South Coast Air Quality Management District

Approve Initial Task Orders for Ethnic Community Outreach

SYNOPSIS: 

In April 2001, the Board issued an RFP to solicit proposals to provide ethnic community relations/outreach and information needs assessments. Four consulting firms have been selected. This letter identifies the consultants and sets forth the task orders, deliverables, and timelines for the outreach campaigns.

COMMITTEE: 

Administrative, December 14, 2001, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Approve the attached task orders and authorize staff to have consultants begin work.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

At its March 16, 2001 meeting, the Board approved allocation of $1.5 million for enhanced education and outreach to African-American, Hispanic, and Asian communities from the AES Settlement Projects Fund. In June 2001, an RFP was released to solicit proposals from individuals and organizations capable of providing ethnic community relations/outreach and information needs assessment. Four firms were selected and are in place to begin working on task orders described below. The total funds will be distributed as follows with amounts not to exceed: Strategy Workshops, Inc. and Imada Wong $500,000 combined; Oralia Michel $500,000; and RCA Associates $500,000, for a two-year period. (The task order amounts being authorized in this board letter vary according to project scope.)

Task Orders
Community Outreach Campaigns

Imada Wong Communications Group, Inc.

Bill Wong, President & CEO

Projected Task: Establish a partnership between AQMD and a retail entity serving the Asian community, such as Vons, that would drive an outreach campaign to increase the public’s awareness of air pollution, its impact on health and what people can do to help clean the air. The campaign would include advertising and media outreach with a call to action, and tracking mechanisms to determine its effectiveness. These retailers have outlets in the targeted communities and provide a socially sensitive partner who can enhance media placement.

Target Audience: Women and families, predominantly Asian, with general public "splash over."

Specific Deliverables: A partnership that results in increased direct Asian-community exposure to the AQMD message; that provides sponsorship opportunities for the Clean Air Assemblies (see Strategy Workshops task order); that produces an Asian-focused radio/PSA campaign (Asian radio programming has greatly expanded in recent years) as well as print media exposure. Imada Wong has over 40 staff members who represent the predominant Asian groups in the Basin.

In the case of Vons, clean air messages can be posted on the company’s fleet of alternative fuel vehicles, as well as printed on bags and in-store displays. Articles on the health effects of air pollution and clean air tips can be placed in newsletters distributed to consumers. Through past partnerships with the state to heighten public awareness of good nutrition and breast and prostate cancer, Vons has proven its commitment to the community, health and families. It has also proven itself to be a strong financial supporter by matching or surpassing program funding.

Delivery Schedule: Upon Board approval, immediate contact with potential retail partners will commence. Timeline for kick-off will be spring 2002, including Clean Air Month (May). Follow-up outreach will continue through the smog season.

Relationship to Overall Outreach Objectives: Such public/private partnerships, or social alliances, have historically proven to be highly effective for raising visibility of a cause or public policy issue. Imada Wong has a prestigious client base from which to identify corporate and retail partners.

Budget: $35,000

Oralia Michel Marketing & Public Relations

Oralia Michel, Principal

Projected Task: Develop a health awareness campaign in partnership with Toyota, Wave Community Newspapers, Tenet Healthcare and the adult/youth soccer leagues within the four counties. A kick-off event in early spring would educate residents on the health risks associated with air pollution and on what they can do to reduce their exposure and help clean the air. Follow-up activities would prompt them to take action. Events would be promoted through the Wave community newspapers and by PSA on local Spanish- and English-language radio stations. Hispanic culture radio has significant reach in Southern California. Oralia Michel has a strong Hispanic event-planning track record as well as community outreach expertise.

Target Audience: Predominantly Hispanic families in communities impacted by air pollution. Because of growing general public interest in soccer, "splash over" opportunities exist for reaching larger audiences. Soccer, while increasingly being played by youths and adults throughout Southern California, is especially popular within the Hispanic communities and provides outreach opportunities to multi-generational families. There are thousands of youth and adult soccer leagues throughout the four-county region, including communities of El Sereno and the City of Pomona.

Specific Deliverables: A partnership that results in increased direct Hispanic community exposure to the AQMD message; that provides sponsorship opportunities for the Clean Air Assemblies (see Strategy Workshops task order); that produces an Hispanic radio, television, and print campaign. Specific media partnerships with Univision and Telemundo television and La Opinion newspaper.

Delivery Schedule: Upon Board approval, establishment of the partnerships will commence with a timeline of late April or Clean Air Month in May 2002. Outreach will continue through smog season, including tournaments, ending in October with the Clean Air Awards.

