Metro Council, following in the footsteps of Ed Washington in the early 1990s. It will be the start of his career as an elected official and the culmination of a whirlwind life journey that has seen him bounce through many life experiences, both highs and lows, that are on par with someone twice his age. After growing up in tough urban neighborhoods in Houston, texas and dropping out of college his first go-round, Simpson found work as a mall cop. When he declined a promotion in the mall security business, his boss urged him to join the Air Force and he served stints as a civil engineer at bases around the world before moving to Portland in 2015. In the relatively short time he's been here, Simpson has worked as a project manager with a construction firm, earned a community development degree from Portland State University, been a community organizer for a nonprofit in east Portland, and has had his current job as executive director for Oregon Walks for since January 2021. In addition to all that, in the past two years he's lost several close family members to Covid and other causes, navigated America's racial reckoning as a young black man and has been a doting father to his nine-year-old son, who he lives with in his home in east Portland's Russell neighborhood. Given his role with Oregon Walks and his volunteer activism on many transportation-related advisory committees around town, I've already interviewed Simpson several times for stories on BikePortland. So going into this one, I wanted to learn more about him and for the first half of the interview or so, you'll learn a lot about how his life has shaped his values and perspectives. The second half of the interview has more policy and project talk and we touch on issues like housing, I-5 freeway expansion projects, 82nd Avenue, Portland's tragic record of pedestrian traffic fatalities and more. But as you'll hear from him, Simpson doesn't see a fine line between projects and people. To him, you can't build up one without the other. I really enjoyed this interview and I think you're going to love getting know Councilor-elect Simpson. *** LINKS:
Our Podcast music was provided by The Podcast Host and Alitu: The Podcast Maker app. | |||
| Voices From Portland's Carfree Plaza Movement | 16 Mar 2022 | 00:46:05 | |
This week we delve into the topic of carfree streets, plazas and great public spaces in Portland. You might have read our recent story about the big announcement Monday morning from the City of Portland that they want to double down on their outdoor dining patios, plazas and carfree public space programs. In this episode, host Jonathan Maus shares clips from remarks made at the press conference (which was held on Pride Plaza, a 2-block section of carfree street on SW Harvey Milk Street) as well as several interviews with people at the event. You'll hear from PBOT Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, PBOT Director Chris Warner, Portland restaurant co-owner Eli Johnson, Friends of Green Loop Executive Director Keith Jones, and others. Links:
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| Women of the E-bike Revolution | 09 Mar 2022 | 00:46:06 | |
It was International Women's Day when I edited this episode and what better subject to explore than the impact the e-bike revolution is having on women. In historical terms, the skyrocketing popularity of e-bikes among women feels a bit like a deja vu. At the turn of the 20th century, as the and price and safety of these magical, human-powered machines improved and the bicycling craze swept Europe and America, it had a profound effect on women. Bicycles leveled the mobility playing field between genders and in so doing ushered in a new era of independence that had vast influence on everything from fashion and popular culture, to politics. Susan B. Anthony, the famous women's rights pioneer said in 1896: "Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world." Fast forward 120 years or so and another great leap in bicycle technology is once again changing everything for women: electric bikes. The popularity of e-bikes is one of the most exciting developments in the cycling world and - as you'll learn in this episode - it's particularly exciting for women. Bike advocates have spent decades trying to increase the amount of women who would give daily bicycling a try and it turns out all many of them needed was just a small electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery about the size of a two water bottles. In this episode I share interviews with five women whose lives have been changed by e-bikes. You'll hear how their bikes have not only helped them leap confidently over what used to be common barriers to bicycling, but also how the bikes have balanced out the power dynamic on our streets and have opened up new cycling possibilities far beyond the commute to work. Going into this episode, I felt like what I was seeing with e-bikes and women was nothing short of a revolution, or at least a movement. Now I'm more convinced about that then ever. Our guests in this episode are:
This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe at bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| The People Behind Oregon's Best Bike Rides | 01 Mar 2022 | 00:53:59 | |
As I edited this episode and I work on our stories I often think that bicycling doesn't really matter right now. I mean, I know that riding bikes always matters to some people in some ways... But with so many more serious things going on it can feel not just less important, but talking and creating content about bicycling can even feel insensitive given all the other more serious things going in people's lives right now. But for many of us who are lucky enough enough to be able to do so, knowing that we can look forward to a bike ride, is one of things that gives us hope, keeps us going, and provides some levity and balance in gloomy times. And if you consider the mental and physical benefits of bicycling, it actually isn't such a trivial thing at all. In some ways, riding our bikes, setting future goals, and having rides to look forward to, is more important these days than it has ever been. On that note, in this week's episode I wanted to help us all - if just for a few minutes - stop doomscrolling and start thinking about where we'll be rolling on our bikes in the coming year. Oregon is a paradise for great bike rides, and as spring approaches I wanted to let you know about some of the great rides on the calendar. To help paint the picture of what's to come, in this episode I'll share interviews with organizers of some of the best bike rides in the state. I'm talking classics like Cycle Oregon, the Swift Summit, Oregon Coast Gravel Epic, and so on. In this episode, you'll get to know:
