Redford Township was established in 1883 on the Western border of Michigan City and Detroit. The Redford community has no sub-communities and does not have individual names (“Zip Code 48239 – Redford MI Map”, 2022). Most of the houses in Redford were built in the 1950s and 1960s and appear to be in good condition to date (“Zip Code 48239 – Redford MI Map”, 2022). Most of the homes in Redford seem to be single families with roughly three-bedroom houses. The oldest building in Redford is the Moonlight Printing firm which provides insurance policies to the community in the advantage of social meetings (“15116 Telegraph (Redford’s Oldest Building)”, 2016). Redford’s community comprises people aged around 35-45 years who are married 91% of them have a high school diploma, while about 23% of the population have a bachelor’s degree (“United States Census Bureau”, 2021). Redford’s population consists of 49.6% Whites, 43.8% Blacks, 6.4% Hispanics, and 0.2% belong to other ethnic groups (“United States Census Bureau”, 2021). There are a lot of schools, parks, recreation centers, and several convent stores in the Redford area, which houses both the white and black populations.
Many of Redford’s citizens are second or third-generation inhabitants who grew up in the town and are willing to raise their families the town. The citizens of Redford are highly dedicated to giving back to the community that has given them so much. For this reason, the citizens are involved in local government at a high rate, which has led to the success of many neighborhood civics and churches. The Redford Township represents the appearance of America since it consists of people of all ages, races, cultural, and religious backgrounds (“Street guide map”, 2020). Redford has approximately 15 well-maintained parks that facilitate efficient navigation of the town and improve its appearance (Trails & Trails, 2022). These parks have uncountable selections of youth sports and offer options for adults, including water activities, yoga, and other fitness options. Redford has several private gathering spaces and a public library that gathers small children weekly for reading and other interactive activities.
The population of Redford is diverse and comprises various socially unequal groups. One of the vulnerable populations in Redford is Black people, primarily low-income earners. Many of these families fail to meet their basic needs making it difficult for them to thrive in Redford. According to the US census, the population of the Black community has been declining in the last ten years. For instance, the average Black resident’s population in Redford was 45% in 2013-2018, down from 52% in 2000 (“United States Census Bureau”, 2021). A significant challenge the Black community has been experiencing due to poverty is the lack of access to quality healthcare. Most of these families lack healthcare insurance to support their medication. As a result, children have been regularly suffering from malnutrition and other healthcare conditions that have contributed to the decline of the population. Additionally, mental health conditions such as depression have been prominent among the adults in Redford’s Black community. These problems have significantly undermined the development and prosperity of the Black community in Redford, making it susceptible to various economic, social, and healthcare challenges.
Poverty is a significant problem in Redford that is affecting the majority of Black community. 53.9% of the Blacks in Redford live in poverty compared to 12.3% of the national average of people living in poverty. Black women are the most affected, especially those aged 12-14 and those between 25 and 34. Income disparity is prominent in Redford, depending on the worker’s race. In 2019 the highest paid race of workers were the Asians, who were paid 1.13 times more than the white employees. The Black workers were the lowest paid workers in the region’s employment industry.
Additionally, employees from the black community were more likely to lose their jobs than workers from other races. The little income the Black employees earn often fails to meet their expenditures, thus elevating the poverty levels within this population. In Redford, the employment rate between 2018 and 2019 declined by -15.7% (Redford Township”, 2022). In 2019, full-time male employees in Redford earned a salary 1.34 times more than that of female employees (“Redford Township”, 2022). Therefore, the gender and racial disparities in employment and income distribution contribute to poverty among the Black community in Redford.
The most prevalent health risks likely to affect the Blacks community in Redford are malnutrition from hunger, lack of access to healthy foods, and inadequate healthcare. Malnutrition is contributed by the lack of enough income to afford a balanced diet. Therefore, poverty is a direct contributor to malnutrition, thus undermining the health of the Blacks in Redford. The percentage of Black households facing insecurity in Redford has decreased from 14.2% in 2011 to 11.9% in 2019 (“Risk factor”, 2020). Although the number of families facing food insecurity has fallen, many Black households continue to live in poverty. An analysis of annual death rates from 2009 – 2019 shows an average yearly increase of deaths from malnutrition and poverty-related health risks by 0.5% (“Risk factor”, 2020). Since the Blacks are the lowest paid workers in Redford, most low-income families are black and will experience unreliable food supply leading to malnutrition.
Inadequate healthcare is an additional risk to the Black community in Redford. In 2010, it was estimated that 1.2 million Redford residents lacked medical insurance (“Risk factor”, 2020). The highest number of uninsured people falls between 20 and 29 (“Risk factor”, 2020). Uninsured adults claimed that the main reason for being uninsured is that they could not afford the insurance, for they had either left or lost their jobs. The lack of insurance makes accessing medication expensive for the blacks, and as a result, most of them have accumulated large hospital bills that they find difficult to pay. About 55% of the uninsured adults claim that the most horrifying aspect of being uninsured is being unable to pay for healthcare services (“Risk factor”, 2020). Employment status is another reason for the inadequate healthcare services among the black families in Redford.
Various preventive mechanisms can be employed to address the healthcare disparities between the Black community and the rest of the population in Redford. For instance, there is a need to address poverty among the Blacks to give them the financial power to access quality healthcare services. This approach is necessary because a majority of low-income families spend a large share of their income on food, and little is left to afford to pay for health insurance and other basic needs. Offering quality education to the Black community is the first step in overcoming poverty. Quality education will equip the community with the necessary knowledge and skills needed in the employment sector, thus increasing their chances of getting equal employment opportunities. Restriction policies on food taxes should be implemented to ensure that food prices are stable and affordable for all social classes in Redford. In addition, the poor should be protected from malnutrition by providing them with information that will help them make better dietary choices.
References
15116 Telegraph (Redford’s Oldest Building). (2016). Redford Township Historical Commission.
Trails, F., & Trails, R. (2022). Redford, Michigan Trails & Trail Maps | TrailLink. Traillink.com.
Zip Code 48239 – Redford MI Map, Data, Demographics, and More – Updated July 2022. (2022) Zipdatamaps.com.
Redford Township. (2022). Redfordtwp.com. Web.
Risk factor. (2020). Risk factor.com.
Street guide map. (2020). Redfordtwp.com. Web.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Census.gov.