As the practice of stream restoration continues expanding globally, the importance of including s... more As the practice of stream restoration continues expanding globally, the importance of including social factors and communities within the restoration or revitalization process also increases. Engineers and environmental scientists have acknowledged the crucial role of actively involving such communities, but community involvement poses challenges because there is little guidance on managing social processes and balancing different interests. Although many restoration efforts appear to be addressing the needs of crucial ecological habitats, there have been concerning disparities identified associated to race, ethnicity, and income. Through examining 2 case studies, we attempt to identify historical trends and to describe inequities, environmental burdens, and urgent needs of oppressed communities. This validation process also led us to explore systemic constraints that can perpetuate injustices. We suggest that an equity and environmental justice perspective can provide both context and an opportunity to recognize and address basic needs of communities. The ultimate goal of stream restoration should be to achieve solutions that provide true justice; therefore, considering power relations and finding causes rather than symptoms of inequities are both important to achieving more sustainable and equitable stream restoration outcomes.
This file contains supplementary materials for a scoping review manuscript that is being submitte... more This file contains supplementary materials for a scoping review manuscript that is being submitted fir publication. Enclosed in this file is the PRISMA Extension Checklist for Scoping Reviews and the search strategy used in the review.
Oxidative Stress and Dietary Antioxidants in Neurological Diseases, 2020
Abstract Energy changes inside any cell have a major impact on the ability of a cell to function.... more Abstract Energy changes inside any cell have a major impact on the ability of a cell to function. Although energy changes are a normal part of the cellular process, there are several factors that can negatively impact a cell's energy. Environmental factors, metabolic changes, and inflammation are just a few of the factors that contribute to a cell's energy. Environmental factors and viruses, notably HIV, can negatively impact the energy of a cell because toxins can contribute to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress influences cell signaling molecules similar to the influence an imbalance in metabolic changes will have on the formation of free radicals and cell signaling molecules. This chapter explores the contribution of astrocytes, dopaminergic neurons, microglia cells, and pancreatic beta-cells to neuroinflammation by analyzing the normal role vs the neuroinflammatory role of each. In addition, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are extensively discussed.
In this study we used a participatory research method, photovoice, to explore community perceptio... more In this study we used a participatory research method, photovoice, to explore community perceptions about environmental health risks, community assets, and strengths in and around an urban, degraded watershed in Northwest Atlanta, Georgia. This watershed, formed by Proctor Creek, is a focal point for redevelopment and infrastructure investments for years to come. Using a community-based participatory research approach, 10 Proctor Creek residents (watershed researchers), and a university partner, engaged in data collection; participatory data analysis; internal discussions; translation of research findings into watershed restoration, community revitalization, remedial action, and policy solutions; and dissemination of results to fellow watershed residents, stakeholders, and decision makers. We present a conceptual model linking the watershed researchers' understanding of urban policies and practice in the Proctor Creek Watershed to environmental, neighborhood and housing conditions and their influence on health outcomes and quality of life. Engaging community members in defining their own community environmental health challenges and assets yielded the following primary themes: 1) threats to the natural environment, 2) built environment stressors that influence health, 3) blight and divestment of public resources, and 4) hope for the future. Residents' vision for the future of the watershed - a restored creek, revitalized neighborhoods, and restored people - is fueled by a strong connection to history, memory, and sense of place. We demonstrate the value of local knowledge in identifying previously unaddressed environmental health risks in the Proctor Creek Watershed as well as solutions to reduce or eliminate them.
In this study we used a participatory research method, photovoice, to explore community perceptio... more In this study we used a participatory research method, photovoice, to explore community perceptions about environmental health risks, community assets, and strengths in and around an urban, degraded watershed in Northwest Atlanta, Georgia. This watershed, formed by Proctor Creek, is a focal point for redevelopment and infrastructure investments for years to come. Using a community-based participatory research approach, 10 Proctor Creek residents (watershed researchers), and a university partner, engaged in data collection; participatory data analysis; internal discussions; translation of research findings into watershed restoration, community revitalization, remedial action, and policy solutions; and dissemination of results to fellow watershed residents, stakeholders, and decision makers. We present a conceptual model linking the watershed researchers' understanding of urban policies and practice in the Proctor Creek Watershed to environmental, neighborhood and housing conditions and their influence on health outcomes and quality of life. Engaging community members in defining their own community environmental health challenges and assets yielded the following primary themes: 1) threats to the natural environment, 2) built environment stressors that influence health, 3) blight and divestment of public resources, and 4) hope for the future. Residents' vision for the future of the watershed - a restored creek, revitalized neighborhoods, and restored people - is fueled by a strong connection to history, memory, and sense of place. We demonstrate the value of local knowledge in identifying previously unaddressed environmental health risks in the Proctor Creek Watershed as well as solutions to reduce or eliminate them.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020
Environmental justice (EJ) efforts aimed at capacity building are essential to addressing environ... more Environmental justice (EJ) efforts aimed at capacity building are essential to addressing environmental health disparities; however, limited attention has been given to describing these efforts. This study reports findings from a scoping review of community–academic partnerships and community-led efforts to address environmental inequities related to air, water, and land pollution in the United States. Literature published in peer-reviewed journals from January 1986 through March 2018 were included, and community capacity theory was applied as a framework for understanding the scope of capacity-building and community change strategies to address EJ concerns. Paired teams of independent analysts conducted a search for relevant articles (n = 8452 citations identified), filtered records for content abstraction and possible inclusion (n = 163) and characterized selected studies (n = 58). Most articles implemented activities that were aligned with community capacity dimensions of citizen...
Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 2021
Recent scholarship on environmental justice highlights a concern about the relationship between t... more Recent scholarship on environmental justice highlights a concern about the relationship between the racial state and social movement strategy. This paper addresses the ingenuity of environmental justice organizing in the Proctor Creek and South River watersheds of Atlanta, Georgia, each home to predominantly Black communities and unjust flows of toxicants and sewage through urban creeks, streams, and rivers. We begin from critiques of the failure of institutionalized environmental justice and the state’s role in maintaining environmental racisms. To examine organizing responses to these circumstances, we analyze the improvisational politics of social movements in the context of the racial state, theoretically drawing from Charles Lee’s Ingenious Citizenship (2016). Empirically investigating the work of Atlanta community organizers, we emphasize pathways of strategic innovation among environmental justice organizers that improvise against the racial state even while negotiating with ...
Atlanta has one of the largest wealth gaps in the United States, and it is a racialized one: as o... more Atlanta has one of the largest wealth gaps in the United States, and it is a racialized one: as of 2017, almost 75 percent of residents living below the poverty line were Black. Sustainable develop...
Environmental justice communities, those disproportionately affected by pollutants, are simultane... more Environmental justice communities, those disproportionately affected by pollutants, are simultaneously exposed to multiple environmental stressors and also experience social and cultural factors that may heighten their health risks in comparison to other communities. In addition to being more susceptible to toxic exposures and being exposed to more toxins, such communities may have weakened abilities to combat or rebound from such exposures. Many communities that are overburdened by environmental exposures reject traditional risk assessment approaches that solely consider the effects of single chemicals or mixtures of like chemicals and instead have advocated for the use of place-based approaches and collaborative problem solving models that consider cumulative exposures and impacts. Cumulative risks are the combined risks from aggregate exposures to multiple agents or stressors, including chemical, biological or physical agents and psychosocial stressors. This dissertation adapts t...
Alex Karner is an Assistant Professor in the School of City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech... more Alex Karner is an Assistant Professor in the School of City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech. His work aims to quantify the social equity, environmental, and public health implications of transportation projects and plans by using emerging data sources and developing new, open source methods.
As the practice of stream restoration continues expanding globally, the importance of including s... more As the practice of stream restoration continues expanding globally, the importance of including social factors and communities within the restoration or revitalization process also increases. Engineers and environmental scientists have acknowledged the crucial role of actively involving such communities, but community involvement poses challenges because there is little guidance on managing social processes and balancing different interests. Although many restoration efforts appear to be addressing the needs of crucial ecological habitats, there have been concerning disparities identified associated to race, ethnicity, and income. Through examining 2 case studies, we attempt to identify historical trends and to describe inequities, environmental burdens, and urgent needs of oppressed communities. This validation process also led us to explore systemic constraints that can perpetuate injustices. We suggest that an equity and environmental justice perspective can provide both context and an opportunity to recognize and address basic needs of communities. The ultimate goal of stream restoration should be to achieve solutions that provide true justice; therefore, considering power relations and finding causes rather than symptoms of inequities are both important to achieving more sustainable and equitable stream restoration outcomes.
This file contains supplementary materials for a scoping review manuscript that is being submitte... more This file contains supplementary materials for a scoping review manuscript that is being submitted fir publication. Enclosed in this file is the PRISMA Extension Checklist for Scoping Reviews and the search strategy used in the review.
Oxidative Stress and Dietary Antioxidants in Neurological Diseases, 2020
Abstract Energy changes inside any cell have a major impact on the ability of a cell to function.... more Abstract Energy changes inside any cell have a major impact on the ability of a cell to function. Although energy changes are a normal part of the cellular process, there are several factors that can negatively impact a cell's energy. Environmental factors, metabolic changes, and inflammation are just a few of the factors that contribute to a cell's energy. Environmental factors and viruses, notably HIV, can negatively impact the energy of a cell because toxins can contribute to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress influences cell signaling molecules similar to the influence an imbalance in metabolic changes will have on the formation of free radicals and cell signaling molecules. This chapter explores the contribution of astrocytes, dopaminergic neurons, microglia cells, and pancreatic beta-cells to neuroinflammation by analyzing the normal role vs the neuroinflammatory role of each. In addition, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are extensively discussed.
