Justice for Joppa: A Framework for Community-Engaged Research on Air Quality and Health

Abstract

Due to historical racial segregation, people of color are disproportionately exposed to particulate matter (PM) air pollution. Joppa, a historic Freedman’s town and predominantly African American and Hispanic community in Dallas, Texas, is surrounded by multiple air pollution sources. Using a community-based participatory research approach, the Joppa Environmental Health Project was formed in 2020 with the primary objective of determining community perceptions of air quality in Joppa and assessing general health status through a co-developed household survey. A Community Steering Committee (CSC) led numerous engagement events and organized block captains to administer a household survey from May to October 2022. Additionally, neighborhood-level fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) concentration data from three local air monitors were publicly accessible from the SharedAirDFW network. A high neighborhood survey response rate (51%) revealed that the majority of respondents (62%) rated the air quality in Joppa as poor or very poor. 83% of respondents reported that air pollution in Joppa had made them or their family members sick. 40% of participants reported they avoid exercising outdoors and opening their windows due to concern about air pollution. A high percentage of survey respondents had been diagnosed with lifetime asthma (18%). Air monitoring data indicated potentially elevated levels of PM_2.5 in Joppa. Overall, the application of this framework facilitated robust community engagement and resident-led research to address a critical neighborhood concern. Subsequently, an asphalt batch plant voluntarily relocated operations in June of 2023. The CSC organized a new group known as Justice for Joppa/Justicia para Joppa to sustain the environmental justice momentum created by this work that will target local zoning and land use policies.