Barbas Rhoden, Laura

Bradham, Jennifer L

Schwartz, Grace

English

Wofford College

Wofford College Digital Commons @ Wofford Community Based Research Community Based Research 2-21-2024 Place-Based Research at Local Scales Laura Barbas Rhoden Wofford College, barbasrhodenlh@wofford.edu Jennifer L. Bradham Wofford College, bradhamjl@wofford.edu Grace Schwartz Wofford College, schwartzge@wofford.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/community  Part of the Community-Based Research Commons Recommended Citation Barbas Rhoden, Laura; Bradham, Jennifer L.; and Schwartz, Grace, "Place-Based Research at Local Scales" (2024). Community Based Research. 11. https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/community/11 This Conference Proceeding is brought to you for free and open access by the Community Based Research at Digital Commons @ Wofford. It has been accepted for inclusion in Community Based Research by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Wofford. For more information, please contact stonerp@wofford.edu. Welcome to the 2024SC's Nonprofit SummitDownload Cvent To Join The Conversation & Plan Your DayWofford CollegePlace-Based Research at Local Scales Dr. Grace SchwartzDr. Jen BradhamDr.  Laura Barbas-RhodenSession OverviewThis session shares strategies academics and collaborators outside of academia use to co-ideate, fund, and conduct research that centers community knowledge and agency and furthers community-led change. The presentation offers examples from collaborative, place-based research projects related to health equity and safe and supportive communities in Spartanburg and underscores how interdisciplinary research undertaken with and in communities can inform change.  Learning Objective“I’ve deepened my understanding of how research among academic and community collaborators can be co-ideated, funded, and conducted and how data in community hands can further action from programming to policy.” Research Site: Spartanburg, SC4Co-IdeationDynamic, complex, varied.Intentional and serendipitous.Emergent from opportunities created or cultivated for co-ideation.Examples: social impact networks and collectives; formal partnerships; direct queries and invitations.Qualitative Projects: Environment, Health, PlaceDinkins, Christine Sorrell; Barbas Rhoden, Laura; Gonzalez, Mariana; Lomeli-Garcia, Mayra; Lopez, Sandra; Ortiz, Hector; Stevens, Jay; and Taylor, Naya, "Contextualizing Kindergarten Readiness Data: A Qualitative Research Study of the Highland Neighborhood in Spartanburg, South Carolina" (2020). Community Based Research. 6. https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/community/6 Gonzalez, Mariana; Hughes, Kathleen; Lomeli-Garcia, Mayra; Lopez, Sandra; Barbas-Rhoden, Laura H.; and Dinkins, Christine S., "Inclusive Place-Making in Spartanburg, SC: Amplifying Latinx Voices through Community-Based Research" (2018). Community Based Research. 1. https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/community/1Lomeli-Garcia, Mayra; Stevens, Jay; Gonzalez, Mariana; Lopez, Sandra; Ortiz, Hector; Taylor, Naya; Barbas Rhoden, Laura; and Dinkins, Christine S., "Contextualizing Kindergarten Readiness Data: A Qualitative Research Study of Forest Park Neighborhood in Spartanburg, South Carolina" (2020). Community Based Research. 4. https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/community/4 Lopez, Sandra; Ortiz, Hector; Gonzalez, Mariana; Lomeli-Garcia, Mayra; Stevens, Jay; Taylor, Naya; Barbas Rhoden, Laura; Dinkins, Christine Sorrell; and Quiñones, Gianella E., "Out of School Time (OST) for Latinx Youth: A Qualitative Research Study in Spartanburg, South Carolina" (2020). Community Based Research. 8. https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/community/8. Barbas Rhoden, Laura; Curiel Muñoz, Nora; and Valenzuela Swanson, Natalia, "Recommendations for Food Systems Work Based Upon Research and Data Related to Latinx Residents of Spartanburg County" (2020). Community Based Research. 7.https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/community/7Barbas Rhoden, Laura, "Healthy eating & active living in childhood in Latinx households in Spartanburg, SC: a community-engaged qualitative research study on assets and challenges" (2020). Community Based Research. 