The convening was a wake-up call about the value of community-engaged research. As a local sector, we had not built the base of evidence in terms of what had worked, was working or not, and what change was happening…and for whom. An influential outsider defined what impact local efforts would be measured by instead of the neighborhood residents who had worked so hard to rebuild their communities. We needed stronger research partners and evaluation capacities–and a more comprehensive approach to community building and understanding of impact.
health research
Cross Sector Innovation in Early Childhood Research
Three years ago, the first cohort of Interdisciplinary Research Leaders (IRL) fellows embarked on a transformative personal and professional journey, stretching beyond their daily work and building leadership skills to drive social change. This year, as they become the program’s first graduates and alumni, we are celebrating all they have learned and the impact they have had in their communities.
