Community-Based Research Commons^™

Research Proposal: Complex Relationship Of Religious Community, Psychological Health, And Socioeconomic Status Of Spanish Speaking Residents Ages 18-50 In Lynchburg, Va, Faith Park

NEXUS: The Liberty Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

Previous research has shown a clear quantitative correlation between socioeconomic status and religious gatherings as well as psychological health and religious gatherings. However, there have been few studies on the interconnectedness of mental health, socioeconomic stability, and religious identity and gathering. Research thus has not addressed the personal implications and the benefits of individual perspectives that can be offered through a qualitative methodology. Thus, this research proposes an ethnographic methodology which may provide insights that do not limit the subjectivity of mental health, religious experiences, and socioeconomic struggles.Through an integration of psychology, anthropology, and sociology, the proposed research hopes to …

Exploring The Effects Of Africana Studies On Black Undergraduate Students: A Qualitative Case Study, Lanaya M. Butler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Particularly in the context of American K-12 schools, education has been manipulated to control—rather than liberate—students through the erasure and distortion of Black history, experiences, perspectives, and capabilities. Additionally, American schools prioritize memorization and obedience while failing to equip students with critical thinking skills. As a result, students are trained to become workers rather than innovators, worldbuilders, and change-makers. For nearly a century, Black educational critics have stated that these systems were designed to subjugate Black community members through dehumanization and enslavement of the mind. These critiques are foundational to the aims of Afrocentric education which posits the life experiences …

Can Machine Learning Prevent Human Trafficking? Using Data And Technology To Tailor Policies And Programs Toward Vulnerable Populations In Your Community, Kristen Hubbell

SMU Human Trafficking Data Conference

This presentation will investigate how to use data and technology to prevent human trafficking in communities, before it starts. It will explore the opportunity to utilize a novel machine learning approach to identify local risk factors to guide collaborative, data-oriented prevention programs. Surprising findings from a case study will be shared that challenge existing assumptions on the key drivers of human trafficking.

Scaling Survivor Restoration Through Data Science, Marc Mace

SMU Human Trafficking Data Conference

International Justice Mission (IJM) has identified and service over 50,000 survivors of human trafficking around the world. This data-informed approach uses Assessment of Survivor Outcomes (ASO) captured in the case-tracking system called Justice Data Solution to support Aftercare managers around the world in their care of survivors. The approach centers on critical, time-sensitive needs for survivors at the point of rescue, at the mid-point of their restoration journey, and at end of their time with our Aftercare program. During this program, survivors are engaged in community events, health services, and legal proceedings. Using the data from the ASO and the …

Community-Engaged Learning For Online Courses, Marsha W. Maxwell Phd, Katarina Friberg-Felsted Phd, Jacqueline L. Eaton Phd, Megan R. Medina, Denise Crismon

Transforming Communities

This article explores how to ensure the quality of community-engaged learning (CEL) course outcomes for online courses. We share insights and knowledge of three instructors who have successfully integrated CEL into their online courses. Based on these instructors' experiences, this article discusses four key topics related to online CEL courses: finding mutually beneficial partnerships, managing expectations, managing student-partner interactions, and following up with students. While we have found that the benefits of CEL outweigh the drawbacks, adding CEL to the dynamics of an online course can prove complicated for instructors, who must consider the time commitment, communication challenges, and course …

Listening Suppers At The Landing Place: Talking With Rockland-Area Youth About School, Work, & Life, Jillian Foley Mppm, Swathi Sivasubramanian, Timothy Atkinson, Olivia Eckert, Emma Schwartz

Justice Policy

This piece (June 2025) is a collaboration with our partners at The Landing Place to amplify youth voices and ideas for systems change that came out of a series of conversations with youth in Rockland, called Listening Suppers which aimed to inspire conversations about school, work, family, community supports, relationships, and more. This short brief highlights the themes that came out of these conversations including community strengths and assets, gaps and youth needs, and youth informed recommendations for change. While much of the conversations were specific to the local Rockland community, the challenges and solutions highlighted are similar to what …

