McKenzie Ortiz, a woman with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing a black zip-up jacket, pressing a button at a crosswalk in Columbia, Missouri on a fall day with trees and houses in the background.

Hi, I’m McKenzie


I’m an urban advocate building walkable, inclusive communities through transportation access, affordable housing, and public infrastructure reform.

As a commissioner and advocacy coordinator in Columbia, Missouri, I bridge grassroots organizing, civic leadership, and digital storytelling to push for safer streets and stronger systems — especially for working-class residents, renters and non-drivers.

What Advocacy Looks Like in Practice

Pedestrian Pride full color Logo, design by Adrienne Luther

Pedestrian Pride
A storytelling project and digital story telling campaign highlighting the experiences of non-drivers and working-class commuters in Columbia, Missouri. Pedestrian Pride pushes for safer, more accessible streets and shifts the narrative around who our cities are built for.