In this study we used a participatory research method, photovoice, to explore community perceptio... more In this study we used a participatory research method, photovoice, to explore community perceptions about environmental health risks, community assets, and strengths in and around an urban, degraded watershed in Northwest Atlanta, Georgia. This watershed, formed by Proctor Creek, is a focal point for redevelopment and infrastructure investments for years to come. Using a community-based participatory research approach, 10 Proctor Creek residents (watershed researchers), and a university partner, engaged in data collection; participatory data analysis; internal discussions; translation of research findings into watershed restoration, community revitalization, remedial action, and policy solutions; and dissemination of results to fellow watershed residents, stakeholders, and decision makers. We present a conceptual model linking the watershed researchers' understanding of urban policies and practice in the Proctor Creek Watershed to environmental, neighborhood and housing conditions and their influence on health outcomes and quality of life. Engaging community members in defining their own community environmental health challenges and assets yielded the following primary themes: 1) threats to the natural environment, 2) built environment stressors that influence health, 3) blight and divestment of public resources, and 4) hope for the future. Residents' vision for the future of the watershed - a restored creek, revitalized neighborhoods, and restored people - is fueled by a strong connection to history, memory, and sense of place. We demonstrate the value of local knowledge in identifying previously unaddressed environmental health risks in the Proctor Creek Watershed as well as solutions to reduce or eliminate them.
In this study we used a participatory research method, photovoice, to explore community perceptio... more In this study we used a participatory research method, photovoice, to explore community perceptions about environmental health risks, community assets, and strengths in and around an urban, degraded watershed in Northwest Atlanta, Georgia. This watershed, formed by Proctor Creek, is a focal point for redevelopment and infrastructure investments for years to come. Using a community-based participatory research approach, 10 Proctor Creek residents (watershed researchers), and a university partner, engaged in data collection; participatory data analysis; internal discussions; translation of research findings into watershed restoration, community revitalization, remedial action, and policy solutions; and dissemination of results to fellow watershed residents, stakeholders, and decision makers. We present a conceptual model linking the watershed researchers' understanding of urban policies and practice in the Proctor Creek Watershed to environmental, neighborhood and housing conditions and their influence on health outcomes and quality of life. Engaging community members in defining their own community environmental health challenges and assets yielded the following primary themes: 1) threats to the natural environment, 2) built environment stressors that influence health, 3) blight and divestment of public resources, and 4) hope for the future. Residents' vision for the future of the watershed - a restored creek, revitalized neighborhoods, and restored people - is fueled by a strong connection to history, memory, and sense of place. We demonstrate the value of local knowledge in identifying previously unaddressed environmental health risks in the Proctor Creek Watershed as well as solutions to reduce or eliminate them.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020
Environmental justice (EJ) efforts aimed at capacity building are essential to addressing environ... more Environmental justice (EJ) efforts aimed at capacity building are essential to addressing environmental health disparities; however, limited attention has been given to describing these efforts. This study reports findings from a scoping review of community–academic partnerships and community-led efforts to address environmental inequities related to air, water, and land pollution in the United States. Literature published in peer-reviewed journals from January 1986 through March 2018 were included, and community capacity theory was applied as a framework for understanding the scope of capacity-building and community change strategies to address EJ concerns. Paired teams of independent analysts conducted a search for relevant articles (n = 8452 citations identified), filtered records for content abstraction and possible inclusion (n = 163) and characterized selected studies (n = 58). Most articles implemented activities that were aligned with community capacity dimensions of citizen...
Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 2021
Recent scholarship on environmental justice highlights a concern about the relationship between t... more Recent scholarship on environmental justice highlights a concern about the relationship between the racial state and social movement strategy. This paper addresses the ingenuity of environmental justice organizing in the Proctor Creek and South River watersheds of Atlanta, Georgia, each home to predominantly Black communities and unjust flows of toxicants and sewage through urban creeks, streams, and rivers. We begin from critiques of the failure of institutionalized environmental justice and the state’s role in maintaining environmental racisms. To examine organizing responses to these circumstances, we analyze the improvisational politics of social movements in the context of the racial state, theoretically drawing from Charles Lee’s Ingenious Citizenship (2016). Empirically investigating the work of Atlanta community organizers, we emphasize pathways of strategic innovation among environmental justice organizers that improvise against the racial state even while negotiating with ...
Atlanta has one of the largest wealth gaps in the United States, and it is a racialized one: as o... more Atlanta has one of the largest wealth gaps in the United States, and it is a racialized one: as of 2017, almost 75 percent of residents living below the poverty line were Black. Sustainable develop...
Environmental justice communities, those disproportionately affected by pollutants, are simultane... more Environmental justice communities, those disproportionately affected by pollutants, are simultaneously exposed to multiple environmental stressors and also experience social and cultural factors that may heighten their health risks in comparison to other communities. In addition to being more susceptible to toxic exposures and being exposed to more toxins, such communities may have weakened abilities to combat or rebound from such exposures. Many communities that are overburdened by environmental exposures reject traditional risk assessment approaches that solely consider the effects of single chemicals or mixtures of like chemicals and instead have advocated for the use of place-based approaches and collaborative problem solving models that consider cumulative exposures and impacts. Cumulative risks are the combined risks from aggregate exposures to multiple agents or stressors, including chemical, biological or physical agents and psychosocial stressors. This dissertation adapts t...
Alex Karner is an Assistant Professor in the School of City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech... more Alex Karner is an Assistant Professor in the School of City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech. His work aims to quantify the social equity, environmental, and public health implications of transportation projects and plans by using emerging data sources and developing new, open source methods.
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