Building Youth Hope: Assessing Community Assets And Opportunities For Supporting Youth Well-Being In The Sagadahoc County Area, Emma Schwartz, Jillian Foley, Timothy Atkinson

Justice Policy

This report aims to build upon previous research and provides updated information on community assets to support youth in the Sagadahoc County area. The report examines the strengths, challenges, and opportunities for community investment with the goal of improving outcomes related to youth hopefulness, belonging, and well-being. The project team engaged community members in a variety of asset mapping and data collection activities which are summarized in this report. The report authors also make recommendations related to expanding youth connections to informal supports and third places, ensuring access to a variety of assets that are responsive to their holistic needs, …

Aging In Harwich: A Community Needs Assessment, Claire E. Wickersham, Caitlin E. Coyle

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

At a time of such significant population aging, the Harwich Council on Aging commissioned a community-wide needs assessment with support from the Friends of the Harwich Council on Aging. The specific goal of this report is to support the strategic planning of the Harwich Council on Aging. An additional goal is to present information useful to other Harwich departments and organizations interacting with older residents planning for the future of Harwich. This report presents the results of a comprehensive examination of issues relating to aging in Harwich. Results presented here focus on the characteristics and needs of Harwich residents aged …

Land Access As Liberation: A Qualitative Study On Faith, Food, And Farming Of Urban And Rural Black Land Stewards In The United States, Dominique Edwards

Dissertations

Since 1920, Black farmers in the United States have held less than 2% of the nation's farmland, a direct result of race-based discriminatory policies embedded within federal, state, local, and county-level institutions (Daniel, 2013). Structural barriers—ranging from exclusionary lending practices by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the systematic dispossession of land through legal loopholes, heirs’ property laws, and violent racial terror—have contributed to this staggering decline in Black land ownership (Gilbert et al., 2002). The erosion of Black agrarian landholdings intensified in the latter half of the 20th century, as government programs, civil rights legislation, and technological advancements, …

Cultural Ecologies And Local Policies: A Comparative Analysis, Alexis M. Gonzalez

University Honors Theses

In recent years, the role of arts and culture in economic development, community outreach, and local government has become focused on as a field of study. However, this is a new field of academic study, and there have not been many systematic comparative analyses of the role of arts and culture at the local level. Indeed, there is limited information at the state and federal level as well. Historically undervalued and underrepresented, yet with a streak of elitism involved, arts and culture is now being looked at as a major economic driver and social connector by policymakers at all levels …

For The Time Beings, Tori Hong

Masters Theses

For the Time Beings is a socially engaged installation and artist book exploring the material consequences and future possibilities of sociocultural time theories. Time, in the West, is typically associated with Newtonian linearity, while in the East, time theory relies on Buddhist principles. These epistemologies reinforce hierarchical and patriarchal structures. Centered on Indigenous Asian and Asian American perspectives, For the Time Beings challenges dominant ideologies of existing in time and space.

For nearly a year, I’ve burned handwritten prayers on new and full moons. The ashes of these prayers are incorporated into reverential drawings of chosen ancestors, made with charcoal …

A Teacher, A Tutor, A Friend: Chatgpt And The High School Experience, Saisha Gupta, Vivek Mehta, Rebecca Kam, Caroline Ehmann, Alma Orgad, Emily Kuang, Alejandro Castro Barrantes, Matthew Posada, Samay Shah, Nikhita Prasad, Tara Pai, Eileen Ho, Shirley Xi, Tianyi Zhou, Elaina Li, Stephanie Wan, Shreya Paranjape, Zoe Dearling, Siqi (Grace) Peng, Aanya Kaveti, Gwendolyn Lowrance, Angela Ziyi Xie, Mira Xu, Adhiti Hariram, Alexa Muse

The Qualitative Report

Given the increasing emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, high school students' perspectives on ChatGPT are underrepresented in current research literature. As high school student researchers in an English Language Arts course, we approached this gap in literature by asking the question: In what ways do pressures within high school communities influence students’ perspectives on justifying or rejecting the use of ChatGPT? We interviewed 24 secondary students and conducted a thematic and discourse analysis, coding the interviews through the lenses of social goods (Gee, 2014), Figured Worlds (Holland et al., 1998), and positioning theory (Holland et al., 1998; Ingram …

Mapping Our Tears: Risd Cry, Yimiao Wang

Masters Theses

RISD CRY is a participatory project empowering the RISD community to share their experiences of emotional vulnerability. The project includes physical sign-in forms in campus facilities, a Google Doc sign-in form, illustrations of participants’ comments, and an online campus map where individuals can mark where they have cried. This multi-format engagement fosters community connection, challenges the stigma surrounding emotional expression, and provides a platform for solidarity among individuals facing stress and burnout.