So grab a pen, grab your calendars, and let's start planning your 2022 riding season. More links:
This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe at bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| Shop Talk: Joel and Barb Grover of Splendid Cycles | 22 Feb 2022 | 00:56:09 | |
This week we've got another installment in our Shop Talk series and I'm excited to welcome Splendid Cycles co-owners Barb and Joel Grover. This duo has been working in the local bike scene since the 1980s and came up through the ranks as employees of Bike Gallery, which was one of the largest bicycle retail chains in the country. Joel was a product analyst and buyer for many years at Bike Gallery and when cargo bikes first came on the scene in the U.S. in the mid to late aughts, he and Barb had a feeling they weren't reaching their potential being sold in traditional bike shops. So they decided to take a big risk: They left Bike Gallery in 2009 to create a shop that would sell only cargo bikes — and despite being laughed at by some of their peers, Splendid Cycles opened one year later. In 2014, four years after they opened, their business was so strong they moved from their tiny storefront on lower SE Belmont to a larger location in an industrial building in the central eastside right next to the SE 4th Avenue entrance of the Springwater Corridor path. That's where we recorded this episode (and just FYI you might notice from the audio that we did so with our masks on). Before we sat down for the interview, Barb and Joel gave me a tour of the shop and we talked about a few of the bikes they sell. We also went out front where Barb explained to me why they installed a fresh water spigot that's free and open for anyone to use 24/7. In our interview, you'll get to know a bit more about Barb and Joel, and you'll understand why they're so deeply appreciated in our community. You'll also learn how being located next to the Springwater has impacted their business, how the e-bike market has changed in the past decade, how they define the "cargo bike lifestyle", what type of people are investing it, why they only sell high-end bikes, what keeps them inspired to come into work every day, and much more. Links from this episode:
This episode was recorded on February 14th inside Splendid Cycles on SE 4th and Ivon in Portland. This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe at bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| Bike Theft Superhero Bryan Hance | 15 Feb 2022 | 00:56:48 | |
This week's guest is Bike Index co-founder Bryan Hance. Bike Index has listed over 730,000 bikes since it was founded in 2013 and has become a formidable force in the battle against bike thieves — and Hance is its heart and soul. In December 2021 Hance and the Bike Index team published a report on a case they'd spent 10 months working on that involved 100s of bike thefts in Colorado and a Facebook marketplace store based in Mexico named Alexander's Bikes. In our interview, you'll learn the sordid details of how Hance connected the dots from desperate victims in Denver and surrounding cities, to his expansive network of partners on-the-ground, to the online storefront in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Hance also shares why he got involved in this work, his thoughts on the state of bike theft in Portland, his frustrations with Facebook's inaction against fraudulent sellers, and much more. Links from this episode:
This episode was recorded on February 10th in the BikePortland studio in north Portland. This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe at bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| Shop Talk: Tom Martin of TomCat Bikes | 08 Feb 2022 | 00:38:09 | |
Host Jonathan Maus: Ever since I got seriously into cycling in my freshman year of college or so, I've loved hanging out at bike shops. My friends and I were huge shop rats back in the day, and as I record more of these Shop Talk episodes, I'm realizing how much I've missed it. Getting to know and chat with people like my guest this week, Tom Martin of TomCat Bikes on SE Milwaukie and Powell, is a big reason why. So much of what we think of as "local bike culture" exists in and/or comes from bike shops and I believe they're a vital part of our cycling ecosystem. Tom Martin seems to embrace that responsibility. Since opening TomCat Bikes in 2018 after 35 years wearing many different hats in the bike industry, his shop has become firmly established in the Brooklyn neighborhood. In this interview you'll hear how friends helped him survive the Covid boom, learn why he's become the go-to shop for fans of Burning Man and freak bikes, find out why he thinks major shifts in the bike industry will help his business, find out why he thinks local bike theft chop shops — which he calls "bicycle slaughterhouses" — are tied to organized crime rings, and what it means to give a bike a soul ----- Links from the episode:
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| Live from the MADE Bike Show! | 23 Aug 2025 | 00:52:53 | |
In this episode I share 16 short interviews with folks I bumped into at the MADE Bike Show on Friday, August 22nd. The show runs through this weekend, so you should totally go check it out if you're hearing this any time before August 25th! Sit back and enjoy fun chats with:
