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Laura Diaz joins the Agents of Change in Environmental Justice podcast to discuss the intersection of social and environmental stressors on children’s health.Diaz, a current fellow and a Ph.D. student in Environmental Health Sciences at UC Berkeley, also talks about how her own childhood shaped her understanding of environmental injustice, and how being a mother has shaped her research – and her life.The Agents of Change in Environmental Justice podcast is a biweekly podcast featuring the stories and big ideas from past and present fellows, as well as others in the field. You can see all of the past episodes here.Listen below to our discussion with Diaz and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes or Spotify. Agents of Change in Environmental Justice · Laura Diaz on how social and environmental stress impact children’s healthTranscriptBrian BienkowskiLaura, how are you doing today?Laura Diaz I'm doing okay. How are youBrian Bienkowski I'm doing great. And where are you today?Laura Diaz I am in South San Francisco, which is close to the San Francisco International Airport.Brian Bienkowski Very cool. I love it out there. And you are from originally not far from there. So tell me a little bit about growing up in Northern California.Laura Diaz Yeah, so I grew up in the East San Francisco Bay Area, and specifically, it's like the geographic location where the watershed from the Sierra mountains meets the mouth of the San Francisco Bay, and it's beautiful. And just behind where the Bay is, there's these rolling golden hills. And because of the history that Pittsburgh has, which is my hometown, with the fossil fuel industry, and specifically during the Gold Rush, they were actually mining coal out there that laid the foundation for a polluting industry which persists today, and it's become one of the more affordable places in the San Francisco Bay area to live. And so I lived in between this corridor of polluting industry, right along that water, which included the Dow Chemical Plant, the power plant and several other toxic release facilities. And then on the other side of us was a highly trafficked freeway. And then we lived there until it was about four and then shortly after, we moved just over that same freeway, and the freeway was like legit our neighbors and the that whole corridor polluting industry was still an eye shot of where we lived. And those cities are largely known as commuter cities because they're so affordable. A lot of families move out there to raise their family, and that was true for my parents as well. So they commuted about an hour and a half, and so a lot of our childhood was spent largely unsupervised, and at some point, my parents decided to get us an inter-district transfer to the city where they worked. And so they worked in a city called wanna Creek, California, and that city is predominantly white and home to the uber rich. And I remember like, being at school and just feeling like I really didn't, like fit in. And it went beyond that, like kind of normal, like what I see with my son, where he's, like, trying to make friends and stuff. It went beyond that, like something just didn't fit. And I remember like, walking home from school, and I would have to walk through this outdoor plaza with stores like Neiman Marcus and Tiffany's and make my way to my dad's tailoring shop. And like, I remember opening the door, and I would get this like sense of relief, and I would feel like I could breathe again. And it was like home, and yet, I would see my dad on his hands and knees fixing the clothing of my classmates parents. And then every day we would take our trek back home. So we'd be going from this very affluent space, it was very green, a lot of open space back home, to this space where it's a lot of concrete, like again, we'd see, like, that whole polluting industry, and yet, like, I'd hop out of the car super excited, run to my neighbor's house and we'd be playing basketball for the rest of the evening. I have, like, so much love for where I grew up, and I feel like my work now is like. Of letter to my community, and I had this like daily reminder of the difference between wealth and poverty, between predominantly white communities and predominantly diverse communities.Brian Bienkowski Well, that's a really beautiful way to paint your hometown. I have to say, when I first looked it up, I was like, I did not know Laura was from Pittsburgh. When I met her, she seemed like she was from the West Coast, so I did not know that there was a Pittsburgh California. But thank you so much for painting that picture. And you, you know, you've mentioned this kind of industrial backdrop and maybe some social dynamics and racial dynamics at school that were uncomfortable. I'm wondering where along the way you became aware or interested in kind of the concept of environmental justice and injustice?Laura Diaz Yeah. So, I mean, like those, like, big smokes stacks, like, what we see in pictures a lot when we see, like, read articles about environmental justice, like, that was the backdrop to my childhood. And yet, I had no idea that that, that I grew up in an environmental justice community, right? So I am a former high school science and math teacher, and there was a summer where I did a professional development program in the topic of sustainability. It had it was there that I met Karna Wong, and she's a faculty at Sonoma State University, and she absolutely changed my life. She gave a workshop on environmental justice, and she taught us about the principles of environmental justice, various frameworks of EJ and her and I, like, hit it off like it was, it was great. This is why I love, like, professional development programs, which we can talk about later. But she also showed me this database called CalEnviroScreen, and that is, it's basically a map of California, and it displays community exposures to pollution, health burdens and demographic characteristics. And that was the first time that I saw my community in bright red, because bright red means more burdens. And then I saw Walnut Creek bright green, and bright green is associated with less burdens, or under-burden. And it just was like this final puzzle piece of like, like, whoa, everything came together. And I like, understood that that feeling of like something wasn't right made so much sense by looking at that map, and I realized that environmental justice wasn't only something I like, loved learning about, it also impacted my life. I don't know, and I'm never going to know, if growing up in close proximity to these facilities is a reason why I have two chronic autoimmune diseases, but it does drive my work. And I think also, in addition to that, there was another educator fellowship that I was on, and I did that with Earthwatch. We were out at catalea Island, and we were studying Harmful Algal Blooms. And while we were out there, my mom called me, and she was like, I made it out, but paradise is on fire. And that was in 2018 and although she made it out alive, 85 folks did not, and that was the campfire. And over 13,000 homes were lost in one of those of my mom's and it's like, it's hard to talk about this, but it's like, because it's so deeply personal, right? But I remember flying home from that experience and waiting outside of the airport and it was raining ash, and those ashes included my mom's home. So it's just the impacts of climate justice, and environmental justice has hit me, personally, very hard, and I think more recently, I've been really thinking about the connection between wildfires in California, the fossil fuel industry and our inability to transition away fast enough, and how my community is going to continue to pay the price until we do so. And that really drives the work that I do. And like you can hear my voice shaking, but it's like I have so much passion to you, and it's so important. There's, there's an urgency to this work that's needed that I'm I'm not quite sensing enough in the academic spheres that I'm in now, but I hope to be a part of that driving force.Brian Bienkowski And I've been asking everybody this question before we get into some of your your research