E-News
Equity, Evidence & Engagement
Democratizing Knowledge for Policy Change: 12 Community-Academic Partnerships Advance Racial Justice and Health Equity
By: Lisa Cacari Stone, Ph.D.
In just one year, we have experienced the quadruple pandemic of COVID-19, exacerbated structural inequities, racial violence and data censorship. Seizing the moment, our national research center of excellence (TREE Center) launched an online training dedicated to evidence-based policy making- the Equity in Policy Institute. The training fills a need for local champions and academic researchers to learn how to conduct policy analysis from decolonized and racial justice approaches. “Too often, policies are made within the confines of power, politics, white-privilege and intellectual colonialism and the voices, lived experiences and community data of the ‘oppressed’ are ‘suppressed.” In order to equalize power differentials, knowledge must be produced from multiple diverse communities.
The Equity in Policy Institute is a unique training comprised of 3 days and 9 modules, on-going technical assistance and culminating with a half day of “policy dialogues.” The policy dialogues foster the development and implementation of more equitable policies; contribute to good governance and democracy; and broaden and increase engagement of people most impacted. Looking ahead, 12 community-academic teams (comprised of 75+ partners, mostly people of color) will release online equity policy briefs and half of the teams will produce digital policy stories dedicated to:

  • Closing the Digital Divide and Advancing Health Equity in the Border Communities
  • Community Well-Being from a Diné-Centered Perspective
  • Know Your Rights: Equity for People Living with Disabilities
  • Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Northern NM
  • The Implications of the Public Charge Rule for Albuquerque’s Asian American Pacific Islander Community
  • Broadband, Community Resilience and Intergenerational Cultural Knowledge Exchange
  • Provide All New Mexican Children with Health Insurance for a Stronger and Healthier New Mexico
  • HIV/AIDS Prevention for Youth: Translation of Community-Driven Sexual Health Work
  • Tribal Health-in-All Policies
  • Broad-band Access as a Determinant of LGBTQ Health
  • Structural Determinants of Behavioral Health of Latinx & Immigrant Youth in NM
  • Diné Policy Institute

Together, we are creating a practical policy model for democratizing knowledge for social change and racial justice

For more information and the next Equity in Policy training contact:
lcacari-stone@salud.unm.edu
Sources:
  1. Lonnie Rowell & Allan Feldman (2019) Knowledge democracy and action research, Educational Action Research, 27:1, 1-6, DOI: 10.1080/09650792.2019.1557456
  2. Data Genocide of American Indians and Alaska Natives in COVID-19 Data. https://www.uihi.org/projects/data-genocide-of-american-indians-and-alaska-natives-in-covid-19-data/
Digital Story Policy Lab
By: Jaelyn deMaria, Ph.D.
The Digital Story Policy Lab will launch as the Equity in Policy Institute teams finish writing their final policy briefs. This is an opportunity for storytelling teams to further public dialogue by creating a digital story about their policy issue. Community-generated, place-based stories have the potential to advance the dissemination of information, encourage mobilization efforts, and frame and influence policy changes generated from community vision. This project aligns with other TREE Center projects and goals and will support community-driven digital storytelling. Using an emancipatory technique, the community will speak for themselves and simultaneously raise consciousness and change narratives around behavioral health. Advanced training in digital storytelling methods will broaden technical knowledge and enhance skills that could be beneficial to share with the entire TREE Center community. A story-making tool kit and interactive website will include multiple tools that communities of practice can access to produce technically sound and engaging multimedia pieces while also providing narrative-building techniques and, specifically, creating space for envisioning healthier communities.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Call For Applicants

This intensive professional development program provides advanced doctoral students and early career faculty with background literature, facilitated discussion, mentoring and presentations designed to increase their knowledge and enhance their practice of community engaged scholarship.

Application deadline: April 15, 2021
Faculty Leaders Program
Professional Development in Policy Research & Analysis

PARDEE RAND is now accepting applications for the 2021 Faculty Leaders Program in Policy Research and Analysis. The sessions will all be virtual, with three days of intensive programming July 19-21, followed by three one-on-one mentoring sessions and time to work on a policy project, and group meetings on July 28 and August 6.

Application deadline: March 23, 2021.
THE SOBEL DUNCAN SCIENCE FOR HEALTH IN INDIGENOUS
POPULATIONS GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH AWARD

The University of New Mexico College of Arts and Sciences is soliciting nominees for the 2021 Sobel Duncan Science for Health in Indigenous Populations (SHIP) Graduate Student Research Award. The SHIP award includes a $10,000 prize to the recipient and a $5,000 research award to the chair of the award recipient’s dissertation committee.

We seek nominations of outstanding PhD students whose research has contributed to
understanding and promoting Indigenous health.

Please send nomination materials to chemistrychair@unm.edu with the subject “SHIP
Nomination” by 3/26/21.

The award winner will be announced on 4/02/21. The award winner will be invited to present on 4/22/21 at the first annual symposium to honor the SHIP award recipient. In 2021, the symposium will be held online.
Scholarship Opportunity for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Pacific Islander Youth Leaders

PI partners on the Stronger Scholarship, which will award three $7,000 scholarships to young health equity changemakers. In recognition of the important role young changemakers play in creating healthy, safe, vibrant, and equitable communities, Prevention Institute has partnered with Healthline to offer this year’s Stronger Scholarship. The scholarship will award three $7,000 scholarships to students working to improve community conditions and reduce health inequities in their communities.

Application Deadline: April 20, 2021

Visit the Prevention Institute's website: https://www.preventioninstitute.org/
EVENTS & RESOURCES
Women's History Month is a celebration of the contribution that women have played an essential role throughout history, including culture, society, and science. During the month of March, the TREE Center proudly honors women's contribution to our organization as well as in American history. From leaders, pioneers, and trailblazers, women have been crucial in the funding of this nation and will be essential to the path going forward into the future.
NMDOH COVID-19 Vaccine Registration
For more information and to register for your initial COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster, click here.
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