Environmental Studies and Sciences Senior Capstone

Date of Award

3-17-2026

Document Type

Poster

Abstract

Located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay, Alviso is a historically underrepresented community facing disproportionate impacts of climate change. San José has directly contributed to Alviso’s infrastructure instability, particularly after its controversial 1967 annexation, which excluded Alviso residents from municipal planning processes. Alviso currently ranks in the upper quartile statewide for environmental burden with high exposure to hazardous waste, linguistic isolation, impaired waterways, and solid waste facilities. Our study produced a Community-Led Climate Vulnerability Assessment that centers resident knowledge and integrates it with environmental data to support equitable climate planning. We used a participatory, co-production research approach that integrated GIS mapping, CalEnviroScreen 5.0 data, archival research, and qualitative interviews and surveys with community members. We examined how residents perceive environmental risk and resilience, which adaptation strategies residents prioritize, how Alviso’s political history shaped trust in local government, and tangible interventions. By emphasizing shared authority and reciprocal relationships in knowledge production, this project elevates lived experience as the cornerstone of data. The resulting assessment is accessible to residents and decision-makers alike, offering a practical tool for justice-centered climate adaptation, long-term resilience, and community-based evacuation planning in Alviso.

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