This weekend has seen a shower of public space activities in the City of Cape Town. I'm loath to use the word event.
Cape Towns citizens were invited to take part in and support celebratory moments that threatened to occupy the city in a way that was contrary to the norm. Families camped overnight on Wale Street to secure a good viewing position, cyclists rode en mass to the city in the quiet whirring solidarity of the BicycleCapeTown Bike Bus.
It was a weekend of expectancy and change.
While all the delays and controversy surrounding the Minstrel Parade are unfortunate, maybe it is a welcome invitation to start the year anew. Not in the way we mark days off a calendar but by the way in which we mark out our lives by choosing how we spend our days. It was as incredible as ever and a reminder that tradition is a vibrant choice that resides in every drum beat.
And the following day there was OpenStreets. 50 volunteers. 150 barriers. 8000+ people. 1.4 kilometers. ZERO cars.
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| photo and all-round incredible organisation by Rory Williams @carbonsmart |
What a joy it was to be involved and assisting to advocate for this amazing day of community expression. The origins of this concept of shutting the streets to cars and opening them to possibility are gratefully received from Bogota, Colombia. The country where the heartbeat of progressive urban advocacy resides. Made into an entirely Cape Town expression we can thank a core team of about 6 people. That is all. That is what I find entirely exciting.
I call it the advocacy ratio. Yesterday was 1:1500
While riding up and down the street I had a simple self given task in mind. Encourage the advocates. Ensure that the change makers don't run out of steam. If you made the effort to contribute, I wanted to thank you! From the hours taken to make superhero capes for children to the thoughtful folks who gave out free food in a creative and promotional fashion. Advocacy was multiplied.
My experience of the day from the early shouts of "its OPEN!" to the last calls of "cars are back!" was punctuated clearly by two things. At first the literal gasps of folks expressing their surprise at what 'car-free' felt like. Looks of disbelief often followed by cartwheels and lying in the street as though to somehow mark a territory that doesn't need an accelerator. As the day progressed, the mood shifted to one of dogged acceptance. "Why not every Sunday? Why only Bree Street? Come on!"
Only the advocacy community will know what a joy and a heartbreak is contained in those expressions. Very few people were privy to the tears of frustration and the slew of creative compromises on order to get the official go-ahead. Yet, countless hours of hard work blossomed and city officials were overwhelmed with the tangible evidence that the car-free concept of OpenStreets can be scaled up. Personally I was convinced that its time also to scale up advocacy. To equip the hundreds of people who want to do more good, for more reasons, to assist more people.
And I only have 17 days left to make it happen.
I'm humbled and overwhelmed to be invited to take part in the World Bicycle Forum in Medellin Colombia at the end of February. I'll be presenting my work on bicycling advocacy, social justice and remaking public spaces of mobility. I cannot wait to be better equiped around all things bicycling, however, my excitement will be made complete in meeting and learning from others in the advocacy space. It is these learnings I wish to bring back to Cape Town. To encourage and multiply more change makers. More advocates for social change.
Of course this takes funding, and I am only 17 days away from my target date. Many friends and co workers have contributed outside of their comfort zones. Thank you for the same gifting spirit displayed yesterday on Bree. However I am only halfway.
R20 000 to go! Please consider contributing in which ever way makes sense and hopefully I will be able to multiply your gift by the advocacy ratio of 1:1500 or more!
Let's partner to encourage and empower changemakers throughout the city. Making sure Cape Town is represented at this advocacy critical mass will be a great start. Get Contestespaces to Colombia!
For contribution details please mail me at kir(dot)wilkins(at)gmail(dot)com or find me on twitter @contestedspaces
Change with change.
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