and your education, what is a moment or event that has helped shape your identity?Laura Diaz Yeah, okay, I think there's a couple I feel like we're getting into, like, the intense stuff in the beginning. So like, Sorry my voice is shaking, but also self-deprecating humor is how I get. So, I think the first thing that really, really impacted like who I am and how I moved through this world, was when I was in ninth grade, my dad and I had to go to the county courthouse, and it was the first time that I saw my brother handcuffed. And we were there to see him and be there for him while he was going to be sentenced for his first felony. And I remember the judge asked his family to stand up those, those of us who were there in support. And I was bawling as my I was seeing my hero like out there behind a glass wall in handcuffs, and I was like, barely could stand up, and I was just tears were just rolling down my face, and, like, for the longest time, I thought it was actually my fault that he got sentenced, because I couldn't keep it together, right? It was just I was I must have been around 13, right? a kid. And I think during my adolescence, I really developed this, like, strong understanding of the impact of oppression on the lives of children, and it really is the root of how I move through the work that I do. And I think also kind of on a more tender side, a moment that really has shaped who I am, is being my son's mom, and the day I became his mom was the most beautiful day of my life. And I tell him often how lucky I am to be his mom, and I like to say that my most proudest title is being soccer mom. And I do know too that like the most important thing I can do, personally and professionally is invest in my son and my family.Brian Bienkowski Awesome. Well, thank you so much for both of those very we will get you away from these, all of these that are pulling at your emotions. Maybe we'll circle back and we'll get emotional again, but thank you so much for opening up about that. I'm sure there are others who can relate. And when you talk about tears streaming down, I was hoping my my blue light glasses were hiding we're hiding mine on that so, so let's change gears a little bit. And you went to so you mentioned Sonoma State University, which is now recognized as a Hispanic serving institution, and you went there for your undergraduate degree. So we've had folks on talking about going to historically Black colleges and kind of the impact that had on them and a level of comfort and that it brought them. So I was wondering if you could talk about that experience and how going to a Hispanic Serving Institution benefited you?Laura Diaz Yeah, I, I remember the first week being on campus and like, being overwhelmed with this, like, sense of hope. And I think, and it was great, like I felt like, you're saying, I just felt like safe, that that uncomfortable, like unwelcoming feeling that I felt when I was going to schools in Walnut Creek was like gone. And I knew that I was believed in and supported by by the faculty. The commitment to teaching excellence at HSIs is so high, and that's really impacted my teaching philosophy now, and I understand firsthand what it means like to create a vulnerable learning environment and what it means to like not be in one, right? And because I was able to really thrive in this space, I majored in Molecular Cell bio. I double minored in Chem and in music. I was part of the chamber music orchestra, like I was, like, loving life. It was great. And also, my junior year, it started getting sick, and I was having to walk to school with a cane, and I ended up getting diagnosed with lupus, and during that diagnosis period that was really difficult. And despite that, I knew that the faculty were there for me. I knew my classmates were there for me, and they really helped me push through a really, really difficult time for me. And so I just, I feel very committed to what education means, what that means for social mobility, and that's stayed with me. And continue, I continue to work and partner with Sonoma State, which is, yeah, really great.Brian Bienkowski Yeah, what a great opportunity. Do you still play music?Laura Diaz I don't, but I need to. I played the piano. Oh,Brian Bienkowski no, no, that's that was my next question. That's very cool. Yeah, I am a musician. I play a whole variety of instruments. And I've said on the podcast before that it just it feels like it is that other side of the brain. It just feels so good to take some time to stretch the create creative legs every now and then, after staring at a computer for so long. So I'm always curious.Laura Diaz Yeah, I hear that, and hopefully this inspires me to, like, get it together,Brian Bienkowski get back to it. Yeah. Well, I'm sure you have as we're gonna get into it sounds like we have plenty going on, but I hope you find some time. So now you are studying air pollution, specifically particulate matter burdes in marginalized communities. So particulate matter is linked to negative health outcomes, and one of them that you focus on is mitochondrial dysfunction. So can you explain first, what mitochondria are and how air pollution may affect them?Laura Diaz So mitochondria are these fascinating little organelles that I've been spending several years thinking about. They're the site of chemical energy production of our cells, so they make the energy that our cells need in order to actually function properly. And they're really unique. So they have their own DNA or their own genome, and in that, within that, it codes for 13 proteins which are vital for the mitochondria to be functioning properly. And what's interesting about that is that they they lack these protective mechanisms that, like our nuclear DNA has, and so it makes them particularly vulnerable to situations where our cells are undergoing stress, and we see that mitochondrial function declines with aging and also with disease. And what I spend a lot of time thinking about is what mitochondrial function or dysfunction looks like in epithelial cells. And those are the cell types that we find in the lining of our mouth. They're in our lungs, and there's like outer barrier of our skin, so they come in contact with this, like wild outer world, and play this really important protective mechanism, and they they play a big role in detoxification. And so what happens when they're exposed to particulate matter? There's actually an increase in free radicals in our in the cell, and those are called reactive oxygen species, and those, if there's too many and there's an imbalance, those can cause mitochondrial dysfunction, and that's what I'm spending a lot of time thinking about.Brian Bienkowski So if these mitochondria are disrupted in some way by and I should say particulate matter is fine particulate pollution. This can come from anything from wildfires to traffic to to heavy industry, fossil fuel burning, if the mitochondria are disrupted, what kind of impact may that have on, let's say, developing children?Laura Diaz Yeah, so I, my research focuses on child health, and again, I'm really thinking about these epithelial cells and what's happening in relation to the exposure of, like, what you're saying with particulate matter and and when we see that mitochondrial dysfunction, it actually triggers a cascade of events to happen in the cell. So the cell tries to fix these problems when they come up, but when it's constantly having to fix these problems, that's when, that's when, like, long-term issues can can arise. And so what we see is that the this outer lining of cells can be really impacted by mitochondrial dysfunction, because they they get put in this like pro-inflammatory state, and so then they become really vulnerable to things like allergens. So what I'm studying, then, is, is that mitochondrial dysfunction playing a role in the development of diseases like eczema or rhinitis or asthma among children in frontline environmental justice communities.Brian Bienkowski So as part of this, you're also looking at adverse childhood experience known as ACES, which was a new acronym for me after I met you at the retreat. That was something I didn't know about. So in addition to the air pollution