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| Oregon State Representative Khanh Pham | 02 Feb 2022 | 00:53:02 | |
After a short break I'm really happy to be back at the mic and cannot wait to share this interview with Oregon State Rep Khanh Pham. Rep Pham is a former community organizer who's worked with OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon and the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO). Most recently she was a founding member of the coalition that created the Portland Clean Energy Fund and she continued that momentum by playing a major role in passing three clean energy bills in her first session. You might recall hearing from Rep Pham in a previous episode, when I caught up with her at a Youth vs ODOT rally in September of last year. Back then she was a rookie legislator and just emerging as a transportation reform leader. Since then she's firmly established herself in that role by speaking up with testimony on several big projects and, most notably, by grabbing a seat on the powerful Joint Committee on Transportation down in Salem. It's also worth noting she's recently hired former policy manager from The Street Trust, Andre Lightsey Walker, to be her transportation advisor. Rep Pham and I talked about all that stuff and a whole lot more in this interview. If you're curious about how a progressive democrat from Portland will impact transportation policy in a highly partisan legislature, what her vision is for a post-ODOT 82nd Avenue, or if you want structural reform of ODOT and the Oregon Transportation Commission, I think you'll love this episode. Links from the episode:
This episode was recorded virtually (thanks Covid!) on January 31st. This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe at bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| Veteran Advocate and New Portlander Cathy Tuttle | 12 Jan 2022 | 01:01:08 | |
For this episode, host Jonathan Maus caught up with veteran advocate and recent Portland transplant Cathy Tuttle. Cathy has been an activist for climate change, transportation, and healthy cities for over 30 years and has long list of accomplishments and awards for her work as a community organizer, nonprofit founder (Seattle Neighborhood Greenways) and city staffer. In 2019 she ran for a seat on Seattle City Council and tied for third in a crowded race. Last summer, this 65-year-old, self-described "climate warrior" decided to move to Portland, currently lives downtown, and uses a bike as her main way to get around. While some people in Cathy's shoes might consider slowing down after working so hard for so long on these issues, Cathy is just as committed as ever to make an impact and was just voted to the board of Bike Loud PDX, a local nonprofit whose main goal is to push Portland into being a city where 25% of all trips are made by bike by 2030. In this interview, you'll hear why Cathy chose to move to Portland, how her bike has become her personal mobility device, and how she's avoided burnout after more than three decades of advocacy. We also talked about how being a bureaucrat has helped her become a better advocate. Cathy and I also traded thoughts about the state of bicycling and transportation reform in Portland, whether current PBOT Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty is — or can be — a real champion for the cause, and how Cathy's recently completed Car Master Plan unlocks important clues on how to help us reach that exciting 25% cycling goal. Links from the episode:
This episode was recorded on January 11th. Due to Covid concerns, Cathy joined us virtually. This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe at bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| Sellwood Cycle Repair Owner Erik Tonkin | 05 Jan 2022 | 00:48:26 | |
In this episode we hear from Erik Tonkin, the owner of Sellwood Cycle Repair who celebrates his 30th anniversary with the shop this year. We first wanted to have Erik on the show as part of our Shop Talk series, but then realized there was much more to talk about than just running a business. In this interview, you’ll learn how he got his start in the local bike industry, why he seriously considered running for a seat on Portland City Council in 2015, and you’ll even hear him say there’s a possibility he might run again in the future. We also talked about his advocacy work pushing for more trail access at River View, helping the City of Portland write new code to prevent fencing of stolen bikes, and working to find new bike race venues. If you love bike racing, listen closely for the big news about how Erik has been working with Commissioner Carmen Rubio’s office and the Portland Parks & Recreation Bureau to bring his Bridge City CX event to Waterfront Park in downtown Portland. Jonathan also asked Erik for his thoughts on the exciting success of two-time US National Cyclocross Champion Clara Honsinger, a former Sellwood Cycle team racer and employee who’s currently the best cyclocross racer in the U.S. and among the best in the world. Erik also shares his views on how e-bikes might play a major role in the future of his business. Links from the episode:
This episode was recorded on December 21st at Sellwood Cycle Repair. A full transcript will be available by January 7th. This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe to our podcast bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| Shop Talk: Community Cycling Center and Bikes for Humanity | 22 Dec 2021 | 00:39:27 | |
