Introduction
Hello! My name is Cristina (better known as Cree) and I like doing a lot of things all the time sometimes at the same time.
Basic Info
Where are you from?
Rochester, MN (NOT NEW YORK) and Chicago, IL
How has your background influenced your views on urbanism?
Growing up semi “rural” I often took the school bus and rode my bike to my friends houses that were spaced out throughout our neighborhood. Growing up, my time was split between visiting family in Chicago, with the pink line running through my Grandma’s backyard (It would literally shake the house) and the middle of the woods. I grew up taking the CTA a lot to get into downtown Chicago to see the museums because traffic was horrible and my family hated driving. So, we’d walk to the pink line, or the orange line depending on whose house we were at. In turn, driving became more of an inconvenience. In the Midwest, a lot of my friends hated driving because at 16 operating a motorvehicle in white out conditions with the looming threat of black ice, a lot of accidents happened, but we didn’t have access to public transit. I thought that there wasn’t really an option to drive outside of Chicago. When I went to ASU, I longboarded EVERYWHERE. I went to Barrett the Honors College, and the dorms were on the opposite side of campus, and all of my friends at that time lived in Manzanita. So I would skate to “Manzi” and all of my classes, and I loved skating down the big spine bridge and also went “Garaging” (this is illegal) with friends where we would start at the top floor of the garage and skid (It’s called sliding look it up) down the ramp to race to the bottom.
Lightning Round!
Bus or Train?
Train
Favorite public park or green space?
The West side of Margaret T. Hance Park
Most memorable public transportation experience?
I skated to the Light Rail with a bunch of my friends and we rode all the way to Downtown to go skate in the garages and find the cool spots to slide around. (This is very illegal don’t do this unless you are really fast.)
Favorite street art?
“El Oso Plateado and the Machine”
Best spot in your city for people-watching?
DTPHX Cornish Pasty 2nd floor by the windows on a Friday or Saturday night
Favorite local business?
Brick Road Coffee and Zen Thai
Catching The urbanism train
How did you get involved with urbanism, and how has that impacted the way you make decisions in your everyday life?
Well, purely Jamie Trufin. I think that he inspired me and reminded me that there are and should be options to be a passenger princess wherever I want to go at anytime. This in turn brought up really fond memories of taking the metro in Chicago and reminded me a lot of my family. Jamie talked me into getting an E-scooter when I had exactly zero dollars and showed me how to use the bus systems and use Valley Metro which in turn saved me money. It was a great investment! It’s hard to get to places in Glendale AZ without a car, but I’m trying to figure out a better way to even get to Aldi’s without getting run over. So, if anything I try to find the easiest way to get anywhere by using the bus systems or the Light Rail.
Can you share a specific example of a decision you made differently because of your urbanism perspective?
Volunteering at the Phoenix Spoke People Bike Valet! I think seeing everyone riding their bikes has been really inspiring and given me some great ideas on how to transport things and myself. They remind me I’m not the only one out in the boonies attempting to go to work without driving on Bell Road. Still figuring out logistics of transporting several instruments to and from work since I can’t put all of them in a bag, but seeing everyone with cool hookups and modifications on their bikes and scooters has been extremely helpful.
How To Start A Bike Valet Guide!
Car ownership is often framed as a freedom for many people, do you agree with this, why or why not?
NO. It’s not a choice if it’s your only choice. I literally hate this concept of “freedom” because it’s summation of traditional American value system of being better than each other. There are so many dated ideologies that are pounded into Americans day after day. This is so evident in the way social studies and history are taught in schools, both public and private. The “Rosey glasses” of the years post WW2 into the early 1960’s where America was seen as a super power for “winning” the war is where I think a lot of this concept of “Freedom” began. I can go on a tangent about the “Camelot” syndrome from the JFK years but he’s dead and was ~shockingly~ killed in a car. However the idea’s of always striving to keep up with your neighbors has followed us into the present. There are so many people I’ve talked to that shun people without a car, or don’t understand why they don’t. More specifically, if someone doesn’t have a driver’s license or is afraid to drive they aren’t seen as equal. Driving instills a sense of “better” and normalizes systemic racism and classism that’s associated with this said “freedom” which maybe is what freedom means to Americans. The fact that this is a question “Do you have a reliable means of transportation” is asked on job interview questions is disgusting.
How do you think the perception of freedom changes with access to reliable public transportation or walkable neighborhoods?
Yes!! I know I wasn’t a big believer initially. I was very scared to let go of my concept of control and trust other people to get me to and from places safely. I was consistently saying “no” and “maybe” to the bus but Jamie kept bugging me on it and I finally gave it a go and it changed my life. I think my experience working in the downtown Phoenix core was also incredibly helpful and also reminded me of the community in Chicago I grew up with. Being able to talk with your neighbors and walking around and getting to chat with strangers at the crosswalks was so comforting and inspired a lot of joy in my life. I’ve made a lot of friends by just talking (Wow what a concept). We are all just people, and when you’ve come from a culture that is so isolating even when you’re surrounded by people, it’s hard to branch out. It’s like being on a kayak on the river where you’re surrounded by water but can’t drink it otherwise you’ll die. Just get a Brita, and suddenly you’ve got an endless supply of it (Probably use something better than a brita because Giardia)
How has your involvement in urbanism influenced your relationships with friends and family?