and mitochondrial dysfunction, you're looking at aces. So can you explain aces and why you feel it's an important part of including in this research,Laura Diaz ACES stands for Adverse Childhood eEperiences. In California, there's a lot of work being done on the public health end of things, and it's getting labeled as toxic stress. What it is is it's a survey with 10 questions that assesses a child's exposure to abuse, neglect and household challenges. And back in the 90s, there was a groundbreaking study that was done, and they found that exposure to ACES was associated with increased risk of death from seven out of 10 of the leading causes of death and so and there's been a lot more work done now, but I really want to invite us all in, like environmental health work and environmental justice, to be thinking about day to day stress, and that exposure to stress as an environmental exposure, just like we would think about particulate matter. And in order to understand the impact of oppression and the health impacts living in frontline communities, I think it's really important that we also include exposure to stress. And what I've found in my research is that exposure to ACES is associated with an increase in mitochondrial dysfunction and so, and I'm seeing that among a cohort of children, right? So it like the changes that becomes embodied in our cells happens pretty quickly. It can at least.Brian Bienkowski So you're seeing that not only. So if there are these environmental insults, and then you pile on kind of just day to day stress in a child's life, whether that's from inside or outside of the home, the combination of those, they're both doing bad things at the cellular level, to the kid or to a child, and setting them up for potential increased illness.Laura Diaz Yeah, and I think, like, I'm really thinking about the mitochondria a lot, obviously, but if we think about being in a state of stress, where we're in this, like fight or flight, like our physiological response, our cells have an increased need of energy, and when that happens over and over and over again, then the mitochondria is being overworked. And so understanding what's happening at the cellular level is also really important.Brian Bienkowski v really fascinating research. And I love the idea of thinking more about stress, and of course, with your research with kids, but even for adults. I mean, I think stress is such a kind of a silent killer. I mean, it just, it's so bad for our body, and yet, a lot of us kind of live with it, and it's part of our, part of our life, so it's really important to to remember that. So I'm wondering, what are some of the next steps in this research? What would you like to do? What are you going to do? What are you working on?Laura Diaz Yeah, I think, like, I mean, I hope I can spend more time studying the mitochondria. I think, as is true for like, most folks in graduate school, really figuring out, like, where is my niche? Like, where is my lane? Like, I do hope that I get to spend quite a bit more time really deep diving into the mitochondria. Specifically, I'm really curious about what is happening and what other biomarkers are associated with this mitochondrial dysfunction, and also like mitochondrial mutations, which are pretty interesting to think about as well. So I'm kind of following, like what's happening in a molecular mechanism level.Brian Bienkowski Do you like doing research?Laura Diaz Yeah, I love it. Oh, I love it. Even, like and, and when I shouldn't say even, and when I was teaching, like, research was a big part of of my teaching practice with high schoolers. I have, I think this is like something that has been passed on from, from my family, for sure, but in my is just this love for learning and not being afraid of of kind of the unknown. Yeah.Brian Bienkowski So you mentioned earlier this kind of idea of being really interested in kind of professional development, and I know outside of your research, you're also, you're doing some other things, and you've you founded a nonprofit, the Educator Collective for Environmental Justice. So I was wondering if you could just tell us about that organization and why you started it?Laura Diaz Yeah, so when I met Karna Wong who, like, blew my mind about environmental justice and and really started supporting me on my journey through, like, integrating environmental justice in the classroom, I literally started writing curriculum for my class that evening, and I knew that there was a gap in environmental justice curriculum and training for educators at that time, and I was chosen to be a Science Friday educator collaborator, where I was able to actually publish my EJ curriculum, which was really cool. And I started getting invited to give conferences or talks at conferences, and I gave a talk at a climate solutions conference, and that's where I met Samra Pathania, who's also a high school teacher, and he is just as passionate about decarbonization and climate solutions. And so we spent that whole conference just like talking together and visioning together, like how we could create a space for professional development and like, almost like a grassroots movement building for educators around these topics of environmental justice and climate solutions. Because, just like, I have that really, like urgent sense to, like do something now, he's similar with decarbonization. And so originally, we started as a home for Educator professional development for again, EJ and climate solutions. And we actually grew really quickly, which was really cool and supported, started supporting youth. So we had a youth collective, which now we have two Youth Environmental Justice councils that we support. We have a cohort of educators that that we support in EJ and climate solutions and decarbonization. And then we also partner with communities. So we've given workshops to communities like building DIY indoor air filters and giving them like educational workshops around environmental justice. We partnered with promotoras and doing, like, some air pollution monitoring. So it's been this, like, really beautiful little space that that is is growing and thriving.Brian Bienkowski Excellent. And speaking of being too busy to play piano, you also co-founded the Partners for Equity and Research, which supports undergraduates doing community engaged research. So can you also talk about this, maybe a project or two that you've worked on there, and how you work to center community voices and experiences in that initiative?Laura Diaz Yeah, so maybe I could describe a little bit of like, our structure. It's a little bit like, yeah, has some moving pieces, but we are an environmental justice hub that's housed at Sonoma State University, and I co-lead that with Professor Daniel Soto, who's a department chair of Geography, Environment and Planning, and we train undergraduate researchers in community-driven research methods. So I like to think of it as a triangle, the way our partnership works. So we have the university and Dr. Soto's really important. Like, kind of the lead there. He's able to recruit the students at Sonoma State. And then there I, like, I'm another point wearing my nonprofit hat, and then we have our community partners, and they are the North Bay Organizing Project, and the Latinx Student Congress, and our partner there is Manny Morales, and we, with his hope, he recruits students from the Latinx Student Congress, And we have a running Latinx Youth Environmental Justice Council, so they get to come on campus, and Dr. Soto and I train the undergrads to, like, lead these workshops in environmental justice and community health. And it's really amazing. And again, like a lot of the students that we're recruiting, most are Latinx, if not most are first gen and then Dr Soto and I are both Latinx, and we're serving, I think it's 100% Latinx youth EJ council with a Latinx partner. And most of these kids come from a predominantly Latinx frontline EJ community. So it's just like, it's such a beautiful space. And Dr Sota, and I really spent a lot of time thinking about reimagining the academy as a public good, like, how do we make the university a space that actually serves the community? And I