Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116680

Genaro Lopez, Southwest Workers Union/Committee for Environmental Justice Action, P.O. Box 830706, San Antonio, TX 78283-0706, 210.299.2666, genaro@igc.org

The Southwest Workers Union has been working in the southwest side of San Antonio to address community health issues from exposure to toxics and chemical contamination of the former Kelly Air Force Base. After the closure of the Base, the community made a strategic decision to define what they wanted to see change and improve in their neighborhood rather than be in a defensive position of demanding what they did not want to see take place over the next 5 years. Based on the vision of the community, SWU-CEJA is developing the Plan del Pueblo (People's Plan) that articulates the goals and demands around environmental cleanup, health and economic revitalization. In order to fill the gap between community understanding of environmental contamination and public health impacts, SWU-CEJA is engaging independent scientists and experts to evaluate existing data and work together with community leaders to design effective public health interventions and environmental remediation by developing a strategic plan to address the problems.

Experts were brought to the table in an alliance with the community to expand the knowledge of the both community members and public health scientists and access needed technical expertise through the formation of three ‘Work Teams' addressing health, environmental clean-up and economic revitalization. Currently 25 experts and university partners are involved in this community-driven process to empower the community to speak for themselves with the needed technical understanding. SWU is using brief health surveys and other public health tools to gather community knowledge and expose the health situation.

Learning Objectives:

• To provide a case study of an effective community-driven partnership between the Southwest Workers’ Union – Committee for Environmental Justice Action and independent scientists and universities.
• To demonstrate the importance and application of community-lead research initiatives for community education, outreach and empowerment.
• To explain the significance of combining community knowledge and scientific knowledge.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.