Los Angeles — Jobs to Move America (JMA), an organization dedicated to advocating for good jobs in transit manufacturing announced its launch as an independent national non-profit organization. JMA, originally a national campaign nurtured at the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE), was created in 2013 to re-envision the potential for reviving U.S. manufacturing jobs for underserved communities via public transit. JMA piloted the U.S. Employment Plan, a policy tool, in LA and Chicago so transit agencies could enhance jobs and economic development related to public transportation investment. The success in both cities rapidly expanded into campaigns at other cities’ agencies across the nation.
U.S. DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx recently released a letter encouraging transportation stakeholders to use innovative contracting approaches – like the one developed by JMA – to leverage public funds to create jobs and opportunities for disadvantaged communities.
“When we started JMA, we quickly realized that this was a movement that had national and global reach,” said Madeline Janis, Executive Director of Jobs to Move America. Janis, also a co-founder of LAANE, spoke admirably about LAANE. “LAANE fostered our growth and we are thrilled to be now coming into our own.”
LAANE Executive Director Roxana Tynan commented, “We’re incredibly proud to have incubated JMA, whose grand vision and strategic work in L.A. will set a new national standard of good jobs for those building the rail cars and buses of our future.”
“Our public transportation dollars really should ‘go the distance.’ The Federal Surface Transportation Act of 2015 provides more than $300 billion that can help regions around the country build cleaner public transit systems while creating a large number of good jobs. That’s the kind of forward-thinking approach local governments like Los Angeles County want to put in place,” said LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl.
An opening reception will be held at JMA’s new national office based at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI). “The LA Cleantech Incubator is thrilled to have JMA join us at the new La Kretz Innovation Campus as part of our growing Transportation Cluster. We look forward to working together to connect the expansion of public transit to economic development here in LA,” said Ben Stapleton, LACI’s Vice President of Facilities and Operations.