iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

This is Lynch Family Skatepark in Cambridge, Massachusetts at North Point Park, beneath the ramps of the Zakim Bridge and next to the North Bank pedestrian bridge. I’ve also seen basketball courts underneath these highway overpasses (specifically in Vancouver Canada).

A skateboarding park underneath a highway ramp connecting to the Zakim Bridge in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Graffiti art on the columns and covering the Park.

Biker and skateboarder talking underneath a ramp connecting to the Zakim Bridge in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The area is used as a skate park.

000

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

WalkMass joined Safe Streets Needham today for a community-led walk audit of Needham’s downtown. A big thank-you to Aidan and everyone who helped organize it! It was especially valuable to explore quick-build ideas with community members eager to see safety improvements soon.

A group of participants at the end of the walk audit with Needham Townhall in the background.

Participants talking during the walk audit in Needham today

Historical Needham Bank clock over participants discuss discussing walkability in Needham

Participants looking at an intersection that has been challenging in the past and has had recent quick build interventions added. Participants are wondering if this can be done in other areas of town.

042

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

A powerful statistic from @walkmass.bsky.social. When we talk about building safe streets for everyone, that must include older adults, who often have mobility challenges and difficulty navigating huge intersections or walking in areas with poor sidewalks. Data is here: walkmass.org/crash-reports/

A graphic from Walk Mass showing that 43% of people killed while walking in Massachusetts are 65+

313935

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The mobility of children is simply not taken seriously or viewed as important. Something illustrative is how people will often say that kids "don't count" when you remind them that children and young teens are nondrivers who deserve the right to get around without cars.

334885

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Shout out to MassDOT’s Complete Streets Funding Program; helping communities build safer sidewalks, crossings, bike facilities, and transit access for people of all ages and abilities. What other grant program does more to advance safety for all road users? #CompleteStreets #VisionZero

000

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Join us October 17 for Pedal the Cummins Highway, a celebratory bike ride and walk for new bike-lane and pedestrian improvements. Meet at Harvard St. & Cummins Highway at 9:30 a.m.; roll out at 10. Yes some will walk (with me 😁) Snacks provided. All are welcome.

Flyer:
Join us on Saturday, October 17, for Pedal the Cummins Highway—a celebratory bike ride and walk marking the new bike-lane and pedestrian improvements along Cummins Highway.

Meet at the corner of Harvard Street and Cummins Highway at 9:30 a.m. We roll out at 10:00 a.m., with stops at City Natives and the Farmers Market. Light snacks will be provided. All are welcome.

011

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Honored to join Rep. @ayannapressley.bsky.social and fellow Boston transportation advocates at the table to shape a future transportation agenda. Grateful for her bold leadership, deep listening, and commitment to safer, more equitable mobility for every community. She’s awesome.

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley speaks into a microphone during a roundtable with transportation advocates seated around tables at Bikes Not Bombs in Jamaica Plain. Bicycle wheels hang from the ceiling, and signs read, “Transit-accessible communities are connected communities” and “Everyone deserves safe & equitable streets.”

041

Reposted by iolando spinola

Jonathan Berk 🏠 @berkie1.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

“We’re trying to make sure we build no house? I don’t get it. People live in houses.” Marblehead’s David Modica is endorsing YES ON 7, a ballot question to legalize starter homes and make it easier to build more houses for people across Massachusetts.

04312

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Boston: The hub of the universe for me and many others. Seattle: Mountains, Puget Sound, and a city that awakens something beautiful. São Filipe: Small by the numbers, but vibrant in spirit. A historic center of life, resilience, and connection on Fogo CV.

050

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Windowless buildings are ugly can something be done? They are spreading!

000

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

After a significant electrical fire at a hospital in Brockton, the hospital underwent a major upgrade of its electrical system and installed solar panels over the parking lot. This upgrade has numerous benefits for patients.