We're just about to sign off for the week to enjoy the holiday (and my daughter turns 19 tomorrow!), but before we take a break I wanted to share the work of people and organizations who are making the season brighter for people in need. I loved talking to shop owners last month for our first Shop Talk series episode. This time I talked to two local nonprofits — Bikes for Humanity and Community Cycling Center — that provide bikes for the community, but have a much different approach. They focus on making bikes more accessible for people on low-incomes and for people who either don't have a shop in their neighborhood would likely never feel comfortable walking into a traditional, for-profit bike shop Bikes for Humanity on southeast Powell started (as Community Exchange Bike School/Exchange Cycle Tours) in 2005 and became an official non-profit in 2015. I spoke to their current executive director, Andrew Shaw-Kitch, who's been with the group since 2014. The Community Cycling Center in the Alberta neighborhood was founded in 1994 and still serves the community with a retail bike shop and several programs including their annual Holiday Bike Drive, that happened just last weekend. I spoke to their marketing coordinator Cole Lalomia and their program manager Nissy Cobb. It was a really fun episode to put together and I think you'll be heartened and inspired to hear from these great folks and learn more about the work they're doing. I've really enjoyed getting the podcast up-and-running these past six months or so. And we recently pushed past 5,000 downloads which is really amazing! Thanks for listening everyone and have a great holiday. This episode was recorded on December 4th, just five days after he filed his paperwork with the city elections office. This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe to our podcast bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. --- Links: | |||
| City Council Candidate Vadim Mozyrsky | 13 Dec 2021 | 00:57:38 | |
Show notes: Last week we shared an interview with Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. This week we hear from one of the candidates who wants her seat: Vadim Mozyrsky. Mozyrsky is an administrative law judge who specializes in disability law (and sees improving city policy for people with disabilities as one of his top priorities if elected). He lives in the Goose Hollow neighborhood and, while he's a relative newcomer to local politics, he's well-known in civic circles for his service on a number of committees and commissions. Mozyrsky is currently a member of the Portland Charter Commission, that's looking into changing Portland's form of government; and the Portland Committee on Community Engaged Policing, a group charged to be a liaison between the community and the Portland Police Bureau. Mozyrsky is a former member of the Citizen Review Committee, formed by the City of Portland in 2001 to improve police accountability; the Portland Commission on Disability; and the Portland Public Safety Action Coalition. We talked about his personal story as an immigrant from Kiev, Ukraine and how he more recently escaped Houston's terrible traffic for the walkable and bikeable streets of Portland. Mozyrsky also explained his ideas on how to boost bicycling and reduce driving, how to improve policing and law enforcement, how tackle Portland's homelessness crisis, his style of leadership, and much more. This episode was recorded on December 4th, just five days after he filed his paperwork with the city elections office. This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe to our podcast bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. --- Links: | |||
| Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty | 06 Dec 2021 | 01:04:06 | |
In this episode, we hear from Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. Hardesty was elected in 2018 and became the first Black woman to ever sit on Portland's five-member city council. In January of this year Mayor Ted Wheeler put her in charge of the transportation bureau. It was a surprising choice, given that Hardesty had never expressed an interest in the bureau and up until that time was mostly known for her politics and activism around policing, government accountability, and racial and social justice issues. Now, with almost a year under her belt, she's gone from having no experience in city transportation policy to being - what she referred to in this interview as, "the big dog when it comes to the city of Portland transportation". This episode was recorded in the commissioner's office in city hall where we had a wide-ranging conversation about everything from automated enforcement cameras to the decline of biking in Portland, the role of police in transportation safety, her feelings about a new "civilian traffic force", what she considers an ideal street design, and much more. --- Links & Notes:
--- This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe to our podcast bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| From Trauma to Triumph: The Story of Felipe Nystrom | 01 Dec 2021 | 01:18:12 | |
In this episode, we hear the story of Portlander Felipe Nystrom. Please be advised of this content warning: This episode includes mentions of physical and sexual abuse, suicide, and descriptions of excessive drug and alcohol use. We first first heard about Felipe's story in fall of 2019 and he and our host, BikePortland founder and editor Jonathan Maus, got together for an interview in July of that year. For various reasons, we never shared the story on BikePortland and it's been nagging us ever since, so we're very excited to finally bring it to you. We're also grateful that Felipe trusted us with personal details about his childhood he's never shared publicly before. Some of you might know Felipe as an elite competitor on the regional racing circuit who's had a meteoric rise through the ranks — in just a few seasons he went from beginner in 2015, to Costa Rican National Champion in 2019 and a World Cup competitor this year. But his cycling success is just a tiny part of his life story. The first 30 years of his life were a struggle for survival. Before he went into rehab and ultimately moved to Portland in 2013, Felipe was hopeless and homeless, living on the streets of San Jose after after a life filled with traumatic experiences and after several attempts to commit suicide. Suffice it to say, Felipe's life has gone through a remarkable transformation. --- Links: --- This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe to our podcast bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| What are Portland Bike Riders Grateful For? | 22 Nov 2021 | 00:10:33 | |
