Abstract
Research shows that low-income communities of color are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards and that children are particularly susceptible to environmental risks due to their developing physiology. This chapter describes a collaborative studyinvolving researchers and Detroit Head Start parents to examine the impact of environmental hazards on their children’s well-being through a method called Photovoice. Using Photovoice, a participatory research methodology through which participants photodocument how the environment affects the health of their families and community, Head Start parents identified hazards in the physical environment, including abandoned buildings and vacant plots that had become illegal dumping grounds, as well as strengths within their community. Through this process, parents gained a better understanding of the environmental risks in the area as well as an insight into appropriate community strategies to address these concerns. Environmental justice training complemented the Photovoice project so that parents could further increase their awareness and advocacy skills, and ultimately take action against these imposing hazards.
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Spencer, M.S., Garratt, A., Hockman, E., Bryant, B., Kohn-Wood, L. (2011). Environmental Justice and the Well-being of Poor Children of Color. In: Burton, L., Matthews, S., Leung, M., Kemp, S., Takeuchi, D. (eds) Communities, Neighborhoods, and Health. Social Disparities in Health and Health Care, vol 1. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7482-2_12
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