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Quantitative analysis across the three zones revealed that high-risk business density and lack of support structures were key drivers of youth exposure.

• Zone 2 had the highest signs of alcohol use (n=84), business density (n=26), and the greatest number of protective community features (n=13), signaling both risk and some resilience (Figs. 2, 3, & 5).
• Zone 3 showed diverse substance use (vapes, whippits) and limited supportive infrastructure (Figs. 2 & 3).
• Zone 1 had the lowest risk but also no documented protective features (Figs. 2 & 3).

Introduction

Underage alcohol access is a significant public health issue, especially in intersectional and marginalized communities.¹

• The FTC’s “We Don’t Serve Teens” campaign highlights the need to reduce youth access to alcohol, but local environments heavily influence exposure and normalization.²

CAMBA’s R.A.A.M. campaign (Reducing Alcohol Access to Minors), a part of the Brooklyn Y.A.S. Coalition (Youth Against Substance Misuse), examines environmental determinants contributing to substance use risk among BIPOC LGBTQIA+ youth in Bushwick, Brooklyn. ³

Given the area's high density of alcohol-serving businesses and pervasive advertising, understanding risk profiles and protective assets is essential for developing effective interventions

Special thanks to CAMBA and the team at 1259 Flatbush Avenue for their continuous support, guidance, and mentorship throughout this project. Additional thanks to the SPHSP and Columbia University faculty and mentors for fostering an environment of equity, growth, and public health leadership.

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RAAM conducted multi-source community scans in August 2024 and May 2025. Three zones in Bushwick were defined as the scan area (Fig. 1).

Volunteer teams documented:

• Signs of substance use (e.g., litter, vapes, whip-its, etc.)
• Advertising (e.g., alcohol promotions, party flyers)
• Business types (e.g., bars, bodegas, smoke shops)
• Protective community features (e.g., LGBTQ+ allyship signs, uplifting art)

Volunteers gathered over 450 site-specific photos, 176 of which were coded by zone/location, substance type, and qualitative insights, alongside tally sheets that documented the counts of observed features per block. A database was then created, detailing items such as business names and license types.

• All statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Software and Microsoft Excel.

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The analysis results reveal a clear relationship between environmental exposure and underage substance access, particularly in Zones 2 and 3.

To respond to these findings, a multi-pronged policy proposal was drafted for CAMBA to distribute to businesses participating in the R.A.A.M. campaign.

Key components of this policy include:

• Offering responsible beverage service training to reduce underage sales (e.g., TIPS^® Training).
• Encouraging the use of free, virtual DMV ID scanning tools to verify age
• Visibly marking businesses that meet RAAM’s “Safe Vendor” standards (e.g., ID checks, signage compliance) with RAAM stickers.

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These policy measures are designed to reduce youth access to alcohol while creating more supportive, visible alternatives for BIPOC LGBTQIA+ youth.

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R.A.A.M. also plans to release an LGBTQ+ Cultural Competency training video to build safer, community-centered, and inclusive service environments.

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Methods

Results

Discussion

Acknowledgements & References

Additionally, three separate linear regression models were conducted to examine how environmental and community-level factors influence the number of visible signs of substance use across the three zones (Fig. 4).

• High-Risk Businesses were the strongest predictor (B = 5.67, β = .974), indicating that zones with more alcohol and tobacco retailers showed significantly higher evidence of underage substance access.
• Protective Features (e.g., allyship signs, therapy ads) also showed a positive association with substance signs (B = 7.82), as did the presence of Safe Community Sites, like churches and gyms (B = 29.67).
• While this may seem counterintuitive, it likely reflects that these support structures are in zones already experiencing higher levels of risk

For more resources of this project—including an extended findings report, proposed policy, references list, and my LinkedIn—please scan the QR code.