Beyond its tactical goals, RISD CRY also interrogates the cultural frameworks through which emotional struggle is perceived and processed. It critiques the institutional impulse to measure, diagnose, and …

A Tent Census: How Counting Tents Informs An Understanding Of Unsheltered Homelessness In Seattle, Karen A. Snedker, Jennifer Mckinney, Charles C. Lanfear

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

Tents are a familiar sight across many U.S. cities, especially West Coast cities. In Seattle, given the high visibility of tents, public perceptions of a widespread problem, the uncertainty surrounding the city’s number of tents, and national data showing a rise in unsheltered homelessness, the authors decided to count tents. They conducted a tent census to obtain a full count of the number of tents in the city of Seattle as well as two resamples of highly populated areas of tents. In the tent census, and in the two resamples, the authors find support for three general expectations: the census …

Disruptive (Re)Memberings: Anti-Blackness & The Mental Health Of Black Millennial Womxn, Perpetual A. Hayfron

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the impact of anti-Blackness on the mental health of Black Millennial Womxn (BMW) pursuing post-secondary education. It explores the historical and contemporary factors that contribute to the neglect of Black Womxn in education research and the systemic issues that affect our access to mental health and educational resources. The research utilizes an Endarkened Feminist epistemology and narrative inquiry to center the narratives and lived experiences of BMW, challenging the prevailing narratives that erase our humxnity and intersectional identities. Data was collected through Black Participatory Research (BPR), individual interviews, and visual arts-based methods that center the lived experiences …

Exploring The Experience Of Embodiment Of Diverse Leaders, Susan Lynn Flaming Yeats

Dissertations

The experience of embodiment is a complex phenomenon that spans a range of feelings: a sense of connection to one's physical body, a sense of capability to accomplish certain physical acts, an attunement to self-care behaviors, a connection to desire, and inhabiting the body as a subjective site (Piran, 2016). This can be a complicated experience for leaders who hold multiple intersecting identities (Hill et al., 2016). As new medical therapies promise radical weight loss possibilities, the experience of embodiment has taken on a new layer of complexity (Giorgis, 2024). For fat leaders who are also women of color, sexual …

"La Vida Es Un Carnaval": An Exploration Of Cuban Identity And Nostalgia Through Dance/Movement Therapy - A Community Engagement Project, Maria Fernanda Mendez Mendoza

Expressive Therapies Theses

“La Vida Es Un Carnaval” is a community engagement project and thesis that explores how identity and nostalgic resilience show up through dance/movement therapy with Cuban immigrants living in the United States, specifically Massachusetts. This project brought together six Cuban-born participants, ages 26 to 67, each with their own unique migration stories; from the Rafter Balsero Crisis of 1994, to the “Wet-Foot/Dry-Foot” policy, and family reunification. Through a mix of in-person and online sessions, participants explored their experiences using intermodal activities including dance/movement therapy techniques, conversation, journaling, artwork, and music. Themes of cultural pride, “Cubanía” – Cuban-ness, culture shock, and …

The Connection Between An Unequitable Distribution Of Care Responsibilities And A Widening Gender Nutrition Gap In Latin America, Alexis Nicole Bodlak

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The notion of care refers to activities that satisfy the basic needs of existence and reproduction. Within rural communities, care work such as the production and preparation of food contributes to food security at the household level. Care work supports the paid workforce, allowing workers to focus on commercial productive activities that generate economic income in rural communities. Women perform 6.3 to 29.5 more hours per week than men in unpaid care work, reducing their time for income-generating activities and personal nutrition management. Affecting their economic independence and ability to access and consume nutritious food. Studies show that in food-insecure …

