3 Advocacy Tips from The Biking Fireman

Hello, my name is Stephen Dunn, AKA The Biking Fireman. I am a father, firefighter, and bike commuter. After nearly a decade of fair-weather bike commuting to my job at the Elizabeth Fire Department, I made a new year’s resolution, in 2020, to give up my car commute completely. Just two months into the New Year, I spent an exhausting and freezing night fighting the costliest fire in Elizabeth history. In the morning, I hopped on my bike and pedaled 6.5 gloriously cold and tiring miles home to the comfort of my warm bed.  It was then I knew that I would never drive a car to the firehouse again.

To say that 2020 changed my life would be an understatement. I pedaled through the empty streets of COVID and responded to more DOAs in a month than I typically do in a year. Aside from losing several friends and co-workers to COVID, I was shaken to the core by the loss of a friend killed in a bicycle crash. I began to see the need for more advocacy in the bike and pedestrian space, so I started to look for ways I could contribute, and so, “The Biking Fireman” was born. When I suffered a broken collar bone in my own bicycle crash with a car, I only became more determined to make biking and walking safer for others. I’ve learned a lot over these past several years, here are a few tips:

1. Half the battle is showing up. You may know me most from social media. Social media is a powerful tool to spread a message. But unless you back your words up with action, your message does not carry weight. By showing up, you build credibility and accountability with decision makers and your community. A lot of people will hit a like button, make a comment, or share a meme, but not a lot of people will use their lawn mower to clear a rail trail, speak at council meetings, or give testimony at a committee hearing. We all lead busy lives but when you simply show up to something, it displays your prioritization. In a world of distraction and short attention spans, presence is powerful advocacy.
2. Cultivate Friendships. One of the things you will hear most often when you get into the world of advocacy is the importance of partnerships. This is very true and proven many times over. However, I suggest that friendships are just as essential to successful advocacy as partnerships. The people I work with at Union County Connects are some of my best friends. There are times where I have questioned all my decisions as I volunteer untold hours of my time to this labor of love. The whole endeavor of advocating for safe streets and bike infrastructure can seem like an endless and thankless battle. What keeps me coming back for more, even after the darkest of days, is friends. I’ve met so many wonderful people through advocacy that I otherwise wouldn’t have known. Partnerships will make you progress; friendships will keep you going.
3. Gratitude. While advocating for something you’re passionate about is generally rewarding, it can at times drain your soul. Advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. Burnout is a real thing.  I’ve found that expressing gratitude pays compounding dividends. It is an effective advocacy practice to thank elected officials and organizations for their support. To maintain your ability to be an advocate, it is essential to be kind to yourself and express gratitude for daily blessings. One of the most thrilling milestones in my advocacy journey came when $1.5 million in funding was announced for the Rawhay Valley Rail Trail. It was something we had spent over 2 years advocating for through Celebrate Trails Day events and extensive outreach to government and elected officials. However, the excitement of this funding quickly turned to frustration at the slow wheels of government. Choosing a bike as my primary means of transportation afforded me the opportunity to practice gratitude daily. While the bike infrastructure in my area is severely lacking, I am fortunate that a small portion of my daily commute takes place on the lovely rail with trail in Roselle Park. I silently feel gratitude for this trail and the able body I am blessed with as I pedal on that path every day. Whenever I find advocacy negatively affecting my mood, I take time to pause and express gratitude for the many daily pleasures that are so easy to take for granted. Simply moving my body helps me to appreciate my life and the benefits of having the trails I do thanks to those who have advocated for them before me. It is not joy that makes us grateful, but gratitude that makes us joyful. The highs and lows of advocacy can feel like a roller coaster, but gratitude will keep you grounded.

I hope you have found these tips helpful! You can follow my individual advocacy work for safe streets and trail development on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @thebikingfireman. Feel free to reach out to me at thebikingfireman@gmail.com and check out my blog thebikingfireman.com.

Union County Connects is the non-profit organization we founded with the goal of connecting all of Union County through a system of multi-use trails. Our vision is to make it possible to step out your front door anywhere in Union County and be no more than a few minutes’ walk from a safe and accessible off-road paths, which connect you to anywhere in the county. We are striving to create a County Connected by Trails. You can check out our website at unioncountyconnects.org or email me at stephen@unioncountyconnects.org. 

Be careful not to let the noise of your mind overpower the whispers of your heart. Ride on.