Community Engagement Core

The values and principles underlying community-engaged research have led to its prominence as an essential strategy for conducting health research, particularly in the realm of cardiometabolic conditions. By centering the engagement of all collaborating partners during each stage of the research process, community-engaged research holds promise for supporting the translation and dissemination of promising interventions. However, it is not enough to merely consult with or involve stakeholders in the research enterprise. To fully realize the power of community-engaged research, stakeholder partners must be positioned and acknowledged as leaders, co-creators, and co-developers. This requires intentional efforts to amplify stakeholders' influence throughout every phase of the research process through shared leadership and ownership. The Community Engagement Core (CEC) of the proposed Mid-Atlantic Center for Cardiometabolic Health (MACCH), jointly led by Dr. Lisa A. Cooper, Reverend Debra Hickman, and Dr. Chidinma A. Ibe, will serve as the MACCH's focal point for cultivating, organizing, and promoting bi-directional learning and communication between consortium partners and a robust cadre of multisectoral stakeholders. To accomplish this goal, we will employ best-practices in community-based participatory research to ensure that the voices and perspectives of communities are embedded into the fabric of MACCH's research and training initiatives. Specifically, we will 1) construct and implement a shared governance structure that places stakeholders as leaders within the Center and its studies; 2) advance, facilitate, and evaluate MACCHE's community-engaged research efforts, and 3) co-design strategies to translate, disseminate, and sustain MACCH initiatives. Taken together, these efforts will cultivate an environment of collaboration that amplifies the lived experiences and expertise of our partners to facilitate the translation, dissemination, adoption, and sustainability of our interventions and key research findings. This has implications for the success of our research and for advancing health in the Mid-Atlantic region.