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You are here: Home / LACE / 2020-Current Year / Oil Drilling in Los Angeles, a Talk with Bhavna Shamasunder and Sandy Navarro from L.A. Grit Media

Oil Drilling in Los Angeles, a Talk with Bhavna Shamasunder and Sandy Navarro from L.A. Grit Media

Oil Drilling in Los Angeles, a Talk with Bhavna Shamasunder and Sandy Navarro from L.A. Grit Media
June 5, 1pm-3pm PST
Register Here

This talk is organized as part of the research phase of the upcoming exhibition, Beatriz da Costa: (un)disciplinary tactics, Getty PST initiative 2024 with A Preemptive Study group organized by Andrew McNeely, Daniel Lieja Quintanar, and Ana Briz.

What can a ten year long successful struggle to curb oil drilling in Los Angeles and a study of chemical exposures from beauty products used by women of color tell us about the current role of community-based research in environmental health and justice? Our community-academic research team shares stories on the struggle to curb a century of oil drilling in Los Angeles. We consider how community engaged research research can work alongside environmental justice social movements to address structural inequality and help combat entrenched environmental racism.

Bhavna Shamasunder is Associate Professor and Chair in the Urban and Environmental Policy Department and co-chair of the Public Health Program at Occidental College. She teaches and conducts research on environmental health and justice with a focus on the disparate and cumulative burdens faced by poor communities of color.  Her active research projects include health impacts from neighborhood oil drilling in Los Angeles; the “environmental injustice of beauty” that considers health disparities for women of color from synthetic chemicals in consumer products; and the types of information (i.e. economic, public health, etc..) used by diverse immigrant communities in decisions to lighten skin and/or use skin lightening products. Her work has been supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the California Breast Cancer Research Program, and the National Science Foundation. She received her doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management.

Sandy Navarro is a lifelong resident of Historic South Central Los Angeles, whose firsthand experience of living in a disenfranchised community galvanized her commitment to social justice work.  In 2014, Sandy joined the staff of Esperanza Community Housing, overseeing multiple community-led beautification projects and health-driven collaborations throughout South Los Angeles. While at Esperanza, Sandy managed the environmental justice campaign, People Not Pozos (People Not Oil Wells), served on the Stand Together Against Neighborhood Oil Drilling (STAND LA) coalition, and led local youth leaders in the formation of the South Central Youth Leadership Coalition. In 2017, Sandy launched, L.A. Grit Media, an agency dedicated to working collaboratively with organizations, researchers, and public health groups to produce community-driven media and advance community-based research. Sandy has produced educational videos, designed health literacy intervention materials, and created art exhibitions for Esperanza Community Housing, Occidental College, USC Environmental Health Centers, Iris Cantor-UCLA Women’s Health Center, and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. A graphic designer, videographer, and Community Health Promoter, Sandy Navarro utilizes her skills to bring visibility to the social issues in her community.

For attendees interested in learning more about the topic prior to the event, here are 3 suggested readings.

Filed Under: 2020-Current Year, LACE Tagged With: 2022, beatriz da costa, Bhavna Shamasunder, oil drilling, Online Talk, Sandy Navarro, undisciplinary tactics

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As part of a special Mother’s Day celebration in As part of a special Mother’s Day celebration in 1990, Freshly Wrapped Candies headlined a two-night celebration of motherhood at LACE, featuring an eclectic group of artists, musicians, poets, and performers. 

Among them was Anna Homler (@homlerian), who will be performing with Jeff Schwartz and David Javelosa (@microwave_buddha) during “ENDURANCE” next Sunday, May 17. 

Pictured here: Freshly Wrapped Candies performing; swipe to see the event’s flyer. Wishing a lovely weekend to all the moms and mother figures!
Printed Matter’s 2025 LA Art Book Fair is happen Printed Matter’s 2025 LA Art Book Fair is happening soon at the ArtCenter College of Design! From May 15-18, stop by Booth C13 to say hi to the LACE team and browse our publications. 

LAABF (@printedmatter_artbookfairs) features artists and collectives, small presses, institutions, galleries, and much more. Check out their website for a full calendar of events. We hope to see you there! @printedmatterinc
Happening May 16 and 17, “ENDURANCE” presents Happening May 16 and 17, “ENDURANCE” presents performance art and interdisciplinary work by elder artists. 🔶 

Pictured here is “BLACK GOLD/FEVER,” a 2011 multi-media performance by Ulysses Jenkins. The performance called back to the artist’s 1980 piece, also performed at LACE, entitled “Columbus Day: a doggerel.” Utilizing dance, video projections, music, and spoken word, “BLACK GOLD/FEVER” measured the toll placed upon the environment and Indigenous peoples. 

See Ulysses Jenkins and the Dark Bob as part of “ENDURANCE.” This event is free to attend with RSVP. Tickets are going quickly, and LACE has created a wait list to accommodate interest. Click the link in our bio for more information. 

Please note: Because seating is very limited for this program, we ask that if you can no longer attend, you release your ticket so someone else may attend. Performance line-up subject to change.
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And a big shout-out to our friends in the @latimesfob booth, who are always doing vital work: @centerforlanduseinterpretation, Equitable Vitrines, @gyopo.us and @lapovertydepartment. 

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