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In Louisiana, governing elites have long found it more profitable to deny the connections between health outcomes and the structural inequities of an anti-Black petrostate. Their denial is made possible by the existence of data divergence–that is, inconsistencies between data sets or between a data set and the realities it purports to represent (Encyclopedia of Social Measurement 2005). These inconsistencies range from missing or “undone” (i.e. incomplete or ignored) data (Frickel et al. 2007) to the production of different measures (and the selection of different priorities) by institutional silos. Recognition of the need for public health capacities that address the systems and structures impacting health–especially children’s health–has motivated health equity advocates in Louisiana to fill the data gaps through collaborative datawork, that is, the work of making data meaningful across social and scientific communities. In 2022, a coalition of community organizations, academic researchers, and public health workers led by the Louisiana Center for Health Equity (LCHE), a community-based organization created by a registered nurse, worked together to examine the links between adolescent mental health and disciplinary practices in schools. Ensuring their agendas were informed by community priorities led them to incorporate the contributions of adolescents advocating for better access to physical and mental healthcare resources and the abolishment of discriminatory and punitive disciplinary actions in schools. Their collaborative datawork revealed how data gaps around adolescent mental health are a structuring component of schools’ discriminatory and punitive climates–much as gaps in environmental health data benefit polluting industries. They found that existing figures around adolescent mental health are inaccurate, as many youth are unable to receive an official diagnosis owing to lack of healthcare access. LCHE advocates at a house committee meeting in January 2023 reported that students who exhibit behavioral issues rooted in trauma or mental health more often receive punitive disciplinary actions rather than rehabilitative and restorative services. This work generated the support needed to pass legislation to expand public health infrastructure and access to mental health resources. In June 2023, House Bill 353 authorized the allotment of "mental health days" as an excused absence for students; introduced procedures for schools to connect students to medical treatment and services; and required the Louisiana Department of Education to develop and administer a pilot program for implementing mental health screening, among other changes. By mobilizing advocates and scholars from across the social and institutional silos, LCHE’s collaborative datawork tentatively expanded children’s public health infrastructures. 

Fisher, Margaux. 2023. "Collaborative Datawork and Reframing Adolescent Mental Health in the Deep South." In 4S Paraconference X EiJ: Building a Global Record, curated by Misria Shaik Ali, Kim Fortun, Phillip Baum and Prerna Srigyan. Annual Meeting of the Society of Social Studies of Science. Honolulu, Hawai'i, Nov 8-11.

1. How does the EHC approach issues of power and privilege within the local community, given how the history of environmental justice is rooted in low-income communities of color?

2. What role do you see the EHC working towards in promoting future policy change and advancing environmental justice at the local, state, and national levels? What are some challenges and opportunities facing the EHC in this work?

1.  The EHC is generally perceived as a respected and influential organization, internally and externally. Within the organization and its community, there is a strong sense of shared purpose and commitment to advancing environmental justice and healthy communities. The EHC staff and volunteers are deeply committed to the organization's mission and are viewed as knowledgeable and passionate advocates for environmental health and justice. The 

2. The EHC is considered a credible organization with a reputation for effective research and advocacy work to promote environmental justice. The EHC is consulted by policymakers and stakeholders for environmental health and justice issues and is regarded as a valuable source of information and expertise.

EHC is a well-established and respected organization within the environmental justice sector with a track record of successful campaigns and policy victories. The organization has been active for over 40 years and is well-established and respected within the community it serves. The organization has been instrumental in shaping local policy and advocacy efforts. It has thus been recognized by a range of other organizations and institutions, including the California Environmental Protection Agency, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The EHC has proven to be an essential actor within the environmental justice and public health sectors, with a strong record of community organizing, policy advocacy, and credible research.

The EHC functions within the non-profit sector and works to serve the environmental justice and public health fields. As an environmental justice organization, EHC’s mission is to empower communities and promote health and justice through community organizing, policy advocacy, research, and education.

The EHC collaborates with various organizations, including critical collaborators such as The California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA), The San Diego Coalition for Environmental and Social Justice, and The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. The EHC does not typically criticize or distance itself from other organizations and instead focuses on building collaborative working partnerships to advance its mission and goals.

Several political and discursive currents, including The Environmental Justice Movement, Climate Change, Political and Policy Shifts, and Community Mobilization, influence the EHC. Actors within the organization are attuned to these currents and work to navigate them to promote environmental justice and healthy communities.

1. The dominant discourse within the EHC centers on empowering communities to develop community-led solutions to environmental health and justice issues. The organization's mission emphasizes empowering locals and educating them to identify and address environmental health risks. EHC is focused on equity and social justice, recognizing that ecological health disparities often result from systemic and historical injustice.

 The EHC faces several challenges and concerns in its workplace problem spaces. One barrier is inadequate resources; the EHC's staff and community leaders often meet significant workload demands, hindering the organization's ability to conduct research, organize communities, and engage in policy advocacy. The EHC also deals with political resistance, given that the organization's work often involves analyzing policies they have to take on powerful corporations and government agencies who resist change. Because Environmental Health Risks are complex, it is tough to identify and address. The EHC must often navigate complex scientific and technical information to identify sources of pollution and advocate for practical solutions. Additionally, many of these institutions make it extremely difficult to access such information in the first place, making it harder for low-income communities of color to engage in effective community organizing and advocacy. Historically, other forms of oppression and injustice, such as redlining, segregation, and other discriminatory policies, influenced the environmental health disparities they are dealing with today.

The EHC does not explicitly claim to have a unique way of addressing problems they work on. Still, the nature of their work does include advocating for low-income communities of color in the San Diego/Tijuana region, which does have a significant proportion of undocumented and immigrant residents. They claim that because of racist policies and the prioritization of profits over health, many of the low-income communities of color within the local San Diego region have not had the political power to fight for their rights and thus became burdened with a significant amount of pollution.