Older adults are subject to generalizations, stigmas and policies that socialize and restrict them from obtaining a quality and engaging life. Since COVID-19 those 65 and up have become accustomed to such factors of devaluation, which may have promoted disengagement or withdrawal from their previous societal functions. In this project, the experiences of older adults who sheltered in place during the pandemic are explored and analyzed. Using qualitative interviews with older adults, I will address the following research questions: 1) How does one feel about lockdown measures due to a worldwide pandemic? 2) How was one’s quality of life effected? and 3) What was the role media outlets may have played in othering or promoting trauma within an individual?

In 2017, a tax law was implemented that created a tax break in order to encourage investment in low-income areas labeled as “opportunity zones.” However, much of the prior research predominantly highlights the downsides of the program, stating that it causes more harm than good to low-income communities around the country. These studies argue that the program prioritizes the creation of affordable housing and jobs for high-profile investors, rather than effectively benefiting those who actually reside in the opportunity zones. This study aims to provide an empirical examination and valuable insights into the effects of the Opportunity Zone program, specifically on African Americans in the low-income communities of California. The research argues that, due to the law being exploited by high-profile investors, the communities that were originally intended to be helped are not receiving the intended assistance. Furthermore, the study addresses the program’s contribution to the process of gentrification, which often leads to the displacement of long-standing residents from low-income communities, replacing them with wealthier individuals. To achieve these objectives, we will conduct a thorough review of existing studies to gain a comprehensive understanding of how this law has been implemented and the effects it has had on the communities. By analyzing the available data and examining the experiences of African Americans in low-income areas of California, this study will shed light on the specific challenges and adverse consequences they face as a result of the Opportunity Zone program.

As of 2022, 3,296 individuals were unhoused in Long Beach, California. Among this population, 69 percent (2,287) were unsheltered, meaning they do not reside in a homeless shelter or vehicle. This is a 22 percent increase from the previous count in 2021, which is one of the largest spikes in recent history (LongBeach.Gov 2022). Many unsheltered folks resort to the creation of “informal settlements” around Long Beach in order to form networks of support. In response, the city has conducted police sweeps to manage its houseless population, thereby criminalizing the crisis of houselessness. This study focuses on the criminalization of houselessness in Long Beach, California by examining the purported reasons for police sweeps, their social impacts, and the way these sweeps affect those experiencing houselessness. This study asks: are sweeps an effective way to manage homelessness? If so, to what extent, for whom, and for what reason? How do unhoused individuals experience police sweeps and what are their lasting results on these communities?