Community Engagement and Outreach

Problem Statement

Berkeley Public Health (BPH) historically has had a strong, but disparate and uncoordinated presence in local communities. These communities are overstudied, repeatedly shut out of the benefits of research, and some have been harmed by this relationship with UC Berkeley. BIPOC people are pushed out of urban centers of opportunity like the Bay Area and they continue to suffer inequitable health outcomes. In spite of being a public entity designed to serve all Californians, the university institution has invested little in deep transformation that would alleviate these public health crises. Our transformation into an anti-racist institution requires genuine partnerships with vision, decision-making, and resources shared with community members who suffer from systemic racism and health inequities.

Business Case

In the short run, our school’s work will be more meaningful, impactful, and authentic by co-identifying community health assets and stressors that need to be addressed. In the long run, our school’s engagement will position us as an anti-racist institution in our scholarship, training, and ethical application of public health theory to solve community priorities and in the perspectives reflected by diverse representation amongst our faculty, students, staff, and external stakeholders.

Objectives

During AY 20-21 and 21-22, we will develop a Berkeley Public Health-wide Community Advisory Board (CAB) that will involve:

• Planning for 1-, 3-, and 5-year goals, objectives, strategies and metrics;
• Creating clear, inclusive definitions of community-engaged scholarship, training, research and praxis;
• Drafting process guidelines for making decisions and sharing power between Berkeley Public Health and communities; and
• Generating sustainability plans that are mutually beneficial and respectful.

Success Metrics

• CAB membership criteria are met by participants.
• Development of process guidelines for decision-making and power sharing.
• Creation of racial & health equity-focused community engagement competencies.

Project Leaders

• Sponsor: Michael Lu
• Project Co-Leads: Bo Chung, Audrey Cristobal, Clyde Oden, Jr.
• Program Manager: Priya Sarran