Brockton signature hospital aerial picture with solar panels, covering parking lots used by patients and staff

121

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Grateful to join the 2026 Tables Upon Tables as WalkMass staff. The conversations on leadership, collective action, & community power reinforced an important lesson for me: movement coalitions must paint a clear, shared picture of the future we are organizing toward not only what we are resisting.

Budget and democracy discussion: Two speakers sit in conversation onstage below a screen reading, “Following the Money: How Budgets Shape Democracy & Community Power.” Audience members sit at round tables in the foreground of the grand hall.

Panel conversation on stage: Dr. Maria Elena Letona and Ali Noorani sit in armchairs on a stage beneath a large screen reading, “Hope Is A Strategy: A Conversation on Leadership, Power & Investing in Movements,” at the 2026 Tables Upon Tables Conference.

Keynote presentation: Rahsaan D. Hall, Esq. speaks from a podium in an ornate, brightly lit hall. The projection screen behind him reads, “Many Fights, ONE Movement: Why This Moment Demands Collective Action.”

020

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Thanks for following along! Check out the @walkmass.bsky.social website to learn more about walk audits and see data from prior audits. walkmass.org/walk-audits/

walkmass.org

Walk audits – WalkMassachusetts

1144

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Now that we've wrapped up, @walkmass.bsky.social will share an audit report with the town which will focus on areas of improvement and recommendations. That's why it's critical our town planner joined us tonight.

1192

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

A cop has been joining us and he had to block traffic from turning into us while crossing at another intersection without a signal

A police officer in a yellow vest stands in the middle of the road

1182

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

One of the worst roads in my town. This leads to downtown. It's super wide, high speed, a single pedestrian crossing even though there are tons of businesses along a .6 mile stretch.

A wide two-lane road with businesses on each side

1233

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

This is a MassDOT controlled intersection where there are no pedestrian signals crossing a two-lane on-ramp. There is a lot of high-speed traffic turning right and left.

A group standing on the corner at a highway intersection. There are no pedestrian signals.

2345

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

A common refrain today: "Cars are loud."

1477

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

We're hearing from a mom who lives along the main road talking about how she doesn't feel safe letting her kids play and walk because of the high speed of vehicles. Not pictured are the kids running a lemonade stand.

A group of people chatting in a driveway

3372

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

We're spending a lot of time looking at ramps at corners and how someone in a wheelchair or someone blind can navigate them. We noticed some ramps that have been damaged by cars turning.

A group of people standing at an intersection corner

1354

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Notice anything wrong with this beg button? It's inaccessible for someone in a wheelchair or who may have other mobility challenges.

A beg button that is placed with rocks in front and to the side of it

1357

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

The worksheet we'll all be completing as we walk today. The route crosses several highway on-ramps and was also chosen with climate change in mind. There's *a lot* of pavement so we expect it to be hot today.

A Walk Massachusetts walk audit worksheet

1324

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

@brendanjkearney.bsky.social of @walkmass.bsky.social preparing the group. He's standing alongside a Danvers police lieutenant who spoke positively about a recent webinar MassDOT focusing on "traffic calming through engineering" which we were all glad to hear!

A man in a blue shirt stands next to a police officer in a grassy area

1343

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

En route to the @walkmass.bsky.social walk audit with @malaclypse.bsky.social! I am on an e-bike and he is on an acoustic bike which is a hell freezing over moment.

A selfie of me smiling with glasses and an orange helmet with a cyclist behind in an orange vest

51568

Reposted by iolando spinola

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

I keep thinking about one moment from last night's walk audit. Someone asked how disabled people deal with so much inaccessbility. Without missing a beat, a blind woman said, "I just don't go out. I stay home." When we ignore nondrivers we limit their mobility and cut off access to the world.

431880

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

Transportation changes, even small ones, can be expensive for municipalities, and they often cite these costs as barriers to implementation. How are people navigating this when it comes to convincing municipalities to make improvements specifically related to safety?

000

Reposted by iolando spinola

David Gura @davidgura.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

Sen. Alex Padilla, who was just forcibly removed from a DHS press conference, is the ranking member of Judiciary’s subcommittee on immigration, citizenship, and border safety, which has “oversight of federal agencies with citizenship, asylum, refugee, and immigration enforcement responsibilities.”

