Black History Lost and Found: Dorothy Jaymes and Accessible Transit

Black History Lost and Found: Dorothy Jaymes and Accessible Transit
By Jeremy Menzies

We continue to celebrate Black History Month by sharing the stories of SFMTA staff whose revolutionary work helped pave the way for future generations of Muni riders. Today, we look at the incredible contributions of Dorothy Jaymes, who played a critical role in helping advance accessibility on transit in San Francisco at a time when little was being done.

Employees standing in between shelving holding various items such as a umbrella, tennis racket and bicycles. The shelving is filled with additional various items.

Jaymes (left, holding tennis racket) with her assistant, Linda Westry in the Muni Lost & Found Department in 1977.

Born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Jaymes started her career in Muni’s Lost & Found Department in the 1970s. According to a 1977 article in the department newsletter, Trolley Topics, she took her job seriously, accounting for every lost item no matter how small or large.

Around the same time, protests by local disability rights advocates exposed the issues of poor access to public transit to local officials. The city responded in part by seeking contracts for new buses with passenger lifts in 1978 and by establishing the Elderly & Handicapped Program, to which Jaymes was a foundational contributor.

Group photo of employees. The back row of three staff is standing. The front row of three staff is seated. One emplyee is wearing a Muni work vest.

Members of Muni Elderly & Handicapped Office staff in 1985, with Jaymes at center.

By October 1979, Jaymes headed up the E&H Office and was responsible for processing applications for discounted transit fare cards. An early version of the Free Muni for People with Disabilities Program, this program lowered the cost of transit for people who needed it most.

Jaymes’ role in the office played a critical part in improving access to transit for all San Franciscans.

Employee smiling and holding a vintage card camera

Working out of a room in the Muni Photo Department, Jaymes wields an ID card camera in this 1979 photo.

She left Muni in 1990 and finished out her career with the City of San Francisco at the Planning Department, before retiring in the early 2000s. Jaymes returned to Louisiana in retirement and passed away in 2015 at age 89. One of her former San Francisco co-workers remembered her as “a wonderful woman who was strong and always stood up for the workers.”

So often, we only hear the stories of major figures and their brave breakthroughs in history. Capturing the full story begins with also celebrating and recognizing the contributions of our “unsung heroes,” whose daily work is still helping Muni riders today.

Published February 28, 2023 at 11:01PM
https://ift.tt/CEeZw87

Comments

FOX NEWS: Couple gets married at 'most beautiful' Taco Bell: 'It was the best of both worlds' Analicia Garcia, 24, and Kyle Howser, 25, from Sacramento, California, got married on Tuesday, Oct. 26 and had their reception at the famous Pacifica, California, Taco Bell.

Couple gets married at 'most beautiful' Taco Bell: 'It was the best of both worlds' Analicia Garcia, 24, and Kyle Howser, 25, from Sacramento, California, got married on Tuesday, Oct. 26 and had their reception at the famous Pacifica, California, Taco Bell. via FOX NEWS https://ift.tt/bGAoiKV

FOX NEWS: Couple gets married at 'most beautiful' Taco Bell: 'It was the best of both worlds' Analicia Garcia, 24, and Kyle Howser, 25, from Sacramento, California, got married on Tuesday, Oct. 26 and had their reception at the famous Pacifica, California, Taco Bell.

UGC verdict LIVE: Will final year exams be held in September? SC to pronounce decision at 10.30 am today https://ift.tt/3jfCP1E

The wait for lakhs of final year students will come to an end today when the Supreme Court announces its verdict on the pleas challenging the decision of UGC asking universities and colleges to conduct exams by September 30 amid the coronavirus pandemic. A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, which had reserved its verdict on August 18, will pronounce the judgment at 10.30 am today. Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, who has been at the helm of affairs presenting the students' case before the apex court, hoped for a decision in the larger interest of students. Anubha Shrivastava Sahai, the chief of the India Wide Parents' Association, said she was expecting the order in the favour of students. "We hope SC will pass an order in the larger interest of the students. But they have already clarified about the state autonomy in the last hearing," she told India TV .

