Anne Yoon

Anne is a current Master of Urban & Regional Planning student and graduate student researcher with the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge (CNK). At CNK, she provides data analysis and writing support for research on topics including housing, transportation, and racial equity.

Originally from Washington, Anne received her bachelor’s degree in International and Global Studies in the Middle East and Geography from Middlebury College. Previously, she worked in strategic management consulting for foundations and nonprofits at Community Wealth Partners. In her graduate studies and beyond, Anne is interested in collaborating with partners to shine light on the legacy of racist practices embedded in our urban systems — with the goal of working toward solutions for accountability.

In her free time, you can find Anne biking through traffic, jogging up the Culver City stairs, and listening to her favorite podcasts.

Project Overview

The Office of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell is interested in uncovering the barriers and opportunities to equitably fund, deploy, and maintain bus shelter infrastructure across Los Angeles County. However, little empirical research exists to assess the distribution of bus shelters in the county and its unincorporated communities.

My project will analyze where bus shelters are most needed in Los Angeles County and outline the processes involved in approving and operating bus shelters in unincorporated communities.

Why is this topic, specifically, important to you?

This project caught my attention because the topic is so tangible. I know what it feels like to be at a bus stop both with and without a bus shelter. Also, I believe that the topic directly addresses issues of racial justice and social equity. It begs the question: What is the geography of bus shelters and does it fall along lines of race and class? By making such patterns explicit in visual, written and empirical forms, I can build on and contribute to the work that others have done to underscore the inequities in our transportation infrastructure.

Who are the partners involved in this project and how will you be working with them?

While this project does not involve formal partners, CNK has become a critical partner in this project as they are providing me with analytical guidance for the research’s empirical analysis and approach to understanding spatial inequality. Their guidance, experience, and mentorship have been invaluable.

How do you hope that this project will impact the field moving forward?

The empirical findings can be useful for advocates as part of campaigns related to bus shelters. The project will also contribute research to address my hypothesis that bus shelters are inequitably distributed across the county, and add to our understanding of its relationship to various factors of equity. In combination with existing qualitative analysis conducted by groups like Investing in Place, I believe that we can make a stronger case to our elected officials to make bus shelters a top priority in the county’s public transportation agenda.