Co-Developing a Community Air Monitoring Network in Leimert Park to Advance Environmental Justice

This project establishes a real-time, community-based air quality monitoring network in Leimert Park, a predominantly Black neighborhood in South Los Angeles disproportionately burdened by environmental injustice and chronic underinvestment. In partnership with Ezrach Brain Trust Association (“Ezrach”), we will deploy low-cost, IoT-enabled air sensors at community-prioritized locations, including local businesses and sensitive receptors such as schools, daycare centers, and houses of worship. Residents and youth will be actively involved in installing, maintaining, and interpreting the sensors, while monthly community meetings will provide spaces to review air quality data, co-develop strategies to reduce pollution exposure, and build environmental science literacy. A publicly accessible dashboard will provide hyperlocal air pollution data, supporting community education, local interventions, and policy advocacy.

The project also advances workforce development by training local students and community members in air monitoring and other green careers, equipping participants with skills for meaningful employment in the green economy while empowering them to act on the environmental data they help generate.

By embedding technical air quality research within a participatory framework, this project produces neighborhood-scale data that is often lacking in regulatory monitoring and strengthens community knowledge and engagement. Ultimately, it aims to increase environmental literacy, expand green career pathways, and foster community resilience in Leimert Park. The project creates a scalable, replicable model for integrating environmental sensing, education, and economic development in other communities facing similar challenges.