think speaking about HSI or Hispanic serving institutions, they are so primed to do that because of who we are, right? And there's a there's trust that's kind of baked in, and just our identity right, apart from, like, our ethics really driving building trust with our partners. And we've been using education as a tool for community deliberation so that we can support these youth as they fight for cleaner air and a more just environment. And so things that we've worked on, and so I think, like that piece of it is, like, more important, almost in like, the stuff that they get to do, because we put in all this work to build this partnership, and now we get to just follow their lead, the youth lead. It's beautiful. And so we've done things like, we've given them air monitors. They get to go out and like, monitor the air and like that data is theirs. And then we teach them the research methods of how to clean that data. So it truly is like a practice of data sovereignty. Like that data is theirs. It does not get pushed out to the cloud. It's on an SD card, and they get to decide what they do with it. And we have a couple other projects, like in the works, but it's been a really like healing practice in some of the environmental justice work I'm privileged to do.Brian Bienkowski Well, I bet some of the participants would agree, and the idea of reimagining the academy to be a public good is what you said. And like that is a pretty simple statement, but it's like pretty radical, if you think about the ways universities and institutions have operated for century, over a century. And it's a pretty radical concept, so good on you for for being part of that change. And does this how beautiful to have you speak about Sonoma State University as being pivotal at one point in your life, and now you are, you are one of those people that's that's providing a space for others. So just that full circle is really cool to hear about.Laura Diaz Yeah, it's been, it's been pretty special.Brian Bienkowski Yeah, for sure. And so you mentioned that you are a mother, so we have had, we actually had a podcast with a couple senior fellows where they discuss being researchers and mothers and how things change them, and it was just one of my favorite podcasts that we've done when I turned the microphone over to them, and I'm wondering just how it has it does has it done the same for you? Has it changed how you've thought about or conducted your research?Laura Diaz Yeah, so I came into grad school already being a mom, and so there are ways that it has impacted how I engage in research, for sure, and I think a really, a really, kind of important component of of the work that we do with at Sonoma State, with P4ER. We're also supporting undergraduate students who are also parents, and creating a space where the student parent feels like their whole self is welcome is incredibly important to some of the things that we do. And so there's like, I often bring my son to our workshops, because I know that if I do, then the students can also bring their kids. And so we're really trying to create an atmosphere where motherhood is welcomed, where it's embraced and it's also encouraged. And I think another like piece of being my son's mom that has really impacted me in research, which I feel like this is, again, I'm like, I love education, but that, I think, is a piece that we don't talk about enough in research, is the role that education or knowledge sharing plays in the process of knowledge production. And so if we do research well, but we don't do teaching well, we aren't pushing the edges of that new knowledge enough. And in research, we get to ask new questions, and we get to present that to new learners who have a different worldview than those of us who are asking those questions, so they can write like during the moment research is being done actually impact that research to be a more like to have a fuller angle to it. And so I just, I think about that a lot, because my son is in third grade and just seeing how he's learning and all that stuff. I think, I think a lot about the role of holistic learning and how that can play a big role in healthy development of of children and and research.Brian Bienkowski And I'm wondering if there are things that you tips you have, or things that you do to decompress, to cope, to make sure that you're doing okay.Laura Diaz I'm a dancer, so I'm a salcera, and I dance with a salsa Maria Dance Company in Oakland. Shout out to my dance family. That is a space where I have to shut my brain off, and it's like you were talking about, like music. I think I've been kind of able to get away with not playing piano for so long, because I've been really intensely dancing and so having, like, an artistic expression for my body has been really important. So like, I that that plays a big role in my own ability to kind of sustain we have work that's justice centered. And the cool thing about that too is that, like, they also really embrace like family. So like, my son will come and and, like, sit and watch practices, which he, like loves doing, which is super cool, because I remember being kid and going to my dad's soccer games and like that being a really like, it actually is, like, a big health promotion piece of my life, right, seeing my parents be active. Um, but anyways, so yeah, dance.Brian Bienkowski I think that's a good point too. Like having your children. See, I'm a big fan. I don't have kids. We are, we are child-free, but I have nieces and nephews, and I think it's so important for kids to see their parents as human beings. Like, yes, mom works hard and does research and but mom also dances like that. I don't know, to me, there's something cool about kids seeing their parents as whole human beings. So Laura, before we get to some of the fun questions and get you out of here, what are you optimistic about?Laura Diaz this summer, we came off of doing a summer institute for educators, and being able to be in community with educators who are these incredible like, they're the heart of a lot of of their community, like, of their school communities, and the impact that they have on on the kids that they get to teach, like, really does provide a lot of hope for me. And I think, like also being able to partner with youth and seeing just how they're such a raw reflection of society, how they're like, not fully yet assimilated into our social hierarchies. And when they see something that's wrong, like, they call it outright then and there, right? And they're like, dude, let's do something about it. And like, that is the energy that we need in this space, and it's such a privilege to work in partnership to their own EJ activism.Brian Bienkowski Awesome. Well, what a beautiful note to end on. So I have three rapid fire questions where you can just answer with one word or a phrase. My dream vacation isLaura Diaz Mexico City.Brian Bienkowski I feel most creative when I'mLaura Diaz Dancing salsaBrian Bienkowski if I could have dinner with one person, it would beLaura Diaz Leslie Jones.Brian Bienkowski Tell me about Leslie Jones?Laura Diaz Oh, she's someone I really look up to. She also has a brother who struggled and like seeing the way her autobiography. Is amazing, by the way, but just like the way that she's chosen to like, be strong and push through that and also be authentic and be raw and be herself, is something that I like. I hope that I bring in all the spaces that I have the privilege to navigate through.Brian Bienkowski Well, you've certainly brought it to the space today. And I don't know if it's if it's her autobiography or not, but what is the last book you read for fun?Laura Diaz I read In the Dream House, which is also an autobiography by Carmen Maria Machado. It's really beautiful. I read a lot. So I also read hood. Just finished reading Hood Feminism, which is an amazing book by Mickey Kendall, and it like talks about how feminism needs to prioritize the hood bipoc woman's experience. It's amazing.Brian Bienkowski But Laura, it has been so wonderful to have you on today. I'm so glad you're in this program and to be introduced to your work and your mind and the things that you're thinking about. So thank you so much.Laura Diaz Yeah, thank you so much.