For this short and sweet episode, host Jonathan Maus (founder and editor of BikePortland) tried something new: On-the-bike interviews with random riders. He grabbed his recorder and a mic, hopped on his trusty Tern HSD e-bike and rode up alongside complete strangers to ask one basic question: What about biking in Portland are you grateful for? Almost every person stopped and smiled and was happy to chat. He talked to people of all ages and riding styles. "I've gotten pretty cynical from my work over the years," Jonathan said about this episode, "so it was great to get out from my activist and online Twitter bubbles to hear from folks in real life. Maybe it was just because both days I did the interviews the sun was out and it was absolutely wonderful biking weather - but there was no negativity to be heard. And there was lots of gratitude. It reminded me about the vital role bicycling plays in so many people's lives." All the interviews were recorded while biking on either N Willamette Blvd, NE Ainsworth, on the Eastbank Esplanade, or in Waterfront Park. If you have a question you want me to ask folks, please just get in touch. Speaking of which, please make sure to rate and review our podcast and tell your friends about it. This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe to our podcast bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| Casey Kulla: Yamhill County Commissioner and Candidate for Governor | 16 Nov 2021 | 01:11:13 | |
For this episode, host Jonathan Maus (BikePortland Founder and Editor) sat down with Yamhill County Commissioner and candidate for Oregon Governor, Casey Kulla. We first met commissioner Kulla in December 2020 when he was embroiled in a debate about the Yamhelas Westsider Trail, a rail-trail project he pushed for strongly, only to see it stopped in February of this year when he found himself on the losing end of a 2-1 vote, with his fellow commissioners fueled by the opposition of dozens of local farmers. Kulla understands both sides of the issue, because he runs a farm himself. Being a farmer in rural Oregon who supports public land access and rail-trail projects is just one of many facets of Kulla's background that give him a legitimate claim to being that rare Oregon politician who just might be able to bridge the much talked about urban/rural divide. From growing up in an evangelical household, to working at a bike shop as a teenager on the Oregon Coast and living carfree during his college days in Bellingham, Washington — Kulla owns a diverse set of perspectives that have helped inform his collaborative and respectful approach to politics. We talked about how surfing defines his political style, the perils of "eco-fascism" when it comes to tackling climate change, the limits of being nice in the face of extremism, how the Yamhelas Westsider Trail is like critical race theory, his ideas for reforming the Oregon Department of Transportation, and much more. ---
--- This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe to our podcast bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| Shop Talk: Surviving Covid and the Boom | 12 Nov 2021 | 00:38:10 | |
In this episode, I'll share conversations I had this week with two Portland bike shop owners. The first is Brad Parker from Metropolis Cycles on North Williams Avenue and the second is Cassie Hidalgo, the owner of Gladys Bikes on NE Alberta. As we move further away from the peak of the pandemic, I wanted to circle back with shop owners who've been at the front lines of a tumultuous 20 months. First Covid hit and they had no idea what the future would hold. Then before they coucatch their breath, people were knocking down their doors as a bike boom took hold. They they ran out of parts and bikes as they set up an entirely new business model and scrambled to meet demand, while keeping staff and customers safe. I waited to do these interviews, because it feels like bike shop life is finally getting back to normal and these owners are starting to breathe easier again. Stay tuned for future episodes as I expand this series to a wider variety of shop owners across Portland. The Bikeportland Podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc, and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe at bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| About Those Diverters! | 15 Aug 2025 | 00:58:50 | |
It's all anyone in the local bike and transportation scene has been talking about for the past two weeks — a plan hatched by an opaque city office to remove diverters on two neighborhood greenways in northwest Portland under the guise of making it easier for police to patrol the area. In this episode, BikePortland founder, publisher, and editor Jonathan Maus welcomes community advocate and former host of the the Sprocket Podcast, Joan Petit, into the Shed to hash it all out. Links: - BikePortland coverage so far - City Administrator Michael Jordan's Memo (PDF) - Central Precinct Commander argument for the plan - The historic 8/12 Bike Advisory Committee meeting - Portland Solutions org chart #portlandoregon #goodgovernance #portland #advocacy #urbanplanning #politics #policing #streetdesign | |||
| Catching Up With Vivian Satterfield | 27 Oct 2021 | 00:44:05 | |
In this episode, our host (BikePortland Editor and Publisher Jonathan Maus) talks with Vivian Satterfield, one of Portland's busiest advocates whose work happens mostly behind the scenes as a member of many of the key committees, coalitions and task forces that shape local and regional transportation policies. Vivian is director of strategic partnerships at Verde NW, a nonprofit based in northeast Portland's Cully neighborhood that "builds environmental wealth through social enterprise, outreach and advocacy". Just one example of Verde's work is how they organized, lobbied and helped build Cully Park, which opened in 2018. She's also worked as a transit activist with OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon. I wanted to talk to Vivian not just because she's a smart and respected leader in the fight to reform transportation in our region, but because she brings a layered perspective to her work as a mixed-race, first generation Chinese American born and raised in urban Chicago. She's also a former bike racer who's competed on the road and at the velodrome. ____ ____ This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe to our podcast bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| Matt Glazewski and Portland Climate Change Politics | 21 Oct 2021 | 00:43:30 | |