5.https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/community/5Emon, Kaelyn; Arnold, Emily; Carter, Samantha; Jones, Hayden; Owens, Sarah; Tufts, Noel A.; White, Tiana; Barbas Rhoden, Laura; and Dinkins, Christine S., "Climate Stories: South Carolina, Volume 1" (2023). Community Based Research. 10.https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/community/10Out-of-School Time for Latinx Youth | Co-ideation• Emergent from conversations in community about lowering rate of teen pregnancy in Spartanburg County.• Examination of the data pointed to persistent disparities.• Decision-makers wanted to understand the whys behind the disparities to better support youth thriving.• Question: What does out-of-school time look like for Latinx youth and families?Source: “Teen Birth Rates Historical Low.” Mary Black Foundation blog post.Design and Funding• Two faculty, Drs. Laura Barbas-Rhoden and Christine Dinkins, and six bilingual students• One-on-one interviews in English and Spanish• Socratic approach in interviewing | researcher centers and defers to agency of the interlocutor• 10 weeks from student training to completion of data gathering• Transcription, translation, and coding of transcripts• Analysis of themes | elevation of voices• Community peer review and recommendations • Funded by Wofford Office of Undergraduate ResearchStudent fellows: Mayra Lomeli-García, Hector Ortiz, Sandra López, Naya Taylor, Jay Stevens, Mariana GonzálezFindings (Key Themes)Social Connectedness and Social Isolation: Family Dynamics. Intersectional forces affect social connectedness and social isolation for Spartanburg area Latinx youth. These include the following: • Parenting approaches • Perceptions of financial stress and the connection to parental expectations of children • Parents’ perceptions of lack of safe spaces • Work schedules and lack of access to transportation limit youth OST options • Work schedules limit time to connect as a family • Barriers to parental involvement in schools and children’s healthcare: English proficiency, work schedules, transportation • Care work commitments of women and girls within the household Social Connectedness in Institutional Spaces • Schools and theater programs at school • (Catholic) church Sexual Health, Dating, and Family Expectations • Youth discouraged or prohibited from dating • Parents sometimes uncomfortable discussing sexual health with their children • Sex education classes in the schools • Teen pregnancyImpactsOpen Access Report: Lopez, Sandra; Ortiz, Hector; Gonzalez, Mariana; Lomeli-Garcia, Mayra; Stevens, Jay; Taylor, Naya; Barbas Rhoden, Laura; Dinkins, Christine Sorrell; and Quiñones, Gianella E., "Out of School Time (OST) for Latinx Youth: A Qualitative Research Study in Spartanburg, South Carolina" (2020). Community Based Research. 8. https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/community/8Data informed allocation of funding from a $4.4 million dollar federal grant | PASOs Spartanburg (now Vida y Salud) received support for the implementation of an evidence-based, culturally responsive curriculum designed for Hispanic/Latinx familiesStudent research fellows (majority first-gen) presented locally, regionally, and nationally at conferencesStudent produced podcast series that shared and reflected on the research:Climate Stories: SC, vol. 1: Co-ideation • Wofford faculty in dialogue with local community organizers and Penn Program in Environmental Humanities• Question: How are people in South Carolina experiencing climate change? How do they express their experiences and feelings about it?• Our Why?Climate Stories: The WhyClimate Stories: South Carolina, vol. 1: Funding and Design• Two faculty and seven students• One-on-one interviews• Socratic approach in interviewing | researcher centers and defers to agency of the interlocutor• 10 weeks from student training to completion of data gathering• Transcription• Design, layout, and graphics• Community peer review and recommendations: Gia Quiñones and Kendall SheltonClimate Stories: SC, vol. 1: Voices and ImpactsClimate Stories: SC, vol. 1: ImpactsElevating the conversation at Wofford and in Spartanburg | public release of vol. 1 during 2023 Climate Week An Analysis of Greenspace EquityWhat is the spatial distribution of parks and green spaces in Spartanburg? What are residents’ experiences and perceptions of parks? 