Transportation Access to Culturally Specific Grocery Stores for Hispanics/Latinos in Multnomah County
I created the following maps using ArcGIS and data from the Census Bureau (racial demographics), I also downloaded shapefiles from Portland Maps, and I made my data set/shapefile of Hispanic/Latino grocery stores in Multnomah Country. The maps exhibit the current access that Hispanics/Latinos have to culturally specific grocery stores. I believe it is essential to recognize the current inequities that exist from a public health perspective.
Transportation inequities bring forth many issues to the health of marginalized communities. Not only do marginalized communities struggle to get around because of the lack of transportation options. Transportation barriers further impact the health and well-being of these communities—both mentally, emotionally, and socially. For communities of color, food insecurity is a real thing, not only due to prices but also due to access. My efforts are to showcase that Multnomah County areas with high populations of Hispanic/Latinos lack public transportation options and are not at walking distance to culturally specific grocery stores.
My first map shows the current lack of access by light rail to culturally specific grocery stores for Hispanic/Latino's in Multnomah Country. This is especially true for areas with a population of more than 2000 Hispanic/Latinos.
For my final map below I added a buffer to Hispanic/Latino grocery stores to show that for many Hispanic/Latinos access to food that is culturally specific isn't available by foot nor within a 1 mile radius.
For Portland to achieve true racial and social justice, there must be increased access by public transportation for all communities to access culturally specific foods.
There are limitations to my data and analysis, such as I created the data for Hispanic/Latino grocery stores using Google Maps. Additionally, I did not take income, car ownership, or other factors into account for my analysis.
https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?t=Hispanic%20or%20Latino%3ARace%20and%20Ethnicity&g=0500000US41051.140000&y=2015&d=ACS%205-Year%20Estimates%20Detailed%20Tables&tid=ACSDT5Y2015.B03002&moe=false&hidePreview=true
Hi Val, I appreciate your bringing to light subject's concerning the Hispanic/Latino community here in Oregon. It's something I think we don't focus enough on here. Your maps are fascinating and really point out the inequities here in Portland. We really have pushed people of color to the edges of the city. I love how you included Hispanic/Latino grocery stores as a part of your analysis. People really need to start including this important factor when talking about food insecurity, etc. What you said really struck me: "Stripping communities from culturally familiar foods enhances inequalities and promotes a disassociation from one's roots, practices, customs, and traditions. In a way, this is a form of racial oppression and racial privilege." I have honestly felt this in my life. Growing up in the Hood River Valley, I always had easy access to Mexican ingredients, whether in a Mexican market or even in the regular grocery store. I now live in Clackamas county, and have had real trouble finding my chiles and cheeses. Not owning a car makes it even more difficult. I would be really interested to see a similar analysis for Washington County. Great job Val!
ReplyDeleteExcellent work, Val! This is a very interesting look at a very common problem, even in regions of the country where Latinx populations make up a higher share of the overall population. In my home town of Corpus Christi, TX for example, many communities outside of the suburbs have very limited access to any kind of grocery stores, much less culturally specific grocery stores. Many have to travel several miles to be able to access any kind of food. I'm curious how many of these businesses are remnants of Latinx communities that have been displaced due to gentrification. Ironically, it's likely that transit had a role in this displacement.
ReplyDeleteHi Val,
ReplyDeleteI think this is SUCH a cool application of GIS! While some might think that culturally specific grocery stories are a narrow focus, it is like you say an emblematic intersection of public health, cultural identity, inequitable transportation access, and community building. You're adding important insight to the larger conversation around food access/food deserts. Your work is also making me think more critically about Portland Mercado, the Hispanic market and cultural hub created by Hacienda CDC. I'm curious about their decision making process about where to place it. Based on your maps, it doesn't appear to be located in the highest density area of Hispanic/Latino residents, but perhaps it was a location that had easy transportation access for Hispanic/Latino residents in the Portland area more generally.
It would also be interesting to see how these maps would look for other ethnic groups in Portland and their culturally specific grocery stores, and if they are more or less accessible by transit than what your maps reflect. Thanks for sharing!