In this episode, BikePortland editor and publisher Jonathan Maus talks with Matt Glazewski about the politics of climate change in Portland. Matt is a climate expert with 15 years of government experience who's worked on disaster resiliency projects at the local, regional and federal levels. He's worked with the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and the National Weather Service where he once briefed a U.S. cabinet secretary. He also helped draft the first Climate Action Plan for Clackamas County, and most recently was a senior policy advisor for Portland City Commissioner Mingus Mapps. I wanted to share Matt's perspective because earlier this summer he left his position out of frustration with the lack of urgency at the City of Portland around climate change. And in his final days as a City Hall staffer, he shared his concerns publicly in testimony at a city council meeting ____ Matt's website - https://www.tamarackconsultingnw.com/ Follow Matt on Twitter - @sentencesrunon Matt's testimony at Portland City Council, 6/21/21 - https://youtu.be/0m0oxn7xEAI?t=882 ____ This podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc., and is made possible by listeners like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at bikeportland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe to our podcast bikeportland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| Journalist Ryan Packer and the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project | 18 Oct 2021 | 00:35:46 | |
In this episode I spoke to Ryan Packer, a journalist based in Seattle who covers transportation issues for The Urbanist. Their name might sound familiar, because Ryan is also BikePortland's special correspondent on the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project, or what we often refer to around here as Columbia River Crossing 2.0. Ryan recently visited Portland, so I thought it'd be fun to sit down, talk a little shop about what it's like to be an advocacy journalist in the transportation space, hear his latest thoughts about where the project is headed, ask him why — despite all signs showing that we should do otherwise — transportation departments continue to arrive at a "solution" that involves widening freeways, and much more. —— Follow Ryan Packer: ———— The BikePortland Podcast is a production of Pedaltown Media Inc. and is made possible by listeners just like you. If you're not a subscriber yet, please become one today at BikePortland.org/support. You can listen to more episodes and find out how to subscribe to our podcast at BikePortland.org/podcast. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. | |||
| Michelle DuBarry Lost Her Child to Traffic Violence | 12 Oct 2021 | 00:44:26 | |
In this episode host Jonathan Maus (BikePortland's editor and publisher) talks to north Portland resident and Families for Safe Streets volunteer Michelle DuBarry. Michelle and her family have endured the ultimate sacrifice in the War Against Cars. In 2010, Michelle's husband Eric and her son Seamus were walking across the intersection of North Interstate and North Lombard when a man driving a car struck both of them. Eric sustained minor injuries, but Seamus died in the hospital a day later. He was just one year old. I spoke with Michelle about how her grief turned to activism, how elected officials and policymakers have responded to her pleas for help, how she feels about the pace of change for safe streets in Portland, and much more. We recorded this episode just a few blocks from the intersection where Michelle lost her young son, an intersection that, as you'll hear in our conversation, she still won't travel through even over a decade later. ___ Michelle's website - https://www.mdubarry.com/ Twitter - @DubarryPie This podcast is made possible by bikeportland subscribers, advertisers and financial supporters. If you're not one already Please become one today at http://www.bikeportland.org/support . Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. Cover art photo by Beth Olson Find more episodes on our website at http://www.bikeportland.org/podcast | |||
| Marley Blonsky and Kailey Kornhauser on Fat Phobia, Feminism, and How Not to Heckle | 05 Oct 2021 | 00:42:36 | |
In this episode, BikePortland's Maritza Arango takes over the mic for a conversation with Marley Blonsky and Kailey Kornhauser. Marley and Kailey are building a platform around All Bodies on Bikes, which is not only the name of their Shimano-sponsored documentary film that's been viewed over 230,000 times on YouTube, it's also the name of the nationwide nonprofit devoted to making the cycling world more inclusive of big-bodied bikers. Marley and Kailey are leading a "revolution of inclusion". What started out as a few tweets because they couldn't find rain gear that fit them, has become a national movement with a very bright future. Whether you identify personally with Kailey and Marley, or if you just don't get what all the fuss about this dynamic duo is all about, I think you're going to love this conversation. Host Maritza shares how she has struggled with her weight all her life and asks Marley and Kailey to explain fat phobia, how their work is connected to feminism, and much more. Our theme music is by Kevin Hartnell. Thanks for listening and a special thanks to the hundreds of BikePortland subscribers and financial supporters who make this content possible. If you aren't one of them, please become one today. Make sure to leave a review and subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss the next episode. ---- Links!