Laura Diaz joins the Agents of Change in Environmental Justice podcast to discuss the intersection of social and environmental stressors on children’s health.Diaz, a current fellow and a Ph.D. student in Environmental Health Sciences at UC Berkeley, also talks about how her own childhood shaped her understanding of environmental injustice, and how being a mother has shaped her research – and her life.The Agents of Change in Environmental Justice podcast is a biweekly podcast featuring the stories and big ideas from past and present fellows, as well as others in the field. You can see all of the past episodes here.Listen below to our discussion with Diaz and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes or Spotify. Agents of Change in Environmental Justice · Laura Diaz on how social and environmental stress impact children’s healthTranscriptBrian BienkowskiLaura, how are you doing today?Laura Diaz I'm doing okay. How are youBrian Bienkowski I'm doing great. And where are you today?Laura Diaz I am in South San Francisco, which is close to the San Francisco International Airport.Brian Bienkowski Very cool. I love it out there. And you are from originally not far from there. So tell me a little bit about growing up in Northern California.Laura Diaz Yeah, so I grew up in the East San Francisco Bay Area, and specifically, it's like the geographic location where the watershed from the Sierra mountains meets the mouth of the San Francisco Bay, and it's beautiful. And just behind where the Bay is, there's these rolling golden hills. And because of the history that Pittsburgh has, which is my hometown, with the fossil fuel industry, and specifically during the Gold Rush, they were actually mining coal out there that laid the foundation for a polluting industry which persists today, and it's become one of the more affordable places in the San Francisco Bay area to live. And so I lived in between this corridor of polluting industry, right along that water, which included the Dow Chemical Plant, the power plant and several other toxic release facilities. And then on the other side of us was a highly trafficked freeway. And then we lived there until it was about four and then shortly after, we moved just over that same freeway, and the freeway was like legit our neighbors and the that whole corridor polluting industry was still an eye shot of where we lived. And those cities are largely known as commuter cities because they're so affordable. A lot of families move out there to raise their family, and that was true for my parents as well. So they commuted about an hour and a half, and so a lot of our childhood was spent largely unsupervised, and at some point, my parents decided to get us an inter-district transfer to the city where they worked. And so they worked in a city called wanna Creek, California, and that city is predominantly white and home to the uber rich. And I remember like, being at school and just feeling like I really didn't, like fit in. And it went beyond that, like kind of normal, like what I see with my son, where he's, like, trying to make friends and stuff. It went beyond that, like something just didn't fit. And I remember like, walking home from school, and I would have to walk through this outdoor plaza with stores like Neiman Marcus and Tiffany's and make my way to my dad's tailoring shop. And like, I remember opening the door, and I would get this like sense of relief, and I would feel like I could breathe again. And it was like home, and yet, I would see my dad on his hands and knees fixing the clothing of my classmates parents. And then every day we would take our trek back home. So we'd be going from this very affluent space, it was very green, a lot of open space back home, to this space where it's a lot of concrete, like again, we'd see, like, that whole polluting industry, and yet, like, I'd hop out of the car super excited, run to my neighbor's house and we'd be playing basketball for the rest of the evening. I have, like, so much love for where I grew up, and I feel like my work now is like. Of letter to my community, and I had this like daily reminder of the difference between wealth and poverty, between predominantly white communities and predominantly diverse communities.Brian Bienkowski Well, that's a really beautiful way to paint your hometown. I have to say, when I first looked it up, I was like, I did not know Laura was from Pittsburgh. When I met her, she seemed like she was from the West Coast, so I did not know that there was a Pittsburgh California. But thank you so much for painting that picture. And you, you know, you've mentioned this kind of industrial backdrop and maybe some social dynamics and racial dynamics at school that were uncomfortable. I'm wondering where along the way you became aware or interested in kind of the concept of environmental justice and injustice?Laura Diaz Yeah. So, I mean, like those, like, big smokes stacks, like, what we see in pictures a lot when we see, like, read articles about environmental justice, like, that was the backdrop to my childhood. And yet, I had no idea that that, that I grew up in an environmental justice community, right? So I am a former high school science and math teacher, and there was a summer where I did a professional development program in the topic of sustainability. It had it was there that I met Karna Wong, and she's a faculty at Sonoma State University, and she absolutely changed my life. She gave a workshop on environmental justice, and she taught us about the principles of environmental justice, various frameworks of EJ and her and I, like, hit it off like it was, it was great. This is why I love, like, professional development programs, which we can talk about later. But she also showed me this database called CalEnviroScreen, and that is, it's basically a map of California, and it displays community exposures to pollution, health burdens and demographic characteristics. And that was the first time that I saw my community in bright red, because bright red means more burdens. And then I saw Walnut Creek bright green, and bright green is associated with less burdens, or under-burden. And it just was like this final puzzle piece of like, like, whoa, everything came together. And I like, understood that that feeling of like something wasn't right made so much sense by looking at that map, and I realized that environmental justice wasn't only something I like, loved learning about, it also impacted my life. I don't know, and I'm never going to know, if growing up in close proximity to these facilities is a reason why I have two chronic autoimmune diseases, but it does drive my work. And I think also, in addition to that, there was another educator fellowship that I was on, and I did that with Earthwatch. We were out at catalea Island, and we were studying Harmful Algal Blooms. And while we were out there, my mom called me, and she was like, I made it out, but paradise is on fire. And that was in 2018 and although she made it out alive, 85 folks did not, and that was the campfire. And over 13,000 homes were lost in one of those of my mom's and it's like, it's hard to talk about this, but it's like, because it's so deeply personal, right? But I remember flying home from that experience and waiting outside of the airport and it was raining ash, and those ashes included my mom's home. So it's just the impacts of climate justice, and environmental justice has hit me, personally, very hard, and I think more recently, I've been really thinking about the connection between wildfires in California, the fossil fuel industry and our inability to transition away fast enough, and how my community is going to continue to pay the price until we do so. And that really drives the work that I do. And like you can hear my voice shaking, but it's like I have so much passion to you, and it's so important. There's, there's an urgency to this work that's needed that I'm I'm not quite sensing enough in the academic spheres that I'm in now, but I hope to be a part of that driving force.Brian Bienkowski And I've been asking everybody this question before we get into some of your your research and your education, what is