I created WANDA as a means to maximize my visibility to nearby vehicles when walking the streets, particularly in areas devoid of sidewalks and in areas where pedestrians aren’t typically encountered. Borrowing from the safety culture of the electrical/construction industry in which I work, the idea is to be seen by operators of the heavy machinery working alongside me, well prior to any opportunity for collision to occur. The need to be easily seen grows more imperative when on today’s roads, where the attentiveness of the average driver falls far short of that of a skilled construction worker.

I am tired of the absurd number of times in which I meet someone who’s been struck by a vehicle in Columbus. I am tired of reading in the local paper this week’s pedestrian fatality - most often, a low-income Black person simply trying to cross the street. Most galling of all is how, long after the driver speeds away unidentified and scot-free, the victim will often get blamed for the incident - as if it was their fault for having the audacity to “jaywalk” across a road despite its lack of anything resembling a sidewalk, crosswalk, or “walk” signal. I’m tired of the condescending assumptions associated with the choice not to own a vehicle.

“Speak softly, and carry a big stick.” - US President Theodore Roosevelt

Over time, WANDA has evolved for me into a sort of political creed - a firm rejection of our nation’s stubborn addiction to its cars.