Building Equitable Transportation Systems Through Community Engagement With Melissa Holguin

Melissa Holguin is the Staff and Project Director at Arellano Associates, a Southern California consulting firm specializing in public engagement, communications, and technological innovations for public‑sector projects. She brings over 20 years of experience in managing public information programs, strategic planning, and comprehensive outreach, while also overseeing staff development and overall project delivery. In addition to serving as a Senior Project Manager, Melissa leads the firm’s in‑house JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) group and helps guide their online engagement and social media strategies.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [3:21] Melissa Holguin’s path into transportation and infrastructure planning
• [5:53] Challenges and impact of leading the Metro NextGen Bus Plan during the pandemic
• [10:18] Embedding justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion into large-scale projects
• [14:03] Barriers marginalized communities face in accessing public transportation
• [17:34] Balancing technical, financial, and community priorities in multimillion-dollar projects
• [34:13] Melissa’s advice for young professionals, women, and minorities entering transportation planning
• [36:22] Melissa’s leadership role in the WTS-LA Small Business Committee

In this episode…

How do we design transportation systems that don’t just move people, but truly serve communities? Across cities, marginalized groups often face barriers in access, representation, and decision-making. Can large-scale infrastructure projects be built with equity at the core?

According to Melissa Holguin, a respected leader in transportation and community engagement, equity must be intentionally woven into every phase of planning and execution. She highlights how successful projects hinge on giving historically underrepresented communities a real seat at the table, ensuring their voices influence outcomes. The result is more inclusive systems that strengthen trust and improve quality of life. Melissa also points to innovation and digital tools as game changers in bridging gaps and expanding access.

In this episode of RAW Spotlight, host Victor Huynh sits down with Melissa Holguin, Staff and Project Director at Arellano Associates, to discuss building equitable transportation systems through community engagement. They explore how equity and inclusion shape public transit projects, the challenges of engaging marginalized communities, and the role of digital tools in outreach. Melissa also shares advice for young professionals entering the industry.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Victor Huynh on LinkedIn
• Emily Au on LinkedIn
• Ready Artwork
• Melissa Holguin: LinkedIn | Email
• Arellano Associates
• Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) Los Angeles: Website | LinkedIn
• “Kickstart Your Business With an SBA 504 Loan With Jacky Dilfer” on RAW Spotlight
• “Building Community and Navigating Crisis With Dylan Feik” on RAW Spotlight
• Genoveva Arellano on LinkedIn
• Chester Britt on LinkedIn

Quotable Moments

• “I didn’t necessarily think about this path from the beginning; I kind of fell into it.”
• “It was very exciting to be able to have a role in some small way to impact people’s lives for the better.”
• “We cannot stay stagnant and think that because one strategy worked in the past, it’s always going to work.”
• “At the end of the day, it’s all of our goals to make sure that we make an impact, improving lives through mobility, equity, and making it sustainable for the region.”
• “No one succeeds alone; we all need our core group, and we all need our partners.”

Action Steps

1. Integrate equity into every project phase: Embedding diversity and inclusion from the start ensures decisions reflect community needs.
2. Partner with community-based organizations: Trusted local leaders help overcome barriers, build credibility, and ensure authentic public engagement.
3. Balance technical and community priorities: Aligning engineering goals with real-world concerns creates solutions that are both practical and people-focused.
4. Leverage digital tools for outreach: Using maps, surveys, and AI expands participation and makes complex projects accessible to wider audiences.
5. Mentor and support future professionals: Encouraging women and minorities to enter transportation builds a stronger, more inclusive industry pipeline.

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