On Saturday, March 20th, L.A. and the surrounding counties celebrated Transit Equity Day, a day that saw record-breaking ridership on Metrolink lines throughout the area. The Inland Empire-Orange County line had an extraordinary jump of 1,542 boardings compared to its average Saturday numbers in January of 204 boardings — one of the many successes achieved by this initiative. This surge was accompanied by a hit SNL sketch featuring Ego Nwodim as Lisa from Temecula. Viewers were delighted by the sketch which followed Lisa and her friends at a restaurant in New York City where she orders her steak “extra, extra well done” and causes chaos. The reaction to this sketch has been overwhelmingly positive with people expressing enthusiasm for more sketches featuring Lisa from Temecula.
Organizations like Move LA have been advocating for better transit equity since 2005 when they ran their first campaign in partnership with three major non-profits — Families USA, Valley Improvement Projects and Idealist LA — to promote public transportation and reduce air pollutants caused by automobiles. Their most recent campaign is no different; Move LA stresses the need to create better public transit systems that are accessible for all residents in Los Angeles County regardless of economic or geographical location so that everyone can benefit from the progressive infrastructure being implemented across Southern California. Transit Equity Day serves as a reminder that great progress has been made but there is still much work to be done before Los Angeles becomes an equitable transit system for all citizens living here.
As such, it is important to remember why Transit Equity Day was created and how it has positively impacted those living in various parts of our region who otherwise wouldn’t have access to reliable public transportation services. At the same time, the success of sketches like Lisa From Temecula is an uplifting reminder that lighthearted comedy can also bring awareness and attention to important topics such as equality and access to resources right here in our own communities — something we could all use more of these days!
In short, Transit Equity Day was a huge success and Lisa from Temecula’s SNL sketch has been a hit with viewers. Organizations like Move LA have been working hard to ensure that all residents in Los Angeles County have access to reliable public transportation services. At the same time, the success of the sketch is a reminder that comedy can be used to bring awareness to important topics like equality and access to resources in our communities. It’s a reminder that when we work together, great things can happen!