Finding Community-based Solutions to Mobility Barriers Faced by Families in Semi-rural Antelope Valley, California

Research Lead: Elisa Borowski

UC Campus(es): UC Irvine

Problem Statement: Located in semi-rural Antelope Valley, California, Ohana Center is a non-profit community center that provides resources and support to families in need. The mobility challenges experienced by these families include unreliable and sparse public transit, financial burdens, time demands, and lack of social support. These barriers may contribute to further social isolation, lower likelihood of participating in family leisure activities, and missing prenatal, maternal, and pediatric healthcare appointments. To address these challenges, Ohana Center has included mobility incentives, like providing gas vouchers. While these community-led solutions may facilitate care-related trips for families in need, they are currently short-term solutions.

Project Description: In partnership with the Ohana Center, this research project will conduct a series of four online community listening sessions with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) mothers who utilize Ohana Center services to learn more about their challenges related to completing care-related trips, their experiences with various community-led mobility initiatives, and their hopes for new public mobility services and programs in Antelope Valley. Transcripts from these sessions will be analyzed to identify themes and community-expressed needs. Findings will be interpreted in partnership with the Ohana Center to inform future mobility initiatives and solutions.

Status: In Progress

Budget: $88,030