METRO Celebrates Cinco de Mayo

Earlier this month, METRO helped celebrate Cinco de Mayo at the annual Houston East End Street Fest and at a parade held by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) District 8 in downtown Houston.

Both events highlight the importance of community engagement for the Authority as it continues to cultivate successful community partnerships centered on trust, communication, and collaboration.

METRO Public Engagement Representative Jeanette De Los Santos said celebrations like these are perfect opportunities for METRO to connect with residents, letting them know about services and providing project updates.

“It’s important for us to keep people in the loop and share as much information as we can through a variety of channels,” said De Los Santos. “People are busy, so we try to find opportunities where we can be most effective.”

At the East End Street Fest METRO Booth, staff members helped seniors and students register for discounted fare cards and provided information — in both English and Spanish — on projects like the planned METRORapid University Corridor. De Los Santos says more than 400 people stopped by.

“We had Instagram opportunities, balloon art, and a cooling bus! It drew a lot of people and was one of the largest outreach events I’ve attended,” De Los Santos said.

De Los Santos said the festival also provided the chance for METRO to learn more about residents’ communication preferences.

“We are always looking for ways to improve outreach efforts so we can understand the needs of residents and effectively communicate solutions,” said De Los Santos. At the event, we activated a new survey to gather information about how people like to receive information.”

De Los Santos said dozens of people completed the survey, which will help guide METRO’s public engagement plans. “Ultimately, our success as a transit organization depends on our relationships with people,” said De Los Santos.

“Whether you are a bus operator, planner, police officer, or public engagement representative, our job is about people — it’s about providing a service that improves their lives. To fulfill that mission, it’s essential we empower communities and increase their investment and participation in projects. When we do that, everybody wins.”

Want to learn more about METRO’s community engagement efforts and upcoming events? Visit our website!

Connecting with Communities: Ballet Folklorico dancers take a moment to snap a photo with METRO Sr. Public Engagement Representative Luis Garcia at LULAC’s Cinco de Mayo Parade.

Finding Opportunities for Outreach: At the METRO booth, staff members helped seniors and students register for discounted fare cards and provided information — in both English and Spanish — on projects.