Research Topic - Ben Kiler

As more and more historical information becomes readily available to us, a trend that becomes apparent is the government's/corporations' readiness to subvert the development of lower-income and minority communities by any means possible. The most significant instance of curbing development is "redlining," a tactic in which the Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) would declare neighborhoods with higher ethnic diversity as unsuitable for investors. These consequences of redlining still cause diverse areas in Southern California to suffer from poor public maintenance, lack of investment and opportunity, and even a higher risk of health issues resulting from toxic exposure.

One such case is Wilmington, a neighborhood in Los Angeles which was declared unsuitable for investment due to the "infiltration of subversive [racial] elements" and subsequent discovery of oil and development of one of the country's largest oil fields. Today, its inhabitants suffer from higher levels of airborne particulate pollution and adverse health effects than anywhere else in South California. Decreased life expectancy, lung function degradation, and even chronic respiratory disease in children are a few examples pollution has wrought on Wilmington.

For my research project, I'm interested in exploring the historical ramifications of redlining in Wilmington, and how that economic discrimination has led to its low air quality and subsequent health risks. I'll be primarily using maps of oil drilling in LA County, case studies of LA County/Wilmington's environmental quality, and general case studies of the adverse health effects of high levels of atmospheric pollutants.

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