16Co-ideation and Funding17• Quantitative Team: Student Fellows with Dr. Jen Bradham• Qualitative Team: Student Fellows with Dr. Laura Barbas Rhoden• Community Context Experts Nora Curiel-Muñoz, Angelia Edwards, and Toni Sutton• Institutional Interlocutors including Partners for Active Living, Mary Black Foundation, City Parks & Rec• Funded by Wofford Undergraduate Research programResearch Process: Mixed-methods study18Phenomenological Observation• 29 observations in June and July of parks located in the City and County• Neighborhood parks, destination parks, and one “not park”Socratic Interviews | big question, interlocutor agency• 16 transcribed interviews• Neighborhood, grassroots, community leaders and people in parks who agreed to an interviewCoding for emergent themesQualitative Data CollectionQuantitative Data CollectionSpatial Data Analysis• Map park boundaries, size, and location (n = 76 locations)• Two resolutions: census tract and zip codeAnalysis of Park Quality• Quantify number of different amenities, total number of amenities present, and quality of each amenityAnalysis of Park Use• Calculate monthly and weekly park visits using cell phone data1920Census tracts with the greatest number ofnon-English speakersCensus tracts with the greatest number ofHispanic-identifying individuals“So, a group of us -that had kids that enjoyed skateboarding- got together and started trying to figure out how we could create a space for them to skateboard and it became a partnership with the city and other private individuals in town and just the wheels got turning.” [14]Resident-driven park creation21ImpactsCELEBRATING SUCCESS OF COMMUNITY-DRIVEN EFFORTS FOR PARKS IN CITY OF SPARTANBURG OVER A DECADE PRIOR TO THE STUDYINFORMING NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY LEVEL ORGANIZINGDEMONSTRATING RELEVANCE OF MIXED METHODS RESEARCHLead Concentrations in Spartanburg City Playground SoilsCo-IdeationFollow up to the Greenspace Equity research projectIf there are inequities in park access and quality, are there also inequities in pollution exposure at these parks?Funding: Support from Wofford College• Wofford Summer Faculty-Student Collaborative Research Program grant• $20,125• Faculty stipend• Student hourly pay and meal plans for three students• Laboratory supplies• Wofford Papadopoulos Fund• $9,200• Student hourly pay and meal plans for two studentsTotal Budget: $29,325Why Lead?• Lead is a very common urban pollutant• Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal element that occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust • Average U.S. background concentration = 25.8 ppm   (USGS)• Urban areas tend to have higher concentrations. Generally, concentrations less than 50 ppm are considered uncontaminated• Lead will never degrade. Soil is its ultimate repository.Where does the lead come from?• Legacy contamination from industrial sites• Contaminated soil• Dust emissions• Runoff• Legacy contamination from leaded gasoline• Runoff/Debris from older homes w/lead paint• Most problematic if the paint is chipping and peelingLead is especially harmful to childrenU.S. EPACo-ideation: Project TeamStudent Research Fellows: Kleo Young, Carson Archie, Jill Hethcox, Maddie Glidden, and Megan SantosResearch Team• Dr Grace Schwartz• 5 Wofford undergraduates (Chemistry, Biology, and Environmental studies majors)• Collaborators at Duke University and Furman University for access to instrumentationCo-Ideation: Project Scope18 City Parks: Focus on Playgrounds• Which Parks to prioritize sampling first?Meeting with Spartanburg Lead Paint Removal Program• Informed us on the scope of the lead paint problem in Spartanburg• Pointed us towards neighborhoods that could be possible hotspotsStudents came up with a priority list based on:• proximity to known lead sources• Proximity to brownfields sites/superfund sites• Land-use history • Neighborhood ageSample Collection and AnalysisCollection:• Total of 152 soil samples collected• Soil samples were taken from the top 3 cm of soil• 8 samples taken at each park (4 inside play area, 4 around the perimeter of the play area)Preparation and Analysis:• Soil was dried and sieved• 8 hour heated acid digestion following EPA method 3050B• Analyzed at Furman University (Dr. Mac Gilliland) and Duke University (Dr. Heileen Hsu-Kim and Dr. Nelson Rivera)Data: Soil Lead ConcentrationsHow much Lead is too much?