Velo-city 2018 article series featuring mini interviews on plenary speakers continue with Lake Sagaris, plenary speaker for the “Intermodality” plenary.

Lake Sagaris is an internationally recognized expert on civil society, gender and cycle-inclusive urban planning, as they relate to urban-regional governance. An award-winning writer and editor, she began her working life in Chile in 1980, as a freelance journalist with the London Times, Toronto Globe and Mail, Miami Herald, and other media. She holds a Master’s of Science (University of Toronto 2006) and a PhD in Urban Planning and Community Development (University of Toronto 2012). Her current work uses participatory action research methods and community-government partnerships in Santiago and Temuco (Chile) to apply an intermodal approach based on “ecologies of modes and actors” to transition toward more sustainable transport. She focuses on resilience, social justice and inclusion, particularly gender, safety and security issues. These experiences have led to awards in Chile and abroad, participation in a UN Expert Group meeting on sustainable transport, and presentations in in Latin America, Europe, Canada, Taiwan, the US, and India.

A quick chat with Lake Sagaris:

o   What does Access to Life mean to you?

Access to Life means the freedom to live car-free, without having to give up access to the whole range of family, professional and civic activities that give life meaning. Specifically, being able to travel easily with friends on bikes, or travel (at no extra charge) longer distances by bus, whether on a local bus or a to a city somewhere else in the world. Having access to the necessary accessories, good short but also medium and long-term cycle parking, including bike lockers on the street outside our homes. Feeling safe and loved and being treated with kindness, in private, but above all in public and other spheres that we share with potential friends, and strangers.

o   What cycling lessons are you bringing to Rio?

That we need to stop thinking in terms of lines/roads and start thinking about reconquering space and territories for car-free living. This is urgent and requires a much more strategic approach to both research and advocacy: we should demand cycle master plans that fit seamlessly with walkability and public transport plans. And they must have specific dates for implementation, not road by road or even route by route, but percentages, 25% the first year, 50% year two, 100% year four. This is possible and necessary. It's a hard fight -- we need to aim for more so we win more each time we finally achieve a victory.

o   What are you looking forward to the most at Velo-city 2018?

Seeing friends old and new, catching up on the latest challenges and achievements worldwide. Building this positive conspiracy that Paul Hawken calls the world's immune system, to make sure we get the most out of cycling's potential, always linked deeply to equity and social justice.

o   What do you think is the added value of a global interdisciplinary approach to cycling?

There's a little gem of truth and innovation in each place: only when we bring them all together in spaces like this are we able to act with all the strength we need to save our planet and a decent, just version of human civilization.

o   What will you visit by bike in Rio?

Everything I can get to in the few short days we will all be together!

The “Intermodality” plenary is scheduled for Day 3 of Velo-city 2018; Thursday 14^th June 2018 at 09.00-10.00.

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