Advocate Spotlight: Rohan Shirur

Heart Powered advocate helps Leon County move toward safer streets
Rohan Shirur believes hope can move people – and policy

At 22, Florida State University student Rohan Shirur juggles a lot: finishing a mathematics degree, preparing for medical school, volunteering as a firefighter and working in a doctor’s office. But one issue rises to the top for him – making the streets of Leon County safer for everyone who uses them.

Rohan walks everywhere. Like many FSU students, he navigates crowded sidewalks, limited parking and intersections that don’t always feel safe. When he heard a ”complete streets” ordinance was being considered in Leon County, he felt compelled to speak out – not as an expert, but as someone who lives this reality every day.

A Complete Streets policy ensures roads are designed with everyone in mind — pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and transit riders of all ages and abilities. To Rohan, no ordinance felt more necessary for Tallahassee.

Rohan, an American Heart Association Heart Powered grassroots advocate, stepped up to the podium in February at a public hearing of the Leon County Board of Commissioners to share one clear message: Safer streets save lives.

“I walk to class. I walk to work. I walk to study groups and the grocery store,” he said. “A safer walking environment would be a win-win for everyone,” he told commissioners.

Rohan’s testimony helped move the county one step closer to creating a complete streets ordinance. The county had already taken a positive approach to safer streets – including a $21 million redesign of North Monroe Street, a major thoroughfare – with new sidewalks, raised medians, bike lanes and safer crossings, made possible by the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program, with Leon County also making a contribution.

For Rohan, the issue is deeply personal. He has seen firsthand the consequences of unsafe streets and preventable heart disease. He told commissioners that even 20 minutes of walking a day can improve cardiovascular health, reduce stress and support mental well-being – benefits highlighted in a Heart Association scientific statement.

He also spoke about cultures around the world where walking is a daily norm.

“People walk to work, to shop, to meet friends,” he said. “They’re healthier because of it.”

And he recalled the death of Ellie Sims, an FSU student struck by a person driving a car near campus – a tragedy he believes better street design could have prevented.

“We owe it to Ellie to complete our streets to be safer for all people – whether they are walking, biking, using a wheelchair, pushing a stroller or riding in a car,” Rohan said.

After his testimony, an older gentleman approached to offer him thanks. “People like you will make this community safer for my grandchildren,” the man told Rohan.

Moments like that reinforce Rohan’s belief that hope – spoken aloud and backed with purpose – can drive meaningful change.

Now, Rohan is looks to National Walking Day, a day established by the Heart Association, held each year on the first Wednesday of April, hoping it will add momentum for passage of the complete streets ordinance in Leon County.
“Walking gives me clarity,” he said. “And advocating for safer streets gives me purpose.”

Rohan hopes his voice – and the voices of others – will light the path forward for Leon County. As he continues his journey toward becoming a physician, he carries this belief with him: healthier hearts start with healthier streets.

As a Heart Powered advocate, in addition to working toward safer streets for his community, Rohan is also advocating for other issues that are important to him, including expanding Medicaid to increase health care coverage for more individuals across Florida. He’s also advocating for increasing CPR funding in schools, in hopes of advancing legislation to provide skills-based CPR training in middle and high schools across the state.

Join the Movement

To learn more about the American Heart Association’s Heart Powered movement, join us at the heart of progress. Text HEART to 46839 or visit HeartPowered.org.