My dissertation research built on theories of environmental racism, which have generally focused on the inequitable distribution of pollution or other hazards, to consider how the management of environmental amenities and benefits is exclusionary. I argue that the way nature is cultivated in parks and nature preserves contributes to environmental racism by presuming that science is a neutral and objective way to understand nature.

Data-driven policies are seen as essential for achieving public health goals because epidemiological data offer calculable representations of racial disparities in heath, between communities or groups. However, the broader effects of systemic racism in employment and housing are not necessarily being addressed due to the focus on measurable outcomes. I have explored these themes in collaboration with Claire Decoteau and other colleagues.