Parental Experience In 4-H And Its Effect On Youth Reenrollment, Jolynn Miller, Kendra Lewis, Jeannette Rea Keywood, Tim Ewers, Kali Trzesniewski, Sarah Hensley

Journal of Extension

Youth experience many benefits from participating in the 4-H program. It is unclear, however, what role parents play in their child’s reenrollment in the program. This study uses data from a multi-year multi-state study of youth retention in 4-H to examine the effects of parental expectations and experience on their intent to reenroll their child after their first year in 4-H. Results show a relationship between parental expectations and experiences on continued involvement. This study can be used to help 4-H programs recruit and retain more youth, as well as by other Extension programs to understand retention issues.

The Politics Of Being Heard: Communication And Power Struggles In Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Caroline Trejo

Master's Projects and Capstones

The environmental and public health challenges in Bayview-Hunters Point have catalyzed widespread community activism, as residents and advocates respond to the ongoing fallout from radiological contamination at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. Communication plays a vital role in bridging the gap between affected communities and government entities throughout the cleanup process. This research asks: how have the communication strategies of advocacy groups influenced government actions and policies during the Bayview-Hunters Point Shipyard cleanup? To explore this question, I conducted semi-structured interviews with three community advocates, two former members of a non-partisan civil jury, one independent researcher, and one government official. …

Having A Home To Come Home To: How Subsidized Housing Impacts Unhoused Pregnant Women, Stephanie O. Porvaznik

Master's Projects and Capstones

Community based organizations (CBOs) lead the charge in the fight to end housing insecurity and often must make up where local governments fall short. San Francisco is an example of a municipality that has a long history of addressing instances of housing insecurity for its residents, and where CBOs step in to provide housing support for populations with unique and special circumstances. One CBO that operates in San Francisco that I was interested in studying was the Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP), and the Jelani House, a housing subsidy that is funded and operated by the HPP for pregnant women who …

Exploring Extension Agents' Understandings Of Local And Resilient Food Systems, Hannah Dankbar, Brooke Matusko

Journal of Extension

Currently, there is a focus on bolstering local food systems to support overall food system resilience. Local and resilient food systems, though related, are distinct concepts. Their use in food system development is complicated by varying interpretations. Data from a survey of North Carolina Extension agents, a group of food system practitioners, identified a range of definitions of these terms. The results underscore the complex landscape of local food system development and identify a need to build on conceptual understandings within the Extension community and establish shared understandings within food system development efforts.

From Data To Action: An Adaptable Crosstabs Template For Participatory Survey Data Analysis, Natalia Pinzon, Vikram Koundinya, William O'R Dowling, Ryan Galt

Journal of Extension

We present a practical and accessible template for quantitative survey data analysis designed for non-academic researchers in order to facilitate engagement from community collaborators. The template, created in Google Sheets, is mainly for computing cross-tabulations, but it also displays frequency distributions and p-values for determining statistical significance. The template allows collaborators to record their observations and questions, promoting an efficient yet interactive review process and fostering a democratic analysis environment. Based on our own experience using this template for a data party, we highlight its effectiveness in promoting collaborative data interpretation, decision-making, and the actionable use of survey findings.

Framing The Future: A Community Health Analysis Of The Pee Dee Region, Stephen Borders, Jean Anton, Rian Fontaine, Donielle Phillips, Treyton Ringer, Jessica Robinson, Caitlin Thompkins

Public Health

This report presents a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of community health across South Carolina’s Pee Dee region, encompassing Florence, Darlington, Chesterfield, Marlboro, Marion, and Dillon Counties. Using tract-level data from CDC PLACES, the U.S. Census, and the National Provider Identifier registry, it assesses chronic health conditions, health behaviors, and social determinants of health. The analysis incorporates the South Carolina Healthy Communities Index (SCHCI) and a Suitability Analysis to identify the region’s most disadvantaged communities. The findings highlight persistent disparities, particularly in rural counties, where high rates of poverty, chronic disease, and unmet basic needs intersect with limited access to care. Despite …

