Through several in-depth interviews with members of the Southeast Asian (SEA) community in Providence, this public perception study aims to assess this community’s needs, desires, and use of their urban environment. The findings of this study will provide insights into the SEA community’s perceptions of the urban environment - to ensure the inclusion of their needs in the development of indicators assessing the environmental health of Providence and future urban environmental policy. Since no previous studies have been conducted with the Providence SEA population on urban environmental issues, this study will also establish new connections as well as strengthen old contacts between the Southeast Asian community and environmental academia, organizations, and government agencies. The successful (and not so successful) methods of accessing and interviewing the target population can serve as methodology recommendations to futures environmental research with the Providence SEA community.

Key Findings:

• Roger Williams Park was an overwhelming favorite among respondents for family picnics, spending time with friends, playing sports, and fishing ‘for fun.’
• No respondent reported eating fish caught from urban rivers.
• The water quality of local rivers and ponds in Roger Williams Park was criticized by the majority of residents for its cleanliness.
• Vacant Lots and garbage in the streets were the most frequently mentioned urban environmental concern by respondents without a direct question.
• Ten adult respondents spoke of the lack of resources available to the Southeast Asian community as a key factor in the lack of stewardship and activism within the community.
• Although respondents did not identify their concerns as ‘environmental’ issues, findings revealed that issues concerning rivers, vacant lots, parks, etc. were key concerns.

Recommendations:

• Approach fish consumption studies with the SEA community with knowledge of differences in diets; types of fish consumed; lack of resources to information on ‘safe fishing’; and awareness of the poor quality of urban waterways.
• Roger Williams Park’s popularity among Southeast Asians in Providence should be used to recruit members of that community for clean-up efforts at the park. Future plans for urban parks should be modeled after the success of Roger Williams Park.
• Concentrate city clean-up efforts in residential areas to instill pride in the neighborhoods and the city.
• Discrepant perceptions of the ‘urban environment’ between academia, mainstream environmental organizations and members of the Southeast Asian community must be further explored and taken into account when developing policy and future research methodologies.
• Increased state funding to Providence Southeast Asian community organizations will enable community leaders to gain the resources they need to foster the present desire for activism and stewardship for their urban environment.