Stories Project

Tonawanda speaks with many voices. We’ve heard them during telephone calls, at community meetings, and as we canvass the neighborhoods affected by air pollution. The more we hear, the more it is clear that each person has a deeper story to tell, and these stories are crucial in helping us understand the impact of air pollution on the quality of life in Tonawanda and nearby communities.

The Stories Project is a way for the deeper stories to be told and compiled in a way that will help the Clean Air Coalition in its advocacy efforts. Four CAC members and staff (Erin Robinson of Canisius College; Bill Scheider of the University at Buffalo; Emma Fabian, a student intern from Canisius College, and Erin Heaney, CAC Executive Director), working in teams of two, are conducting in-depth interviews of community residents.

Participants are interviewed in their homes or in a separate location that is convenient. They are asked to describe their perceptions of neighborhood life, experiences with air pollution, and the effects air pollution has on them and their families. Voice recordings of the interviews are being transcribed and analyzed to extract important experiences, insights, and themes, which will be compiled into a report that paints a picture of the effects of air pollution on Tonawanda and adjacent communities.

So far, we have interviewed five people and have heard compelling stories and obtained many helpful insights. We are looking forward to broad participation from the community. For more detailed information about the study, click on the links below, and if you would like to be interviewed, call the Clean Air Coalition office to schedule an appointment. The study meets human research requirements established by the University at Buffalo Social Sciences Institutional Review Board for this type of study.

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