a moment or event that has helped shape your identity?Laura Diaz Yeah, okay, I think there's a couple I feel like we're getting into, like, the intense stuff in the beginning. So like, Sorry my voice is shaking, but also self-deprecating humor is how I get. So, I think the first thing that really, really impacted like who I am and how I moved through this world, was when I was in ninth grade, my dad and I had to go to the county courthouse, and it was the first time that I saw my brother handcuffed. And we were there to see him and be there for him while he was going to be sentenced for his first felony. And I remember the judge asked his family to stand up those, those of us who were there in support. And I was bawling as my I was seeing my hero like out there behind a glass wall in handcuffs, and I was like, barely could stand up, and I was just tears were just rolling down my face, and, like, for the longest time, I thought it was actually my fault that he got sentenced, because I couldn't keep it together, right? It was just I was I must have been around 13, right? a kid. And I think during my adolescence, I really developed this, like, strong understanding of the impact of oppression on the lives of children, and it really is the root of how I move through the work that I do. And I think also kind of on a more tender side, a moment that really has shaped who I am, is being my son's mom, and the day I became his mom was the most beautiful day of my life. And I tell him often how lucky I am to be his mom, and I like to say that my most proudest title is being soccer mom. And I do know too that like the most important thing I can do, personally and professionally is invest in my son and my family.Brian Bienkowski Awesome. Well, thank you so much for both of those very we will get you away from these, all of these that are pulling at your emotions. Maybe we'll circle back and we'll get emotional again, but thank you so much for opening up about that. I'm sure there are others who can relate. And when you talk about tears streaming down, I was hoping my my blue light glasses were hiding we're hiding mine on that so, so let's change gears a little bit. And you went to so you mentioned Sonoma State University, which is now recognized as a Hispanic serving institution, and you went there for your undergraduate degree. So we've had folks on talking about going to historically Black colleges and kind of the impact that had on them and a level of comfort and that it brought them. So I was wondering if you could talk about that experience and how going to a Hispanic Serving Institution benefited you?Laura Diaz Yeah, I, I remember the first week being on campus and like, being overwhelmed with this, like, sense of hope. And I think, and it was great, like I felt like, you're saying, I just felt like safe, that that uncomfortable, like unwelcoming feeling that I felt when I was going to schools in Walnut Creek was like gone. And I knew that I was believed in and supported by by the faculty. The commitment to teaching excellence at HSIs is so high, and that's really impacted my teaching philosophy now, and I understand firsthand what it means like to create a vulnerable learning environment and what it means to like not be in one, right? And because I was able to really thrive in this space, I majored in Molecular Cell bio. I double minored in Chem and in music. I was part of the chamber music orchestra, like I was, like, loving life. It was great. And also, my junior year, it started getting sick, and I was having to walk to school with a cane, and I ended up getting diagnosed with lupus, and during that diagnosis period that was really difficult. And despite that, I knew that the faculty were there for me. I knew my classmates were there for me, and they really helped me push through a really, really difficult time for me. And so I just, I feel very committed to what education means, what that means for social mobility, and that's stayed with me. And continue, I continue to work and partner with Sonoma State, which is, yeah, really great.Brian Bienkowski Yeah, what a great opportunity. Do you still play music?Laura Diaz I don't, but I need to. I played the piano. Oh,Brian Bienkowski no, no, that's that was my next question. That's very cool. Yeah, I am a musician. I play a whole variety of instruments. And I've said on the podcast before that it just it feels like it is that other side of the brain. It just feels so good to take some time to stretch the create creative legs every now and then, after staring at a computer for so long. So I'm always curious.Laura Diaz Yeah, I hear that, and hopefully this inspires me to, like, get it together,Brian Bienkowski get back to it. Yeah. Well, I'm sure you have as we're gonna get into it sounds like we have plenty going on, but I hope you find some time. So now you are studying air pollution, specifically particulate matter burdes in marginalized communities. So particulate matter is linked to negative health outcomes, and one of them that you focus on is mitochondrial dysfunction. So can you explain first, what mitochondria are and how air pollution may affect them?Laura Diaz So mitochondria are these fascinating little organelles that I've been spending several years thinking about. They're the site of chemical energy production of our cells, so they make the energy that our cells need in order to actually function properly. And they're really unique. So they have their own DNA or their own genome, and in that, within that, it codes for 13 proteins which are vital for the mitochondria to be functioning properly. And what's interesting about that is that they they lack these protective mechanisms that, like our nuclear DNA has, and so it makes them particularly vulnerable to situations where our cells are undergoing stress, and we see that mitochondrial function declines with aging and also with disease. And what I spend a lot of time thinking about is what mitochondrial function or dysfunction looks like in epithelial cells. And those are the cell types that we find in the lining of our mouth. They're in our lungs, and there's like outer barrier of our skin, so they come in contact with this, like wild outer world, and play this really important protective mechanism, and they they play a big role in detoxification. And so what happens when they're exposed to particulate matter? There's actually an increase in free radicals in our in the cell, and those are called reactive oxygen species, and those, if there's too many and there's an imbalance, those can cause mitochondrial dysfunction, and that's what I'm spending a lot of time thinking about.Brian Bienkowski So if these mitochondria are disrupted in some way by and I should say particulate matter is fine particulate pollution. This can come from anything from wildfires to traffic to to heavy industry, fossil fuel burning, if the mitochondria are disrupted, what kind of impact may that have on, let's say, developing children?Laura Diaz Yeah, so I, my research focuses on child health, and again, I'm really thinking about these epithelial cells and what's happening in relation to the exposure of, like, what you're saying with particulate matter and and when we see that mitochondrial dysfunction, it actually triggers a cascade of events to happen in the cell. So the cell tries to fix these problems when they come up, but when it's constantly having to fix these problems, that's when, that's when, like, long-term issues can can arise. And so what we see is that the this outer lining of cells can be really impacted by mitochondrial dysfunction, because they they get put in this like pro-inflammatory state, and so then they become really vulnerable to things like allergens. So what I'm studying, then, is, is that mitochondrial dysfunction playing a role in the development of diseases like eczema or rhinitis or asthma among children in frontline environmental justice communities.Brian Bienkowski So as part of this, you're also looking at adverse childhood experience known as ACES, which was a new acronym for me after I met you at the retreat. That was something I didn't know about. So in addition to the air pollution and mitochondrial