about mckenzie ortiz

I’m an urban advocate building walkable, inclusive communities through transportation access, affordable housing, and public infrastructure reform. My work brings together grassroots organizing, civic leadership, and digital storytelling to shift how cities prioritize working-class residents and non-drivers.

I grew up experiencing poverty and instability, navigating systems that weren’t built for families like mine. From a young age, I saw how access — to transportation, housing, education, and safety — shapes everything. That perspective continues to guide my work today: advocating for communities where public systems meet people’s real needs, especially those most often left out of decision-making.

As the Advocacy Coordinator at Local Motion and a Planning & Zoning and Bicycle & Pedestrian Commissioner for the City of Columbia, Missouri, I create digital campaigns, organize public engagement efforts, and contribute to policy discussions that shape how cities plan for people — not just cars.

I’m also the founder of Pedestrian Pride, a digital storytelling project that uplifts the realities of walking, riding, and rolling in communities like mine. It centers working-class non-drivers and celebrates the dignity and creativity of navigating the built environment on foot.

In addition, I serve as Communications Director for Mid-Missouri DSA, working to advance progressive campaigns that reflect the values of economic justice, safety, and access for all.

Through this work, I aim to ensure that public systems reflect the voices and needs of the people who rely on them most.