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Juneteenth 2023

June 7, 2023
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Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated on June 19th each year in the United States. It commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and is a significant milestone in the country’s history. It symbolizes the end of chattel slavery in the United States, marking a turning point in the nation’s struggle for freedom and equality. It represents the recognition of the inherent rights and dignity of African Americans, who had endured centuries of bondage and oppression.

Additionally, Juneteenth serves as a reminder of the resilience, strength, and perseverance of African Americans throughout history. Despite the delayed news of their freedom, they embraced Juneteenth as a day of celebration and empowerment, using it as a platform to advocate for civil rights, equality, and social justice.

Take the Capitol Corridor to Juneteenth events near you:

Pride Month Events and Pride Drink Onboard 2023

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Happy Pride Month! Pride Month is an annual celebration where we come together to honor and uplift the LGBTQ+ community. It serves as a powerful reminder that every individual deserves to live authentically, without fear, or prejudice. By celebrating Pride Month, we affirm our commitment to creating a world where love, respect, and inclusivity triumph over discrimination and bigotry.

Take the Capitol Corridor to the largest Pride celebrations in Northern California! Sit back, relax, and head to the Café Car for our special pride drink this month! Take advantage of our Take 5 for $5 deal and book your trip with friends and family today: https://www.capitolcorridor.org/take5/

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2023

May 8, 2023
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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, which recognizes the contributions and impacts by members from the community. Transportation plays a huge role in revitalizing, reshaping, and defining communities – especially when it comes to public transportation. Transportation is all about improving mobility, connecting people and places to each other, and making communities accessible.  The AAPI community has played a big role in improving public transportation and equity in today’s society.

 

The Unforgotten Heroes of the Transcontinental Railroad

The Gold Rush attracted many settlers to the US, but also persuaded Chinese workers to come for a better life and opportunity. From 1863 and 1869, roughly 15,000 Chinese workers helped build the Transcontinental Railroad, which connected the East Coast and West Coast of the United States, facilitating economic expansion. Chinese workers made up most of the workforce, working on roughly 700 miles of train tracks between Sacramento, California, and Promontory, Utah. By the 19th century, more than 2.5 million Chinese citizens had left their country and were hired in 1864 after a labor shortage threatened the railroad’s completion.

Even though many Chinese workers were offered a new opportunity, they worked under excruciating conditions. Chinese workers received 30-50 percent lower wages than whites for the same job, earning only $26 a month. They also had the most difficult and dangerous work, including tunneling and the use of explosives. This resulted in an eight-day strike in June 1867. The strike ended without pay parity after Central Pacific (employer) cut off food, transportation and supplies to the Chinese living in camps, but working conditions improved following the strike.

It is important to recognize the sacrifices and establishments of Chinese workers during this time. The Transcontinental Railroad would not have possible without them. They also established a strong Asian community in California, especially San Francisco. Chinese immigrants fought against discrimination for decades and created a better society for all Asian communities in the US.

Read about a story of how a Stanford student discovered that his ancestor, Lim Lip Hong, helped build the Central Pacific Railroad, the westernmost portion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

 

AAPI Events Near You:

To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, take the Capitol Corridor to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento! It is a short and easy walk from our Sacramento Station and features the Chinese Railroad Workers’ Experience. This permanent exhibit provides a glimpse of the Chinese workers who built the western portion of the nation’s first Transcontinental Railroad.

Visit Chinese Railroad Workers’ Experience web page here

 

Sacramento Station:

  • California State Railroad Museum: Chinese Railroad Workers’ Experience Exhibit
  • AAPI Night Market– Capitol Mall, May 19 from 6pm-10pm

 

San Francisco (Emeryville/Richmond Station)

 

Oakland Jack London

 

San Jose

Earth Day 2023

April 21, 2023
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This Earth Day, it’s important for everyone to appreciate this beautiful world. Our daily choices can have a huge impact on the health and well-being of both ourselves, and our planet. So today on Earth Day, and every day, consider riding Capitol Corridor to work or exploring a new area of Northern California.

Why Public Transportation is Important

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is one of the seven greenhouse gases the Air Resources Board (ARB) is responsible to monitor and regulate in order to reduce emissions. Transportation is the single largest source of CO2 in California, which is primarily comprised of on-road travel. Less than 5% of Californians commute by transit and 19% in the Bay Area. By taking the train, your travel is 31% more efficient than a passenger car. These small actions can inspire others to do the same, which can promote the longevity of our environment.

