Perspectives on Alcohol in East New York Interactive Mapping Project is a qualitative report on the environmental harms of binge drinking in East New York, Brooklyn. With the support of The Partnership for a Healthier NYC, Center for Disease Control and The Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, DIVAS for Social Justice conducted media activism workshops with youth in East New York, Brooklyn to capture environmental scans and capture testimonials of community members experience with binge drinking and exposure to alcohol advertisements.

According to the 2012 US Census, there is an estimated population of 92,054 people living in East New York, Brooklyn. 66.8% of the population is African-American/Caribbean and 32.7% of the population is of Hispanic or Latin origin. The average family size is 3 and with children under 18 years old is  52.1 %.

42.4% of the population lives below the poverty level.

Youth from The World Academy Total Community Health High School, Brooklyn College Community Partnership, DIVAS for Social Justice and Arts East New York conducted environmental scans of New Lots Ave, Sutter Ave and Blake Ave within the vicinity of the school and the arts organization. Youth traveled five blocks from each location to photograph alcohol advertisements being marketed to their communities. These photographs and their testimonials are featured on our interactive map here.

The findings of the environmental photography scans showed:

 

Product & Promotion– In the East New York community malt liquors, beer, Alcopops and cheap wine advertisements are placed on neighborhood bodegas within 1-2 blocks of schools and youth organizations. For specific liquor stores , there is an emphasis on outside advertisements that are promoted through Hip Hop and Latino culture.

 

Price: Youth observed through their environmental photography scans that prices would range from 99 cents to $3.49 in the East New York area so that alcohol was affordable for them to receive.

 

Placement : Alcohol Advertisements were placed on eye level of the bodega from the front to the side of the store. Often, the environmental scans were done by a train station and at the corner of the exit staircase would be a bodega with at least 8-10 alcohol advertisements in one section.

 

Alcohol Outlets:

Thomas Jefferson Campus High School had 10 outlets selling alcohol within a five block radius according to the New York State Liquor Authority.

 

 

Arts East New York , a local youth arts organization, there were over 21 alcohol outlets according to the New York State Liquor Authority.