• U.S. EPA: “The soil screening level (SSL) for lead represents a conservative estimate for a level that would be protective of public health in residential soils based on an analysis of the direct ingestion pathway for children. This value is for guidance only and is not enforceable” • 400 ppm for bare soil play areas• California EPA:  “The concentration of lead in soil that would result in exposures that could increase a child’s blood lead level by 1 µg/dL was estimated using an exposure model and assumptions intended to be protective:  that children ingest 0.1 gram of soil or dust (about 2% of a teaspoon) every day, and that 44% of lead ingested with soil is available for absorption into the bloodstream.”• 80 ppm residential soils (this level is not expected to cause adverse health effects in the most sensitive individuals)Breaking news: U.S. EPA lowers advisory level to 200 ppm as of January 2024Data: Nuanced results• All parks were below the EPA advisory limit of 400 ppm for child play-areas• However, the average South Converse Park concentration (106 ppm) was above the California EPA limit of 80 ppm• South Converse Park concentrations were roughly 2x the next highest average park concentrationImpact: Addressing Equity IssuesMeeting with: City of Spartanburg, Spartanburg lead paint removal program, Southside community leaders, and Dr. Schwartz• Results in context of EPA limit, CA EPA limit, and lead concentrations in other cities• Remediation best practices • Discussion of possible lead sources• Action plan for the future• Interest in community-wide soil screening eventImpacts of Condemned and Abandoned PropertiesWhat are the impacts of condemned and abandoned properties on neighborhood wellness in Una, Saxon, and Arcadia (USA)?36Co-ideation and Funding• Email from a community-resident • Wofford Faculty-Student Collaborative research grants (to A. Handelsman and J. Bradham) + 10 student researchers• Romill Grant37Collaborator:Dr. Alysa Handelsman (Cultural Anthropology)Research Process: Mixed- Methods Study• Interviews with residents, city and county officials and community leaders• 500+ homes visited• Archival research on neighborhood history• Focus groups• Summer camp• Flea market38What is your favorite thing about your neighborhood?3943% of people responded “my home”What is your favorite place in your neighborhood?“It was once a good place to live”“I used to know everyone on my street. We would check on each other.”“People used to know their neighborhoods but not anymore. No one helps each other.”“80% of all the houses [in our neighborhood] are condemned. They [are] all owned by CD Buff”The Buff Family own 34% of parcels in the Una neighborhood and less than 2% of the properties are officially “condemned” in USAImpactsYouth Perspectives on community sustainabilityHow do youth perspectives on community and community sustainability vary across Spartanburg? 41Co-Ideation and funding• Email from Ms. Regan Hood (7th grade Geography at Carver Middle School)• Also in collaboration with Dr. Alysa Handelsman (Wofford, Anthropology) and Mr. Fowler (7th grade Geography at McCracken Middle School)• Funded via the Wofford office of Civil Rights, Compliance and Community Initiatives and the Wofford Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning42Research Process: Mixed-methods studyMap 1: [individual] Draw actual and dream neighborhoodsMap 2: [collaborative] Draw your dream neighborhood with those who live around youMap 3: [collaborative] Digitize your dream neighborhood with those who live around you using ArcGIS ProMap 4: [collaborative] PlaceIt! collaborative mapping exercise with everyday objectsSharing: Collaboration between middle schools, data interpretation and reflection4344Carver and McCracken Student Descriptions of their Actual NeighborhoodsSouth ConverseNeighborhood 1 Neighb rhood 2Challenges •Project management•Communication flows•Higher education incentive structures vary; not all faculty may have institutional supports for publicly engaged work•Access to instrumentation•Talent recruitment: competitive compensation for student fellows•Cost: labor, instrumentsDiscussion and QuestionsOut-of-School Time and Latinx YouthClimate Stories: South CarolinaGreenspace EquitySoil Lead Concentrations in PlaygroundsCondemned PropertiesYouth Perspectives48Contact usLaura Barbas RhodenBarbasrhodenlh@wofford.eduJen BradhamBradhamjl@wofford.eduGrace SchwartzSchwartzge@wofford.edu4950

Place-Based Research at Local Scales

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Place-Based Research at Local Scales

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