Community Engagement Core

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PROJECT SUMMARY – Community Engagement Core New Mexico communities have historically borne an unequal burden of exposure to environmental toxicants in the air, water and soil. Local communities experience high rates of poverty, limited access to healthcare and generational trauma that intensify the impact of these environmental exposures. Native American communities have led the way in sharing and addressing environmental health concerns in partnerships with UNM researchers, based on culturally relevant, multi-directional communication that advances environmental health science (EHS) responsiveness to the most urgent health needs of local communities. The aims of the New Mexico Integrative Science Program Incorporating Research in Environmental Sciences (NM-INSPIRES) Community Engagement Core (CEC) are to 1) translate research and enhance environmental communication and environmental health literacy using culturally-centered processes; 2) increase community-responsive environmental health research through multi- directional communication with community stakeholders; and 3) enroll community stakeholders and researchers in communication and cultural training to build capacity and enhance community-academic partnerships. We will co-create and implement communication dissemination plans for multi-modal outreach strategies, including print, digital, and social media materials in plain language, visual arts for STEM-related environmental health messaging, community events, and media advocacy to bridge the communication gap and ensure a well targeted, multi- directional impactful flow of information meaningful to New Mexico communities. We will ensure NM- INSPIRES’ responsiveness and relevance to community priorities through multi-directional interactions among researchers and community stakeholders. We will communicate community concerns to researchers and facilitate community-engaged research. We will increase enrollment of community stakeholders and researchers in communication and cultural training to build capacity and enhance community-academic EH partnerships. We will design, adapt, integrate and evaluate evidence-based cultural and communication workshops for community and academic partners, policymakers, journalists and clinicians to build a common framework of understanding and foster the strong relationships needed for true multi-directional communications. NM-INSPIRES is uniquely positioned to lead EH community engagement by drawing on our long-standing, culturally sensitive partnerships that are respectful of the cultural diversity and historical trauma of local residents by integrating core values, beliefs and practices into research programs. Our long-term goal is to secure an effective, ongoing community-academic partnership that engages our diverse NM communities in environmental health exposure research and translation, including environmental health literacy and risk prevention.