I think a huge portion of my family raised an eyebrow, especially because I scooter around a lot and have gotten into a few accident’s (both of which were my bad because living that fast and furious life means some fast and furious crashes). Once my parents understood that bus systems and the rail were so much safer for me to be on, and experienced it first hand when they visited it, they understood. The CTA was and is not as safe as the light rail or busses and when my parents were utilizing the transit systems in the 70’s and 80’s. After hearing about the “terrors” of the Phoenix transit system, and then actually using the light rail, they laughed and said, “that’s it?”
Have you inspired anyone close to you to adopt more urbanist practices or perspectives? Share an example if so!
Yes, because I yell about busses and trains ALL the time. I have had a few friends volunteer with me at the bike valet, and I put a lot of the urbanist events and current happenings into a queer community I hangout with. When Valley Metro released their “Brat” Tempe rail reel, I had quite a few people DM’ing me the reel saying it was “Cree-coded”. Valley Metro is Brat.
A Day In the life of Cristina port
You describe fond memories of your grandparents’ townhouse in Chicago and the community interactions there in a blog you wrote. How do these memories influence you and your approach to urbanism?
I think oddly enough, while the parameters of what you could and couldn’t do outside were strict, it was really nice to sit on the stair steps (Stoops) with my family and chat with the neighbors and passerby’s (think the “and they were roommates” guy). There was a lot of cultural diversity in the neighborhood, and I remember playing soccer on the sidewalks with some of the kids and my cousins and asking my uncles to get the soccer ball when it flew into the street (I am not good at soccer). Whenever my grandma was watching me we always did errands on foot. She would grab the wheely cart and my hand and we would walk to the nearest grocery store (Super Mercado El Guero Y Mexico) down the street. Typically she’d get me a little vanilla ice cream cup (Iykyk) and if it was a very special occasion, a Lego bionicle toy.
How do you manage to get around and what are some of your favorite ways to do so?
I am a longboarder at heart, but I do love my BMX I pulled from the trash and restored. If I’m in a hurry/lazy I’ll take my E-scooter because I have a need for speed. Also ironically speeding in a school zone very fun. That sounds bad. Anyways,
How do you make the different choices in your transportation?
I am a big planner, so a lot of my choices are based on what systems are running and what would be the fastest way to get to and from places. This includes times of the year, time of day, what I’m feeling, and how much I want to read. I really try to resort to my car as the last option, but weekends are the worst and I have to drive the most on those days.
When you had the opportunity to maximized the benefit of transit, how did that affect your wallet and vehicle?
OH MY GOD I saved SO much money. I cannot highlight this enough. I also was able to avoid getting an oil change for almost a year with how little I was driving. I also noticed my mood increased by a lot not having to worry about fighting through morning and afternoon traffic.
After benefiting from transit maxing, do you now consider career opportunities where you can minimize driving by using transit or micromobility?
Yes 100%. I really try to focus on getting to places that are less than 10 minutes away for jobs or jobs that are off of public transit routes. It’s tough when some of the students I teach are in areas that are unreachable via transit. I basically just charge them more and I hate doing that. However, a lot of places I sing at are in really transit avoidant areas and it’s gotten to the point where I feel guilty taking my car out that far because she’s getting old 🙁 and I need her to last forever because apparently Peoria hates busses.
How do you integrate the principles of urbanism into your creative work, such as poetry and music?
I think there is a lot of shit talking about cars in my poetry. I have this poem I wrote when I was really angry that people kept cutting in front of my car when I was in the HOV lane and how scary it was to have to experience this day in and day out. Another portion of the poetry has to do with how car culture has completely rotted brains, and how insensitive our culture has become. (TW Ahead) There was a moment when I was at my old job I overheard people complaining that there was standstill traffic getting into work and it was because a man was about to jump off of one of the bridges into traffic. The comment floated, “Well he should’ve just waited until after rush hour.” and I did have to have conversations with these people about it. As a person who struggles with ongoing mental health issues, this was so horrible to hear. However, on a lighter note, I do have references to driving but more specifically sitting in the backseats of cars, however there’s always a minimum of two people in the car so, not alone. Don’t read into that statement.
Being a musician, do you feel cities offer more opportunities to meet other musicians and create or cover music?
