Our geographic focus is the city of Alton, IL. This location was already chosen for us prior to commencement of the CODES program due to the history of racial division in the city. From being a stop on the underground railroad where abolitionists would help usher slaves to freedom, to being a main site of segregation through redlining; Alton has remained a prominent location in history in terms of racial equity. A recent flood in 2019 raised concerns about racial justice in terms of climate change, prompting our research being focused on the topic of racial justice in the Mississippi river town.