dysfunction, you're looking at aces. So can you explain aces and why you feel it's an important part of including in this research,Laura Diaz ACES stands for Adverse Childhood eEperiences. In California, there's a lot of work being done on the public health end of things, and it's getting labeled as toxic stress. What it is is it's a survey with 10 questions that assesses a child's exposure to abuse, neglect and household challenges. And back in the 90s, there was a groundbreaking study that was done, and they found that exposure to ACES was associated with increased risk of death from seven out of 10 of the leading causes of death and so and there's been a lot more work done now, but I really want to invite us all in, like environmental health work and environmental justice, to be thinking about day to day stress, and that exposure to stress as an environmental exposure, just like we would think about particulate matter. And in order to understand the impact of oppression and the health impacts living in frontline communities, I think it's really important that we also include exposure to stress. And what I've found in my research is that exposure to ACES is associated with an increase in mitochondrial dysfunction and so, and I'm seeing that among a cohort of children, right? So it like the changes that becomes embodied in our cells happens pretty quickly. It can at least.Brian Bienkowski So you're seeing that not only. So if there are these environmental insults, and then you pile on kind of just day to day stress in a child's life, whether that's from inside or outside of the home, the combination of those, they're both doing bad things at the cellular level, to the kid or to a child, and setting them up for potential increased illness.Laura Diaz Yeah, and I think, like, I'm really thinking about the mitochondria a lot, obviously, but if we think about being in a state of stress, where we're in this, like fight or flight, like our physiological response, our cells have an increased need of energy, and when that happens over and over and over again, then the mitochondria is being overworked. And so understanding what's happening at the cellular level is also really important.Brian Bienkowski v really fascinating research. And I love the idea of thinking more about stress, and of course, with your research with kids, but even for adults. I mean, I think stress is such a kind of a silent killer. I mean, it just, it's so bad for our body, and yet, a lot of us kind of live with it, and it's part of our, part of our life, so it's really important to to remember that. So I'm wondering, what are some of the next steps in this research? What would you like to do? What are you going to do? What are you working on?Laura Diaz Yeah, I think, like, I mean, I hope I can spend more time studying the mitochondria. I think, as is true for like, most folks in graduate school, really figuring out, like, where is my niche? Like, where is my lane? Like, I do hope that I get to spend quite a bit more time really deep diving into the mitochondria. Specifically, I'm really curious about what is happening and what other biomarkers are associated with this mitochondrial dysfunction, and also like mitochondrial mutations, which are pretty interesting to think about as well. So I'm kind of following, like what's happening in a molecular mechanism level.Brian Bienkowski Do you like doing research?Laura Diaz Yeah, I love it. Oh, I love it. Even, like and, and when I shouldn't say even, and when I was teaching, like, research was a big part of of my teaching practice with high schoolers. I have, I think this is like something that has been passed on from, from my family, for sure, but in my is just this love for learning and not being afraid of of kind of the unknown. Yeah.Brian Bienkowski So you mentioned earlier this kind of idea of being really interested in kind of professional development, and I know outside of your research, you're also, you're doing some other things, and you've you founded a nonprofit, the Educator Collective for Environmental Justice. So I was wondering if you could just tell us about that organization and why you started it?Laura Diaz Yeah, so when I met Karna Wong who, like, blew my mind about environmental justice and and really started supporting me on my journey through, like, integrating environmental justice in the classroom, I literally started writing curriculum for my class that evening, and I knew that there was a gap in environmental justice curriculum and training for educators at that time, and I was chosen to be a Science Friday educator collaborator, where I was able to actually publish my EJ curriculum, which was really cool. And I started getting invited to give conferences or talks at conferences, and I gave a talk at a climate solutions conference, and that's where I met Samra Pathania, who's also a high school teacher, and he is just as passionate about decarbonization and climate solutions. And so we spent that whole conference just like talking together and visioning together, like how we could create a space for professional development and like, almost like a grassroots movement building for educators around these topics of environmental justice and climate solutions. Because, just like, I have that really, like urgent sense to, like do something now, he's similar with decarbonization. And so originally, we started as a home for Educator professional development for again, EJ and climate solutions. And we actually grew really quickly, which was really cool and supported, started supporting youth. So we had a youth collective, which now we have two Youth Environmental Justice councils that we support. We have a cohort of educators that that we support in EJ and climate solutions and decarbonization. And then we also partner with communities. So we've given workshops to communities like building DIY indoor air filters and giving them like educational workshops around environmental justice. We partnered with promotoras and doing, like, some air pollution monitoring. So it's been this, like, really beautiful little space that that is is growing and thriving.Brian Bienkowski Excellent. And speaking of being too busy to play piano, you also co-founded the Partners for Equity and Research, which supports undergraduates doing community engaged research. So can you also talk about this, maybe a project or two that you've worked on there, and how you work to center community voices and experiences in that initiative?Laura Diaz Yeah, so maybe I could describe a little bit of like, our structure. It's a little bit like, yeah, has some moving pieces, but we are an environmental justice hub that's housed at Sonoma State University, and I co-lead that with Professor Daniel Soto, who's a department chair of Geography, Environment and Planning, and we train undergraduate researchers in community-driven research methods. So I like to think of it as a triangle, the way our partnership works. So we have the university and Dr. Soto's really important. Like, kind of the lead there. He's able to recruit the students at Sonoma State. And then there I, like, I'm another point wearing my nonprofit hat, and then we have our community partners, and they are the North Bay Organizing Project, and the Latinx Student Congress, and our partner there is Manny Morales, and we, with his hope, he recruits students from the Latinx Student Congress, And we have a running Latinx Youth Environmental Justice Council, so they get to come on campus, and Dr. Soto and I train the undergrads to, like, lead these workshops in environmental justice and community health. And it's really amazing. And again, like a lot of the students that we're recruiting, most are Latinx, if not most are first gen and then Dr Soto and I are both Latinx, and we're serving, I think it's 100% Latinx youth EJ council with a Latinx partner. And most of these kids come from a predominantly Latinx frontline EJ community. So it's just like, it's such a beautiful space. And Dr Sota, and I really spent a lot of time thinking about reimagining the academy as a public good, like, how do we make the university a space that actually serves the community? And I think speaking about HSI