When she’s not driving for Muni, Operator Shanita Anderson runs a breast cancer support nonprofit. Her story is part of our latest podcast episode.
It’s Women’s History — or HerStory — Month. And Transit Employee Appreciation Day is coming up on March 18. So, we’re celebrating women in transit in the latest episode of our Taken with Transportation podcast.
“The Women of San Francisco Transit, Yesterday and Today” takes us from Maya Angelou’s time as a streetcar conductor in the 1940s to the present. It showcases some of the many women who work at all levels of our agency.
Director of Transportation Julie Kirschbaum shakes hands with Mayor Daniel Lurie after taking her oath of office.
Decades of dedication
Women have been working to keep San Francisco moving for generations. The women we profile in this podcast collectively have more than a century of service in transit under their belts.
“I like interacting with people,” says Muni Operator Shanita Anderson in the episode. “So, this fits me.” Anderson has been with the agency for almost 27 years. She’s also a breast cancer survivor and runs a nonprofit that helps others with the disease.
Director of Transportation Julie Kirschbaum began working at the SFMTA in 2007. “When I started here, I never envisioned myself at the agency so long,” Kirschbaum tells us. “Or that I would have an opportunity to work on such interesting and complex problems.”
Transit Training Manager Omozele Biggins and Senior Operations Managers Jasmin Charles and Leda Rozier are also featured in “The Women of San Francisco Transit, Yesterday and Today.” Former Cable Car Grip Fannie Mae Barnes makes an appearance. And we get a history lesson from Market Street Railway President and CEO Rick Laubscher.
How to listen
You’ll find all the Taken with Transportation episodes on our podcast webpage (SFMTA.com/Podcast) and our YouTube channel. We’re also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
You can learn more about Transit Employee Appreciation Day at our employee appreciation webpage (SFMTA.com/Appreciation). And you can go to the National Women’s History Museum website to learn more about Women’s History Month.