Community Engaged Research To Optimize Cancer Prevention Strategies: A Look At Amplifying Voices Within Community Based Organizations To Impact Cancer Outcome In Utah, Crystal Y. Lumpkins, Denise Elbert, April Barber-Law, Olamide Comfort Ogundare, Queenie Mckenzie Aydelott, Sandra Buabeng, Whitney Maxwell, Kim Kaphingst

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

Black Americans (BA) continue to experience cancer disparities nationally and regionally. Although only 2% of BA reside in the state of Utah, this population shoulders a larger cancer burden. Further, BA women have one of the highest incidence of breast cancer and also an increased risk for other cancers (e.g. colon). The cancer burden and changing demographics within the state warrant focus on these under-represented groups as those moving within the area are increasing. This project details Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) between the University of Utah, the Huntsman Cancer Institute and a community advisory board (CAB) who have collaborated on cancer …

Mutual Teaching, Learning, And Action In Community-Engaged Research, Polly Parkinson, Fawn Groves, Emma Mecham, Amy Wilson-Lopez

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

As USU’s Electrified Transportation Planning Team looked ahead to deploying technical pilot projects near Utah population centers, the team prioritized local community engagement for purposes of trust-building and dialogue. This poster highlights participatory community research designed to build from local knowledge, operate through local partnerships, refine responsive approaches, and disseminate results within the community. In continuing responsiveness, the team developed and disseminated a relevant workforce resource booklet and currently supports two local community organizations as they stand up a collaborative model of career training, coupled with childcare, to open low-barrier pathways into electrified transportation-related careers.

Planning And Facilitating Hybrid Meetings To Support Relationality During Coalition Building, Luettamae Lawrence, Maureen Boyle, Moira Ross

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

Hybrid events where communities are connected through both in person and online spaces have simultaneously grown in popularity and gotten a bad reputation. While hybrid events have been around for decades, they gained significant traction with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to increase accessibility for attendees to accommodate diverse needs. Although hybrid events can be beneficial to many, they are not simple to execute. With the increase in hybrid events has come frustration with the low quality interactions between in person and online attendees leading to isolation, technology challenges, and low productivity. We argue the positive affordances of hybrid …

"Bridging Research, Outreach, And Care: Advancing Community-Driven Cancer Solutions", Rachel M. Ceballos Phd​, Angie Fausett Agnp-C, Dnp​, Allison Foust Mha, Mches​

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

"This panel will provide an overview of Huntsman Cancer Institute’s (HCI) collaborative efforts to enhance cancer care through innovative community outreach and local treatment programs, with a specific focus on rural outreach and care. Panelists will discuss HCI’s approach to fostering partnerships with community champions, integrating regional outreach through initiatives like the Mountain West Cancer Collaborative (MWCC), and expanding local treatment options to increase accessibility and equity in care, especially in rural areas. By highlighting how these initiatives align with HCI’s mission to reduce cancer disparities, the panel will emphasize strategies for improving cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship in underserved …

Strengthening Community Health Through Dementia Listening Sessions, Raven Albertson

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

"This session explores innovative strategies for strengthening community health through dementia listening sessions and engagement, equipping community partners with the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding dementia care and support. Participants will gain insights into effective partnership-building, impactful dementia education delivery, and strategies for fostering meaningful community involvement through community listening sessions and collaboration. Through a live listening session workshop, attendees will participate in interactive discussions, inform efforts in Utah communities, and acquire practical tools to drive sustainable, community-led improvements in dementia care and support."

Building Community Power Using The Principles Of Mutual Aid, Cristina Chirvasa, Nicole Steinicke, Rivkah Haubner

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

Globally, many communities are fragmented and struggling to have their needs met. One strategy to meet local needs is to adopt a bottom-up approach, working within communities to build power. This strategy is especially effective because it allows people to make decisions around issues impacting them directly and forge critical connections with one another. Mutual aid offers a framework for establishing power by mobilizing community members to support one another based on solidarity and reciprocal relationships, which can be adapted to many different contexts. Here, we will turn the basic principles of mutual aid into an interactive roundtable in which …