TOXIC TOUR Addressing health inequalities related to

environmental justice: A partnership between the Bayview Hunters Point community, San

Francisco Department of Public Health, & University of California-San Francisco

− Karen Pierce, JD, Health Equity Projects, SFDPH− Buffy Bunting, MPH, CHES, Community Health Promotion & Prevention, SFDHP− Maya Yoshida-Cervantes, BS, HIV Epidemiology and Statistics, SFDPH

Presenter Disclosure

“No relationships to disclose”

− Karen Pierce, JD, Health Equity Projects, SFDPH− Buffy Bunting, MPH, CHES, Community Health Promotion & Prevention, SFDHP− Maya Yoshida-Cervantes, BS, HIV Epidemiology and Statistics, SFDPH

(1) The following personal financial relationships with commercial interests relevant to this presentation existed during the past 12 months:

Bayview Hunters Point (BVHP)

Located in the Southeast corner of San Francisco

Home to about 35,000 residents

Greater than 50% the land is used for industrial use

1/3 of the city’s hazardous waste sites: 1 Federal Superfund Site

100 Brownfield Sites 1 (of 3) sewage treatment plant that handles 80% of San

Francisco’s waste water

Bayview Hunters Point cont.

Asthma Hospitalization Rates 2007-2009

Bayview Hunters Point (BVHP)Toxic Tour

•An interactive three-hour mobile workshop to educate medical health care providers, local community members, and public health activists about the environmental and health inequities that residents are exposed to daily by living in proximity to toxic industries.

BVHPToxic Tour

•A partnership created in 2002 with: •Bayview

Hunters Point Health and Environmental Assessment Task Force (HEAP)

•San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH)

•University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

Collaborators

•Designed to introduce the public to the BVHP neighborhood through the lens of environmental justice, public health, and community perspectives

Purpose

•The tour uses an environmental justice approach to outreach and educate health professionals and community members

•Indentifies the multiple industries in BVHP that largely contribute to the environmental impacts BVHP residents live with

•Discusses how the community can establish partnerships among city government and academia to address health inequities related to environmental justice

Design/

Method

Community Benefits

BVHP Residents

Medical Learners, Residents,

and Providers

Public Health

Employees and

Learners

BVHP Residents

Community Members

Expand community members’

understanding of environmental impacts in their

community

Educate community

members on how they can become more

actively involved in their

community

Encourage residents to fight for social justice

and environmental

health

BVHP Residents

Medical Learners, Residents, and Providers

Supplemental education for Medical Learners, Residents, and Providers

Understand where social

determinants are visible in the

neighborhood.

Provide an understanding of

residents’ perspective on

environment and health inequities

Public Health Employees and Learners

Public Health Employees

Learn methodologies that succeed in organizing

and advocating for elimination of

health inequities

Learn techniques to

develop partnerships

with local grassroots

organizations.

Public Health Learners

Learn how to identify health

inequities related to

exposure to environmental pollutants in

the community

Understand the Core

Functions of Public Health

associated with

Environmental Justice

How this tour can be adapted for other localities

Toxic tours are conducted in Environmental Justice Communities around the world honoring the following principles:

2. Research must be conducted using a community-based participatory action model

1. Must be designed and led by community residents

For information on ongoing community toxic tours:

Mark Matthews

Rafiki Wellness Center

Black Coalition on AIDS

PHONE: (415) 615-9945, ext. 115

EMAIL: communityorganizing@bcoa.org