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Student Spotlight – Chanaporn (New) Tohsuwanwanich

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Chanaporn (New) Tohsuwanwanich!

New majors in Geography, minors in GIS&T and Urban & Regional Studies, and is in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program. The title of her project is “Leaving no one behind?: Shifting Vulnerabilities of Participants in Baan Mankong Program in Bangkok, Thailand.” New’s work aims to gain a comprehensive, holistic perspective of a slum-upgrading program in Thailand called Baan Mankong. She is conducting ethnographic fieldwork to learn more about the successes of Baan Mankong as well as the challenges embedded in the system. Her best piece of advice is to follow your passion!

How did you first get interested in your research project?

In the International Housing Policy class, I learned various case studies worldwide on different facets of housing management. A slum upgrading program proposed by the Thai government called Baan Mankong immediately caught my attention. Despite being a Thai citizen, I have never heard about the program. The system of communal saving groups with government subsidies, focusing on infrastructure and housing loans, is a perfect solution. The program has so much potential to strengthen community bonding through saving and caters to the community’s needs. Consequently, Baan Mankong has been praised by many scholars, with many successful stories of participating communities. However, the struggles of many other communities are still unrevealed. Thus, ethnographic fieldwork and interviews with many stakeholders would help me deepen my knowledge about the community’s efforts.

What has been the most exciting aspect of your research so far?

I visited the field site, walked around the neighborhood, and talked with the community members and policymakers. I have learned a lot from my conversations and hope to expand and understand the community more to address their challenges in the Baan Mankong program.

What has surprised you about your research or the research process?

The interview process was very nerve-wracking for me at the very beginning. It went a lot easier and better than what I expected. I appreciate everyone I talked to, and it fulfilled some missing pieces I have been finding to learn more about the project. They were happy to welcome me to sit in their meeting, talk to professors who came in for community tourism development, or give me a ride to the nearby location. Going into the field was not only a part of the work process but also one of my enjoyments over the past summer.

What is one piece of advice you have for other UCLA students thinking about doing research?

If you know what your passion is, follow your passion! Talk to people: your professors, TAs, seniors, and advisors. Many people are willing to help you out, and there are many resources to support your research journey. Start with asking and taking action!

What effect do you hope your research has in your field, at UCLA, in your community, or in the world?

Learning about the community’s struggles gives a holistic perspective of the Baan Mankong program. Looking at the bright, flourishing communities and recognizing the challenges embedded in the system would help the program benefit a broader range of people. A comprehensive understanding of Baan Mankong would help create a better version. As the Baan Mankong model has also been adopted by other countries, such as the Phillippines, the changes will positively impact Thai communities and benefit other countries in their low-income settlement improvement.

Student Spotlight – Janet Zamudio

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Janet Zamudio!

Janet Zamudio majors in Public Affairs and Geography and is in our Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (URFP)! The title of her project is “A Tale of Two Movements: Coalition Building Between Environmental Justice and Affordable Housing in Los Angeles.” Her hope is that her research will bridge together what is happening within the two movements and academia. Her best piece of advice is to put yourself out there!

How did you first get interested in your research project?

My inspiration for this project stems from my lived experience growing up in the Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) area. I grew up seeing and feeling the effects of environmental racism firsthand: the targeting of BIPOC communities by the intentional placement of hazardous sites and the official sanctioning of the presence of life-threatening poisons and pollutants, all without these affected communities being represented at the political level. Without even knowing the definition of environmental racism, I lived it day-in and day-out by biking past toxic facilities, breathing polluted air, having to carry an asthma inhaler, and drinking contaminated water. After being exposed to the environmental justice movement and becoming a youth advocate for a local organization, Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), I began to understand the urgency behind the fight against environmental racism and injustice. The COVID-19 pandemic shed a new light on systemic injustices in SELA, magnifying the environmental, healthcare, and housing insecurities that our communities have faced for decades. During this turbulent time, it was impossible not to see how environmental injustices (not having a clean environment) went hand in hand with housing insecurity (the lack of safety and existence in an urban environment). My environmental justice advocacy work, combined with my experience in academia, led me to my current research project, “A Tale of Two Movements: Coalition Building Between Environmental Justice and Affordable Housing in Southeast Los Angeles.”

What has been the most exciting aspect of your research so far?

One of the most exciting aspects of my research so far has been collaborating with other environmental justice advocates and hearing their insight. My faculty mentor, Dr. Juan Herrera, is a well-known researcher in social movements and has extensive knowledge on environmental justice in the urban context. I am excited to contribute to the already existing knowledge on social movements, environmental justice, and affordable housing through an academic perspective while expanding the existing knowledge in SELA on the acts of resistance happening on the ground. So far, having conversed with community organizers has been an honor, a privilege, and insightful for me. I only hope to highlight their work, and the resistance of residents from injustice, in the best way that I can.

What has surprised you about your research or the research process?

As silly as this may sound, I’ve been surprised with how quickly time flies when doing research, especially as an undergraduate student. Aside from the typical responsibilities an undergraduate student has, my research process so far includes creating my research timeline, developing a literature review, and emailing housing and environmental experts in the field. I have been surprised by how each week goes by quickly.

What is one piece of advice you have for other UCLA students thinking about doing research?

Do not be afraid to put yourself out there in research. It is easy to be afraid of Professors and researchers; however, that does not mean you are not allowed to ask for help, question the norms set in research, and/or choose a non-traditional avenue towards research. In an already challenging, selective, and elitist environment, do not be afraid to break down barriers through research.

What effect do you hope your research has in your field, at UCLA, in your community, or in the world?

SELA residents and grassroots organizations have long known the importance of having to choose between a place to live or living nearby environmental toxins. On the other hand, academia has historically lacked the means of highlighting ground up activism. It is my hope that this research will bridge together what is happening within these two movements and academia. What I also hope to achieve is to highlight the real life experiences people have in SELA while exploring the implications these two social movements have on navigating the U.S. legal system.