Blurring boundaries of informality through precise mapping in Rio de Janeiro
My research examines the role of place and identity in producing differentiated health outcomes by combining geospatial analysis and qualitative research methods to highlight localized disparities faced by vulnerable communities in informal settlements in Rio de Janeiro. I employ ecosocial theory of human health as coined by Nancy Krieger, as well as a relational understanding of place as elaborated by Stephen Cummins to better understand how places of dis-investment can be better defined in order to better understand how they produce health disparities. Though Brazilian federal and local agencies have attempted to maintain consistency between official designations of informal spaces, I have identified areas of discordance between these designations. Using statistical and geospatial analysis I highlight the limitations of relying on official data sets such as the national census in accurately depicting the locality and the significance of informal spaces. I also examine the ways in which residents of informal settlements play a role in shaping the boundaries of their communities. Through a mixed methods case study combining locally gathered community mapping data and interviews with community mapping participants I show how residents re-articulate their communities in the process of identifying community needs and providing resources for themselves that the State has been unwilling or unable to provide.
As a first generation college graduate, I am committed to empowering students to succeed in academic and professional careers through my mentoring, by uncovering the hidden structures that create differentiated outcomes. My work has entailed collaborations with environmental health scientists, social scientists and epidemiologists as well as community-based organizations working on environmental health and environmental justice issues. I hold a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from UCLA and a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Riverside. I have recently been awarded the NIH funded post-doctoral Global Health Equity Scholars fellowship where I will expand on my dissertation research in Brazil. Additionally, I will be joining the faculty of Pomona College, in the fall of 2017, as Asst. Professor of Urban Geography and Environmental Justice.