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| Pedalpalooza Memories | 27 Sep 2021 | 00:20:59 | |
BikePortland Editor & Publisher Jonathan Maus attended the Pedalpalooza Ride Leader and Volunteer Appreciation party and asked seven ride leaders — Maria Schur, Madi Carlson, Shawne Martinez, Sumi Malik, Michael Mann, Eric Martinez, and Armando Luna — for their fondest memories. For the uninitiated, Pedalpalooza is an annual festival of free bike rides that's been held in Portland since 2004. The 2021 version was three months long and had a whopping 615 rides! Music for this episode is by Kevin Hartnell and Skilsel on Pixabay. Links to stuff we talked about:
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| Tom Flood vs Big Auto | 21 Sep 2021 | 00:30:35 | |
This week we talk about the all-powerful car lobby, from someone who's on the front lines of the all powerful bike lobby. Tom Flood (@TomFlood1 on Twitter) used to work in the advertising industry and helped car companies sell their products. Then he started biking with his kids and a light bulb went off. These days he entertains a massive online audience with ads of his own — short videos that focus on what he calls the absurdity of the everyday dangers and sacrifices our children and all of us make to drivers. His work has been viewed by 100s of thousands of people and I did my best during the interview to convince him to leave his current day job to do anti-car marketing full time. If you think the power of marketing can be the ultimate force for good — and evil — when it comes to safe streets , this is a conversation you don't want to miss.
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| Portland's 2030 Bike Plan With Activist Catie Gould | 15 Sep 2021 | 00:34:05 | |
In this episode we take stock of the Portland Bike Plan for 2030. Haven't heard of it? Well, that's not your fault. While it took a huge multi-year effort from hundreds of advocates, dozens of city staff, and several key elected officials to create it and get it adopted at City Council back in 2010, it hasn't lived up to its promise. Instead of making Portland a quote, "Healthy Community with vibrant neighborhoods and bicycles everywhere!" as proclaimed across the cover of the plan, it has been all but forgotten by city staff. And in at least one recent example, completely forgotten. Meanwhile, Portland's bike usage rates have remained relatively stagnant as the number of people driving cars has gone way up. To add salt to the wounds of bike advocates, in the past year or so, the plan has been snubbed several times. First, a presentation of a 10-year Bike Plan update at City Council was cancelled at the last minute in September of 2020, then never rescheduled. Then a newly appointed Transportation Commissioner told the city's bike advisory committee earlier this summer that she'd never heard of the plan. And then back in July, the Director of PBOT offered an anemic response when a member of the committee tried to pin him down on a commitment to dust off the plan. That committee member was Catie Gould. Catie was co-chair of nonprofit bike advocacy group Bike Loud PDX when the group tried to resurrect the bike plan in early 2020 — right before Covid changed everything and stopped their momentum. As made clear in her exchange with the PBOT Director (which you'll hear later in this episode), Catie hasn't forgotten about the plan. I caught up with Catie a few days ago to find out if she thinks Portland's once-vaunted Bike Plan is worth saving. -- Show notes:
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| Behind the Scenes with the Cast of Bike Play | 09 Sep 2021 | 00:35:24 | |
Bike Play is one of the most amazing events of Pedalpalooza. It's been a part of the summer bike festival every year since 2009 and has become a favorite to many. It's open-air theater, a group bike ride, and public space activism all wrapped up into one very entertaining, community-building event.
BikePortland's Maritza Arango sat down with three members of the cast; Kristopher Mahoney-Watson, Nick Fenster, and Noelle Eaton. They shared how the play comes together, their best memories, biggest mix-ups, and they even shared a live rendition of the theme song. Don't miss this fun episode!