 

Earth Day Events

Take the train the celebrate Earth Day in Northern California and the Bay Area! Skip the traffic/parking hassles and learn more about how you can make a difference. Whether it’s taking public transportation or using energy efficient appliances, we can help climate change one step at a time.

Sacramento Station:

Sacramento Earth Day Festival

– April 23, 2023, at Southside Park, Sacramento, 11:00am-4:00pm
The ECOS-hosted Sacramento Earth Day is the largest Earth Day celebration in the Sacramento region. It’s free, and it provides thousands of attendees with information on sustainability. This year’s theme is GROW NATIVE.
More information here

 

Davis Station:

The World Earth Festival

– May 12-14, 2023 at the UC Davis Quad, Friday: 12pm-10pm, Saturday: 10am-10pm, Sunday: 10am-6pm
The Whole Earth Festival began in 1969 as a small art class project (“Art Happening”) on the UC Davis Quad. The students used art to teach visitors about the realms of activism, wellness, and environmental sustainability in an interactive and creative way.
More information here

 

Martinez Station:

John Muir Birthday and Earth Day Celebration

– April 22 · 10am – 4pm, John Muir National Historic Site
A wonderful fun filled family day in the sun, at the grounds of the John Muir National Historic Site, which includes his 1880s Victorian home and an authentic 1849 Mexican Adobe, along with his orchards and vineyard. There will be food and live music along with many displays relating to history, ecology, and nature.
More information here

 

San Francisco (Emeryville/Richmond Station):

Earth Day San Francisco

– April 22, 2023. 11am-6pm, located on 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way, at the County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park!
Come to San Francisco’s annual Earth Day celebration, as we continue to raise awareness of the environmental and social issues effecting our planet. This beloved and renowned street fair entertains while inspiring people to make more creative and sustainable choices in the way they live their lives.
More information here

Ferry Building Earth Day Activities

– Sunday April 23rd from 10:00am – 4:00pm
Join us in the Marketplace for a ‘Ferry Family Day’ of kids and family activities! Make a ‘Grow Buddy’ using soil and seeds, upcycle everyday objects to create new works of art, and paint stones to give as gifts or leave your mark in the park.
More information here

 

Oakland Jack London Station:

Earth Day Celebration

– Jack London Square on Saturday, April 22nd, from 11am – 1pm
During the event, attendees will receive a FREE mini Earth Day planting kit (while supplies last) located at the redemption table in the plaza near Plank and will enjoy photo opportunities with an Earth Day themed backdrop.
More information here

 

San Jose Diridon Station:

Earth Day: Water Conservation Discussion, Performance, and Film Screening

– Saturday, April 22: 1pm- 3pm, Chopsticks Alley Art Gallery
Join the AAPI Community for a screening of “A Fleeting Moment,” an animation film, performance, and discussion on water conservation to celebrate Earth Day.
More information here

Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day 2023

March 8, 2023
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Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society and has been observed annually in the month of March in the United States since 1987. International Women’s Day has been observed each year place on March 8th since 1911. Many countries around the world celebrate the holiday with demonstrations, educational initiatives, and customs such as presenting women with gifts and flowers.  

Women have made important contributions to the growth and development of the United States, particularly in the field of transportation. Here is a list of a few honorable mentions: 

  • Harriet Tubman: Helped more than 300 slaves reach freedom through the Underground Railroad. 
  • Susan Morningstar: First woman on record employed by a railroad company. 
  • Eliza Murfey: Patented 16 devices for improving railroad car axles. These devices were used to lubricate the axles with oil, which reduced derailments caused by seized axles and bearings. 
  • Rosa Parks: Refused to obey bus driver James Blake’s order that she give up her seat to make room for a white passenger, sparking the Montgomery County Bus Boycott led by Dr. Martin Luther King. Parks became an icon of resistance and an important symbol of the modern Civil Rights Movement. 
  • Leah “Rosie” Rosenfeld: Filed and settled a sex-discrimination suit against her employer that resulted in a change to California’s women’s protective laws and opened senior positions at the railroad for women.  
  • Elizabeth Hanford Dole: Sworn in as the first woman to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation.  
  • Jolene Molitoris: Became the first female to head the Federal Railroad Administration.
  • Sarita Britt, Cindia Chambers, and Debra Franks:  San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) selected its first female superintendent(s).  
  • Janice Li:  First queer woman of color to be elected president of the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board (BART) 

For more information, visit the US Department of Transportation 

More Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day 2023