658214077418

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Share what your inspirations and ideas to make cities and communities more walkable.

000

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Mixed-Use Zoning: By blending homes, shops, and workplaces, cities are shortening travel distances and encouraging people to walk more for their daily needs.

100

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Public Data: Cities are using digital tools and real-time data to monitor walkability, helping them quickly address issues like sidewalk repairs or traffic hazards.

100

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Equity-Focused Design: New initiatives are targeting underserved neighborhoods, improving access to safe walking routes and public transit for everyone.

100

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Complete Streets: Urban planners are prioritizing “Complete Streets” that are safe and comfortable for all ages and abilities. This means wider sidewalks, safer crosswalks, lower speed limits, and more green spaces—making walking easier and more enjoyable.

100

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

15-Minute City Planning: Cities worldwide are adopting the “15-minute city” model, where daily needs—like shops, parks, and schools—are accessible within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. This reduces car dependency and makes neighborhoods more lively and sustainable.

100

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Looking for inspiration on building more walkable communities? Here are some ideas making communities healthier, greener, and more vibrant:

100

Reposted by iolando spinola

WalkMassachusetts @walkmass.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

Join us on the 3rd Wednesday of each month for our WalkMass Network webinars. This month, Matthew Raifman, PhD (@wildcalifornia.bsky.social) shares about national disparities in traffic fatalities and role of active mobility and autonomous vehicles. Registration link and more info: walkmass.org

WalkMass Network 5/21, 1pm - National Disparities in Traffic Fatalities: the role of active mobility and autonomous vehicles. Featured speaker: Matthew A Raifman, PhD Transportation Safety Researcher, University of California, Berkeley

0135

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Can you make it so that it doesn’t cross-post? Or let us pick if we want to cross-post? Great job so far!

000

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Very much appreciate this! Keep up the good work!

030

Reposted by iolando spinola

Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 16/04/2025

I’m about to board my flight to El Salvador, where I hope to meet with senior government officials to discuss the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. I also hope to see Kilmar and check on his condition — and remind him that we won’t stop fighting until he’s home.

youtube.com

Headed to El Salvador to meet with government officials and discuss return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia

YouTube video by Senator Chris Van Hollen

40415381910546

Reposted by iolando spinola

Neil deGrasse Tyson @neildegrassetyson.com · 16/04/2025

As a Columbia alumnus (MA, MPhil, PhD), it’s hard right now to recommend the school to immigrants, with ambitions of academic freedoms and Nobel Prizes — graduates and faculty have won 88 of them — given it cares more about appeasing the Government than about academic integrity.

621535243

Reposted by iolando spinola

Roxane Gay @roxanegay.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

Is Kilmar Abrego Garcia alive? Because the amount of resistance to addressing his being trafficked gives the distinct impression that either he is dead or what they have done to him is so unspeakable that they cannot afford for him to be freed, seen, or spoken with.

1302311547394

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

Community is more complicated then ever. I wish I didn't have to drive to access community.

000

Reposted by iolando spinola

Etel Haxhiaj (ha-jee-eye) @etelhaxhiaj.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Thank you SO much @walkmass.bsky.social for the Golden Shoe award & having me as your keynote! I share the award w/ our incredible organizers & advocates, who’ve taught me so much. @kvgoins.bsky.social @ojc.bsky.social Alex Salcedo @steverolle.bsky.social & his team. Thank you for coming out!

Picture of a group of people smiling. There are people in the background in a cafe setting

1197

Reposted by iolando spinola

Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

We have the most anti-free speech government in modern American history. (And yet, in true Orwellian fashion, they claim to be champions of free speech.)

523200154146

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Are you trying to solve a non-issue? Wouldn’t Congress‘s energy be better served elsewhere? Like on real problems.

000

iolando spinola @ispinola.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

(So me x 299 792 458 m / s) = energy?

020