PACA Launches Transit Solidarity Program to Expand Transit Access for Working Class Washingtonians

Community organization will distribute free SmarTrip cards during public launch at Anacostia Metro Station on Saturday, August 8.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — August 8, 2026 — Pan-African Community Action (PACA) will officially launch its Transit Solidarity Program on Saturday, August 8 at 1:00 p.m. outside the Anacostia Metro Station. The initiative seeks to reduce transportation barriers for unemployed, underemployed, and working-class residents by distributing donated SmarTrip cards while advancing the organization’s broader campaign for community control of public transportation.

The public launch will include the distribution of free SmarTrip cards, opportunities to learn more about the program, and conversations with community members about the growing cost of transportation and its impact on working-class Black communities throughout the District.

PACA says the Transit Solidarity Program was created in response to rising transit costs and increased fare enforcement, which have disproportionately affected working-class riders. At the same time that housing costs and gentrification continue to push many residents farther from the city’s economic center, reliance on public transportation has become increasingly essential. Yet the cost of accessing buses and trains remains a significant burden for many District residents.

According to PACA, recent policies emphasizing fare enforcement through increased policing, surveillance, citations, and removals from buses and trains have treated transportation affordability as a criminal justice issue rather than a public need. The organization argues that meaningful transit access requires investment in people—not punishment for those who cannot afford increasingly expensive fares.

The Transit Solidarity Program expands upon PACA’s Community Control DC Platform. Through monthly distributions at the Anacostia Metro Station, the program combines immediate material assistance with political education and community organizing around transportation justice.

“Transportation is not a luxury—it’s how people get to work, school, doctor’s appointments, grocery stores, and community,” said a spokesperson for Pan-African Community Action. “Our Transit Solidarity Program is about meeting immediate needs while organizing for a transportation system that serves working-class communities instead of criminalizing poverty.”

PACA is encouraging community members to donate new or used SmarTrip cards—including cards with remaining balances—to support future Transit Solidarity distributions. Donations may be made through designated drop-off locations and PACA programs.