'Not Joining BJP', Sachin Pilot clears the air amid speculations surrounding political future https://ift.tt/2DDIvTz

Sachin Pilot has reiterated that he is not joining BJP amid speculations surrounding his political future after he openly rebelled against the 'slavery' of the Congress high command. Pilot has reportedly told news agency ANI that he will not be joining BJP. from IndiaTV: Google News Feed https://ift.tt/32mgY3o

New top story from Time: Pioneering Gay Rights Activist and Photojournalist Kay Lahusen Dies at 91

https://ift.tt/34uhD2y Kay Lahusen, a pioneering gay rights activist who chronicled the movement’s earliest days through her photography and writing, has died. She was 91. Known as the first openly gay U.S. photojournalist, Lahusen died Wednesday at Chester County Hospital outside Philadelphia, following a brief illness. Together with her partner, the late activist Barbara Gittings , Lahusen advocated for gay civil rights years before the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York helped launch the modern LGBTQ era. She captured widely published images of some of the nation’s first protests. Lahusen “was the first photojournalist in our community,” said Mark Segal, a friend of more than 50 years and founder and publisher of the Philadelphia Gay News. “Practically every photo we have of that time is from Kay.” [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Lahusen photographed a series of gay rights demonstrations held in front of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall each July 4 from 1965 to 1969...

FOX NEWS: Canine influenza outbreak: What dog owners need to know A canine influenza outbreak in Los Angeles is drawing up concern among pet owners on the West Coast.

Canine influenza outbreak: What dog owners need to know A canine influenza outbreak in Los Angeles is drawing up concern among pet owners on the West Coast. via FOX NEWS https://ift.tt/lTOH3qM

FOX NEWS: Cincinnati zoo renames sloth habitat after late 1-year-old who loved sloths The sloth habitat at Ohio's Cincinnati Zoo will be named after a toddler who recently passed away.

Cincinnati zoo renames sloth habitat after late 1-year-old who loved sloths The sloth habitat at Ohio's Cincinnati Zoo will be named after a toddler who recently passed away. via FOX NEWS https://ift.tt/3DLAshi

FOX NEWS: Boy bullied for Tony Stark Halloween costume goes viral: ‘He’s just brave’ Jill Struckman told Fox News about how her 10-year-old son Evan returned to school after being bullied for his Tony Stark Halloween costume.

Boy bullied for Tony Stark Halloween costume goes viral: ‘He’s just brave’ Jill Struckman told Fox News about how her 10-year-old son Evan returned to school after being bullied for his Tony Stark Halloween costume. via FOX NEWS https://ift.tt/3vX5j80

FOX NEWS: 4-ingredient guacamole: Try the recipe Who doesn’t love a good guac? Who hates spending half an hour prepping it in the kitchen? Raise your hand.

4-ingredient guacamole: Try the recipe Who doesn’t love a good guac? Who hates spending half an hour prepping it in the kitchen? Raise your hand. via FOX NEWS https://ift.tt/3vSDo9r

Get a Text, Not a Tow

Get a Text, Not a Tow By Erica Kato Today we are pleased to announce “Text Before Tow,” a first-of-its-kind program where customers can sign up to receive a text message notification prior to having their vehicle towed. This pilot program applies to four categories of tows: (1) parking more than 72-hours (2) blocked driveways (3) construction zones and (4) temporary no-parking zones such as special event or moving trucks. These categories represent 27% of all vehicles towed in 2020, approximately 12,500. It is important to note that peak-hour tow-away lanes, hazards, yellow or white zones and all other violations are not included. To enroll a vehicle, customers need to complete a short online form to register their license plate and phone number. When a customer’s vehicle is about to be towed, they will receive a text notifying them that a tow truck has been dispatched. Note: Vehicles will still receive a citation for the violation from Parking Control Officers (...

My precise view

Search This Blog