Safe Routes to Schools Celebrate Ruby Bridges Walk and Roll Day 

On November 13, 2024, students at thirty-two Marin elementary schools walked and rolled to school for Ruby Bridges, who, as a six-year-old African American in Louisiana in the 1950s, was assigned to attend an all-white school. She endured verbal abuse from bystanders during her daily walk to class, and most of her white classmates were pulled out of school after she started attending. Ruby and her parents persevered, and over time, the school was successfully desegregated. Now, Ruby is a teacher dedicated to inspiring others.

Walk and Roll for Ruby teaches children to take courageous actions in her name, such as walking and rolling to school when it’s not easy or convenient.  Ruby Bridges Day is also a significant opportunity to make connections between transportation and racial justice in our work. It’s a day to leave the car at home, so our streets are safer for those who do not have any other option but to walk or bike. And it’s a day to think about how providing affordable housing and safe, accessible mobility options helps to end the cycle of poverty and improves our communities.

Thank you to all who biked with us on November 13th! Commemorating Ruby Bridges and the courageous steps made so far while acknowledging the long path still to be traveled to create safe streets, spaces, and equitable travel for all.

Last year, Bayside Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy in Sausalito celebrated the achievements of Ruby Bridges by walking to campus. “Eight students from our middle school traveled to our elementary school to host the event. Heavy rain occurred that day, so we could not hold the session outdoors, but our students walked from classroom to classroom, promoting Ruby’s story and the Safe Routes mission,” said Phillip Logan, Community School Director with the Sausalito-Marin City School District.

According to AAA, last year, 343,000 students from 1,400 schools around the United States took part in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.

If you must DRIVE to school, please be extra vigilant during school arrival and departure times and remember these important safety tips:

• Allow extra time for travel

• Go slow and scan for children, especially during morning and afternoon commute times.

• Stay alert – eyes up and focus on the drive; mobile devices can take a back seat to safety.

Learn more about Safe Routes to Schools Marin and MCBC’s education and encouragement programs here.

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