I think it’s both a yes and no. It’s hard when you’re just starting out, especially because for most people their day job doesn’t involve playing instruments. I have noticed that there is a lot of hesitation and lack of time allocation whenever I meet people who also play instruments and want to jam, but never really see it through. In terms of performances and joining bands, there are a ton of opportunities, but getting your foot in the door in the right spaces is really difficult to do unless you know where to look. It’s a very, “right band, right skill level, right time.” It’s part luck, part being good enough to be taken seriously, and part “you better love what you do”. However, once you’re in, you’ll find a lot of opportunities will appear from thin air. Music as much as we all enjoy it, is very exclusive when it comes to playing with and creating your own stuff. We all know that one Soundcloud rapper, and while those people can be annoying, this line of thought and stereotype transfers over to every musician you meet. If I were to say, “I’m a bass player in a cover band” versus if I said, “I’m a music teacher, and I play bass in a cover band.” there is a significant difference in the way you would perceive me. It’s almost like if I said, “I take the bus and the train to get places.” versus if I said, “I have a car, but I take the bus and the train to get places.”
Can you share the time when you made new friend through carpooling?
I’ve recently run into a few people while taking the train and wandered around first Friday with a few months ago! I love talking to strangers and when everyone is hopping in to go to a big event, it’s hard not to talk to the people nearby.
Community and Mental Health
In your blog, you talk about missing a sense of community after moving to Arizona. What specific aspects of community life were you missing, and how did you go about finding or creating them?
I think after college, everything became really isolating. I was a covid college grad, and I never had a graduation ceremony. I think it was then that everything changed. I moved to Tucson in a crisis because I could only find relatively good jobs down there with *Gasp* Affordable Apartment Rent. I didn’t really get out of the house much due to the state of the world and all of my friends were people I met at my job (S/o to Kaela love you!). I think as a social person, it was debilitating. Eventually I moved back to Phoenix as I still had a lot of friends here, and had the good fortune in moving into my ex-roommate, ex-coworker, Landlass house of which I am endlessly grateful to and for. He was the one who got me out of my comfort zone and when I started working as an ambassador my eyes were not only open, but my eyelids were completely blown off, and I figured out what I was missing. People. So with my little light bulb moment, now I had to go about figuring out how to talk to people and where to look to talk to people. I learned a lot from my time in the ambassador program on talking to strangers. Building that skill was really life changing and I made so many friends. I did stagnate for a while when I was moved into an office setting (Not meant for a cubicle) and then after I was fired, I started having the time and space to go to events that I wasn’t able to attend without a nice scolding. I ended up meeting the bike community, a public transit community, a queer women’s and NB group, a queer poetry group, a band with queer members, teaching music, and so on. Talking has become my greatest and favorite skill.
Can you share a story about a time when you felt a strong sense of community in Phoenix?
The most recent moment I’ve had is taking new friends out to downtown and running into literally everyone every few minutes. I think that’s always been such a cool reminder of how many friends I do have and how lovely it is that everyone knows each other and goes out together without really even realizing it.
In what ways do you think urbanism and the design of our cities impact mental health and well-being?
I think again it boils down to a social aspect for mental health. Being able to go outside and walk in the sun, or go knock on someones door because at least one person will answer and want to hangout. Another thing is just being able to walk around and exercise by just doing the bare minimum. Want food? No need to order in when you can just walk over and walk home.
Have you seen this impact in your own life or in the lives of others around you?
I think I’ve seen a lot of mental health improvements. I also feel like I can be the spokesperson for riding the bus and scooting. I’ve gotten people asking how to go about getting to and from places because we are so detached from understanding how to ride the bus. It’s been really cool seeing transit change people’s minds.
You mentioned in a blog you wrote that knowing the names of local business owners and baristas made a big difference for you. Why do you think these personal connections are so important in urban settings?
I feel cool. Jk, it’s building community and actually making connections to people who are so much more than just their day job. Again it boils down to community. I think there is an aspect of allowing people to be themselves by recognizing they’re just people. It’s so funny because even I know who isn’t from or lives in downtown Phoenix based on their interactions with any employee in the downtown area. This also translates into how I interact with employees and owners outside of the downtown area. It’s crazy to think that so many of us are being abused by staff. Being nice to a barista in the suburban Glendale area is so foreign to a lot of workers. Even the concept of tipping is really wild because I guess people don’t do that? (If you can afford it and refuse to tip because of some bullshit excuse, you should eat soap.)
Departure
What advice would you give to someone moving to a new city and looking to find or create a sense of community?
I would say that getting out and attending a social event of something you’re interested in is the first step. The hardest part when at the event is getting out of your comfort zone and talking to new people, but it’s so worth it!
Is there anything you would like to discuss that we haven’t had the opportunity to cover?
Follow my IG @heminggaay !
What current projects, initiatives, or organizations would you like to share? How can our listeners get involved or support your work?
As of now, I’m starting a private music studio to teach lessons for ages 4 years old to 120 years old so feel free to reach out if you have any interest in picking up an instrument! (I play 13+ but I don’t do strings) I also write poetry, and perform regularly at Ghost poetry and Fruity poetry events, so feel free to check those out. Lastly, I’m in a Tenacious D cover band (Tenacious B) and we always play at small local bars that are always in need of support. Feel free to check us out at @tenacious_b_phx and see our upcoming shows!