or Hispanic serving institutions, they are so primed to do that because of who we are, right? And there's a there's trust that's kind of baked in, and just our identity right, apart from, like, our ethics really driving building trust with our partners. And we've been using education as a tool for community deliberation so that we can support these youth as they fight for cleaner air and a more just environment. And so things that we've worked on, and so I think, like that piece of it is, like, more important, almost in like, the stuff that they get to do, because we put in all this work to build this partnership, and now we get to just follow their lead, the youth lead. It's beautiful. And so we've done things like, we've given them air monitors. They get to go out and like, monitor the air and like that data is theirs. And then we teach them the research methods of how to clean that data. So it truly is like a practice of data sovereignty. Like that data is theirs. It does not get pushed out to the cloud. It's on an SD card, and they get to decide what they do with it. And we have a couple other projects, like in the works, but it's been a really like healing practice in some of the environmental justice work I'm privileged to do.Brian Bienkowski Well, I bet some of the participants would agree, and the idea of reimagining the academy to be a public good is what you said. And like that is a pretty simple statement, but it's like pretty radical, if you think about the ways universities and institutions have operated for century, over a century. And it's a pretty radical concept, so good on you for for being part of that change. And does this how beautiful to have you speak about Sonoma State University as being pivotal at one point in your life, and now you are, you are one of those people that's that's providing a space for others. So just that full circle is really cool to hear about.Laura Diaz Yeah, it's been, it's been pretty special.Brian Bienkowski Yeah, for sure. And so you mentioned that you are a mother, so we have had, we actually had a podcast with a couple senior fellows where they discuss being researchers and mothers and how things change them, and it was just one of my favorite podcasts that we've done when I turned the microphone over to them, and I'm wondering just how it has it does has it done the same for you? Has it changed how you've thought about or conducted your research?Laura Diaz Yeah, so I came into grad school already being a mom, and so there are ways that it has impacted how I engage in research, for sure, and I think a really, a really, kind of important component of of the work that we do with at Sonoma State, with P4ER. We're also supporting undergraduate students who are also parents, and creating a space where the student parent feels like their whole self is welcome is incredibly important to some of the things that we do. And so there's like, I often bring my son to our workshops, because I know that if I do, then the students can also bring their kids. And so we're really trying to create an atmosphere where motherhood is welcomed, where it's embraced and it's also encouraged. And I think another like piece of being my son's mom that has really impacted me in research, which I feel like this is, again, I'm like, I love education, but that, I think, is a piece that we don't talk about enough in research, is the role that education or knowledge sharing plays in the process of knowledge production. And so if we do research well, but we don't do teaching well, we aren't pushing the edges of that new knowledge enough. And in research, we get to ask new questions, and we get to present that to new learners who have a different worldview than those of us who are asking those questions, so they can write like during the moment research is being done actually impact that research to be a more like to have a fuller angle to it. And so I just, I think about that a lot, because my son is in third grade and just seeing how he's learning and all that stuff. I think, I think a lot about the role of holistic learning and how that can play a big role in healthy development of of children and and research.Brian Bienkowski And I'm wondering if there are things that you tips you have, or things that you do to decompress, to cope, to make sure that you're doing okay.Laura Diaz I'm a dancer, so I'm a salcera, and I dance with a salsa Maria Dance Company in Oakland. Shout out to my dance family. That is a space where I have to shut my brain off, and it's like you were talking about, like music. I think I've been kind of able to get away with not playing piano for so long, because I've been really intensely dancing and so having, like, an artistic expression for my body has been really important. So like, I that that plays a big role in my own ability to kind of sustain we have work that's justice centered. And the cool thing about that too is that, like, they also really embrace like family. So like, my son will come and and, like, sit and watch practices, which he, like loves doing, which is super cool, because I remember being kid and going to my dad's soccer games and like that being a really like, it actually is, like, a big health promotion piece of my life, right, seeing my parents be active. Um, but anyways, so yeah, dance.Brian Bienkowski I think that's a good point too. Like having your children. See, I'm a big fan. I don't have kids. We are, we are child-free, but I have nieces and nephews, and I think it's so important for kids to see their parents as human beings. Like, yes, mom works hard and does research and but mom also dances like that. I don't know, to me, there's something cool about kids seeing their parents as whole human beings. So Laura, before we get to some of the fun questions and get you out of here, what are you optimistic about?Laura Diaz this summer, we came off of doing a summer institute for educators, and being able to be in community with educators who are these incredible like, they're the heart of a lot of of their community, like, of their school communities, and the impact that they have on on the kids that they get to teach, like, really does provide a lot of hope for me. And I think, like also being able to partner with youth and seeing just how they're such a raw reflection of society, how they're like, not fully yet assimilated into our social hierarchies. And when they see something that's wrong, like, they call it outright then and there, right? And they're like, dude, let's do something about it. And like, that is the energy that we need in this space, and it's such a privilege to work in partnership to their own EJ activism.Brian Bienkowski Awesome. Well, what a beautiful note to end on. So I have three rapid fire questions where you can just answer with one word or a phrase. My dream vacation isLaura Diaz Mexico City.Brian Bienkowski I feel most creative when I'mLaura Diaz Dancing salsaBrian Bienkowski if I could have dinner with one person, it would beLaura Diaz Leslie Jones.Brian Bienkowski Tell me about Leslie Jones?Laura Diaz Oh, she's someone I really look up to. She also has a brother who struggled and like seeing the way her autobiography. Is amazing, by the way, but just like the way that she's chosen to like, be strong and push through that and also be authentic and be raw and be herself, is something that I like. I hope that I bring in all the spaces that I have the privilege to navigate through.Brian Bienkowski Well, you've certainly brought it to the space today. And I don't know if it's if it's her autobiography or not, but what is the last book you read for fun?Laura Diaz I read In the Dream House, which is also an autobiography by Carmen Maria Machado. It's really beautiful. I read a lot. So I also read hood. Just finished reading Hood Feminism, which is an amazing book by Mickey Kendall, and it like talks about how feminism needs to prioritize the hood bipoc woman's experience. It's amazing.Brian Bienkowski But Laura, it has been so wonderful to have you on today. I'm so glad you're in this program and to be introduced to your work and your mind and the things that you're thinking about. So thank you so much.Laura Diaz Yeah, thank you so much.