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- Bike Play on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bikeplay/
- Bike Play 2021: The Resurrection full video! https://youtu.be/D35vr3rToew | |||
| State Rep Khanh Pham at Youth vs ODOT Rally | 03 Sep 2021 | 00:11:33 | |
In this episode we hear from Oregon State Representative Khanh Pham. Pham was just elected to office back in November and represents House District 46 which stretches from Interstate 84 to Mt. Scott and from about Laurelhurst Park to just east of I-205. She's garnered several headlines on BikePortland recently for her leadership in calling on the state of Oregon to invest more in 82nd Avenue. Pham lives in the Jade District and brings a lot of personal understanding and urgency around 82nd Avenue's many problems to her job as a legislator. Known primarily for her work as an environmental justice organizer with the nonprofit Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) and the successful campaign for the Portland Clean Energy Fund, Rep Pham is becoming a leader on the transportation front as well. It's just the latest sign of how the tremendous challenge of fighting climate change is creating broad coalitions of activists that are connecting dots between the environment, social justice, energy use, and Oregon's largest source of greenhouse gases — transportation. On Wednesday September 1st, Pham spoke at a protest of youth climate activists who've been rallying in front of Oregon Department of Transportation headquarters in downtown Portland for 5 months now. Through her mask - emblazoned with a bike and the words "Viet Nam" in honor of her home country — Pham gave a rousing speech and then I was able to chat with her for a few minutes afterwards. First you'll hear her speech, which I've edited a bit for clarity, then you'll hear our short interview. __ Show notes: - Full episode transcript (via Rev) - https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/shared/3gpRwpjwCZ-_lN5_OLwyJ7Jjjv7hUdfXwLDlkUaROtYhzugRqT_0UJV2dZ1dR3x-j_YEqZJ6u_MyAX9YDQ3UYarQGL0 - Rep Pham Official Website - https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/pham - Rep Pham on Twitter - https://twitter.com/KhanhPhamForOR - An op-ed on House Bill 3055 - https://bikeportland.org/2021/06/21/guest-opinion-stop-the-freeway-widening-slush-fund-333961 | |||
| In the Shed - Episode 39 | 23 May 2025 | 00:48:10 | |
Welcome to the Shed! In this episode, we talk about:
Thanks for listening and for supporting BikePortland! | |||
| Ride Organizer and School Principal Nichole Watson | 01 Sep 2021 | 00:15:19 | |
This episode is a conversation with Prescott Elementary School Principal Nichole Watson. I first met Nichole in June 2020, during the height of the racial justice protests and just a few months into the Covid outbreak. I was on the Black Girls Do Bike Ride and Nichole was one of the co-organizers of the event. When I first met Nichole at that ride we had a great chat and I loved what she said about why it was so important for Black people — and especially Black women and especially "curvy" Black women as she described herself — to get outside and "take up space" on the street. I've talked to so many bike people over the years and I have sort of a radar for whether or not someone "gets it". Nichole definitely gets it. That's why I wasn't too surprised when several months after that ride in June 2020 she popped up again as the organizer of Prescott Pedal, a ride and community event she led as principal of Prescott Elementary School. When Watson and I spoke during that ride, she talked about cultivating a culture around bicycling at Prescott and the nearby Parkrose neighborhood and why she felt having the school community ride bikes together was such a vital part of her work. And that work has become even more relevant given that just over a week ago, violence between white supremacist groups and anti-fascist activists erupted in Parkrose. I asked Nichole about that violence and about why cycling is such a priority to her during a conversation we recorded from her desk at Prescott Elementary School. Thanks for listening. If you liked what you heard, please leave a review so others can find this podcast more easily. and make sure to subscribe so you don't miss the next one. Thank you to BikePortland subscribers who make this content possible. Until next time, you can find the BikePortland Podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, and wherever else you like to listen. Nichole is on Instagram at @nyk_watson ___ PDF of episode transcript available here https://bikeportland.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ep-05-nichole-watson-pod.pdf | |||
| Voices from the Climate Crisis: Youth vs. ODOT | 20 Aug 2021 | 00:23:18 | |
BikePortland's Jonathan Maus attended a recent protest in front of ODOT headquarters. In this episode he interviews several of the participants, one of whom is a 15-year-old activist and another is a candidate for Oregon governor. Don't miss the full report and images from the event on BikePortland. | |||
| Community Activist Hami Ramani | 06 Aug 2021 | 00:29:39 | |
In just a year since moving to Portland, Hami Ramani (@HamiRamani on Twitter) has become a formidable voice on the local bike scene. He leads the weekly PSU Farmers Market Ride and is a constant presence online (and off) as an agitator for better bikeways. He's also active with BikeLoud PDX. We talked about why he moved to Portland, his impressions of our bikeways, how he enraged haters on Twitter for saying bad things about big trucks, and more. | |||