Seeing Yourself in a Shared Micromobility Role
To complement NABSA’s Building a Better Shared Micromobility Industry: Best Practices for More Diverse and Inclusive Workplaces toolkit and strategy to increase diversity in the shared micromobility workforce at all levels we launched “Workforce Diversity Wednesdays”. This blog and social media series spotlights jobs in shared micromobility throughout the year. We post interviews with individuals in the shared micromobility industry highlighting their work and role with the hopes of encouraging more diversity and representation in the field.
Meet Odochi Akwani! Odochi (she/her) is the Better Bike Share Partnership (BBSP) Writer and Content Manager and is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Learn about Odochi as she shares her journey to shared micromobility below and check out her stories on BBSP’s website:
How did you come to arrive at working in shared micromobility and your current role?
I had been seeking ways to better use my journalism education and found this opportunity through an outdoor industry job newsletter I had been following for a while. When I saw this position at BBSP, I was excited to combine my storytelling skills with other interests of mine—biking and public transportation!
What is your favorite thing about your job?
My favorite part of my job is chatting with people and learning about the unique projects they’re working on in their communities. It’s inspiring to speak to passionate people who are serving their neighbors by helping them to gain access to this public transportation option. I learn something new each time I interview someone, whether it’s niche info about a part of the country I’ve never visited or a particular engagement method that works well for a certain area. Through my writing and interviews, I’ve seen the power of programs and community engagement that focus on equity, inclusivity, and creative solutions to address residents’ needs.
What has surprised you most about your job?
I been most surprised by how much the shared micromobility industry relates to my other work in health communications. It’s opened my eyes to how intersectional it all is. Through this work, I’ve been introduced to many folks who come from diverse educational backgrounds and work in this industry. I’ve heard from not only shared micromobility systems but also policymakers and nonprofits that are interested in what SMM means for the health of their communities. My experience learning from those working to make shared micromobility more equitable, paired with my health communications work for immigrants in Philadelphia, has inspired me to pursue a degree in public health, which I’ll be starting this fall!