Bicycling and walking are good for the health of the participants, those living nearby, the planet, and the US healthcare system.

The exercise generates healthier people and reduces the load on the healthcare system. These forms of transit are vastly less polluting than most alternatives and thereby also make for healthier neighborhoods and neighbors, again reducing the healthcare load. This assumes that these activities can be indulged in safely, which is why those benefits and others can be used to argue for governmental and social action to facilitate said modes of transport.

With that in mind, an assortment of conferences are being scheduled to work towards an assortment of goals and to assist people in working towards those goals. A brief summary of said "Bike Summits" follows:

New York State Bike Summit, September 15 in Albany, NY.
http://www.nybc.net/education-new-york-bike-summit-call-for-submissions/

Please put September 15th on your calendar! This one day event, at the beautiful new Hearst Media Center in Albany, NY will focus on the "how" we can accelerate progress, across all areas of bicycle, pedestrian and active transportation activity in the Empire State.

West Virginia Bike Summit, September 24 - 25 in Morgantown, WV.
http://wvconnectingcommunities.com/events.php

A summit to improve communication among cyclists and policy officials, increase awareness of cycling safety and laws, and learn how to make WV a cycling-friendly state. Held at the Waterfront Hotel in Morgantown, WV.

Southeast Greenways and Trails Summit, October 1 - 3 in Durham, NC.
http://www.greenway.org/events/southeast-greenways-trails-summit

Fellow transportation leaders, policymakers, wellness professionals, parks and recreation leaders, and others will gather for the first Southeast Greenways & Trails Summit. We'll share best practices, build relationships, and influence trail and greenway development in the Southeast. With broad representation of stakeholders and leaders from the private and public sectors, the Summit will inspire increased momentum to advance trails and greenways across the region, from Virginia to Florida and beyond.

Colorado Bicycle Summit, October 2 in Denver, CO.
https://www.bicyclecolorado.org/events/colorado-bike-summit/

This one-day program is geared to educate and empower attendees, identify common bicycling issues and solutions in our communities, demonstrate the power of a unified voice to the state legislature and set priorities for improving the future of bicycling in Colorado. Join us to learn best practices for making change happen at the city, county and state levels, and network with bicycle enthusiasts and advocates from across the state.

California Bicycle Summit, October 3 - 6 in Sacramento, CA.
http://www.calbike.org/california_bicycle_summit_2017

The 2017 California Bicycle Summit is our biannual gathering of a diverse group of people from around the state -- and around the world! -- including bicycle advocates, planners, bicycle industry representatives, elected officials, and activists for racial, gender, and economic equity.

North Carolina Bike Summit, November 3 - 4 in Wilmington, NC.
http://www.bikewalknc.org/nc-bicycle-summit/

The 2017 NC Bike/Walk Summit promises to be packed full of information useful to bicycle advocates, transportation planners, business owners, elected officials, tactical urbanists, public health practitioners, and livability and sustainability professionals. Experts from across the state and beyond will be on hand to share their knowledge and experience. The mission of the summit is to:
* Foster collaboration between North Carolina's various bicycle movements, efforts, and endeavors;
* Educate local government staff, bicycle advocates, and policy leaders;
* Promote bicycling as a valid form of transportation and as an economic driver; and
* Highlight North Carolina's dedication toward becoming a premier bicycle friendly state.

You'll note that the CA meeting includes: activists for racial, gender, and economic equity. That is as it should be. Every organization should also work and advocate for those goals and incorporate such work in its agenda and action. If you are going to provide sae streets, should they not be provided to all and for all, serving all neighborhoods and locales? Should not the costs and economic burdens be pushed upward to those most able to pay while the benefits are pushed down and spread as widely as possible? I hope that is where they are going with that, for it really is the model of how all NGOs and the like should proceed from here on out.

Our culture, society, institutions and organizations are pervaded by residual racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, anti-LGBT sentiment and the like. To be effective, NGOs and ad-hoc campaigns need to work to eliminate the effects of that influence within the organization and within the resultant of whatever they are trying to achieve. That is sort of a pre-requisite for all of us to come together and work together to achieve progressive goals, that everybody is included and on board.