Relationship to Overall Outreach Objectives: This task order complements the AQMD Environmental Justice program by educating and informing the Latino/Hispanic community of the health impacts of air pollution and provides opportunities for community participation.

Budget: $25,000

RCA Associates

Renee Combs Anderson, Principal

Projected Task: A health awareness campaign initiated by a symposium on the adverse effects of air pollution, specifically its impact on asthmatic children. According to the California Department of Health Services, California County Asthma Hospitalization Chart Book, asthma is the leading cause of hospital admissions of young children in California. African-American children are the hardest hit. Studies show that in Los Angeles County the hospitalization rate for African-American children is 664 per 100,000 population, versus rates of 196 per 100,000 for Hispanic children, 186 per 100,000 for white children and 148 per 100,000 for Asian/Pacific Islanders. African-American males (aged 0 – 14) are greatly affected. Their rate of 850 hospitalizations per 100,000 is 50% higher than young African-American females. Research has indicated that low-income and minority children are less likely to have access to quality health care.

Develop alliances and cosponsorship opportunities with Black Women for Wellness, local hospitals (i.e., Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Martin Luther King/Drew Medical Center, L.A. County-USC Medical Center), Asthma & Allergy Foundation, American Lung Association, a pharmaceutical company and others. The NIEHS (National Institute of Environmental Health Science) Director Dr. Charles A. Wells has expressed enthusiastic interest in working with AQMD on this project.

Target Audience: Predominantly African-American communities, Hispanic communities, medical and public health professionals, with general public "splash-over."

Specific Deliverables: Partnerships that result in increased direct African-American community exposure to the AQMD message; that provide sponsorship opportunities for the Clean Air Assemblies; that produces an African-American-focused television, radio and print PSA campaign. African-American radio programming has less reach than in the past. The Wave Community Newspapers, the Los Angeles Sentinel, and KNBC Channel 4 partnerships (for example, with Christopher Nance as a spokesperson) are more viable with the addition of health-related supplements in community newspapers in Orange, Riverside, and the Inland Empire African-American communities.

Delivery Schedule: Upon Board approval, immediate follow-up with NIEHS and local institutional partners will commence. Due to necessary planning, the timeline for the symposium will be late spring, 2002. Media outreach will continue through smog season.

Relationship to Overall Outreach Objectives: This Task Order dovetails well with AQMD’s Environmental Justice Initiatives, as well as with the Children’s Air Quality Agenda. The consultant has an outstanding track record for planning and conducting such events, with strong connections at many levels of the African-American community.

Budget: $50,000

Strategy Workshops

Leslie Song Winner, President

Projected Task: Develop general framework and supporting materials for Clean Air Assemblies, a widespread network of individuals throughout the region who support AQMD rules and programs. To form the Clean Air Assemblies, AQMD representatives would go where people gather, get on their agendas, and make a pitch to encourage them to join the assemblies. Members would receive membership cards, information packets, and updated information via newsletters and emails. Annual meetings would be held in each county.

Target Audience: Initial focus will be on members of the Asian, Latino, and African-American communities who are interested in what AQMD is doing and want to help improve air quality. Based on the success of this model the program will be expanded.

Specific Deliverables: Design framework and supporting materials, including a five to seven minute video presentation, produced in English and Spanish, introducing the AQMD, the progress that has been made in improved air quality since the agency’s formation, the health impacts of air pollution and AQMD’s ongoing programs; a presenter’s handbook, including briefs on AQMD programs and frequently asked questions on the agency and air quality issues; other collateral and supplemental materials (i.e. newsletter) for members of the Clean Air Assemblies; subsequent task orders will be directed at enlisting 5,000 Clean Air Assemblies members in the first year; increased calls to 1-800-CUT-SMOG®, visits to AQMD’s website and public participation in Town Hall Meetings.

Delivery Schedule: Upon Board approval, design and implement the Clean Air Assemblies with initial roll-out activities scheduled for March 2002.

Relationship to Overall Outreach Objectives: All of the consultant’s Ethnic Outreach activities flow toward and provide the basis for the Clean Air Assemblies. Public Affairs & Transportation Programs’ Local Government Relations staff and Community Outreach staff will team with Strategy Workshop and the other ethnic outreach consultants, as well as with the Councils of Government and community groups, to implement the plan developed under this task order and to distribute materials in the creation of the Clean Air Assemblies.

Budget: $42,000

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