At its core, what the ninth annual Healthy Flint Research Coordinating Center (HFRCC)’s Research Symposium represented on September 11 was simple: valued input and seats at a table.
FRCC exists to be a bridge that builds partnerships between community members and academic institutions. Collaborating organizations behind the HFRCC include the National Center for African American Health Consciousness (NCAAHC), the Community Based Organization Partners – Community Ethics Review Board (CBOP-CERB), and three academic partners: Michigan State University, University of Michigan, and University of Michigan-Flint. The goal of the groups working together is to improve the financial, environmental, emotional, and physical health of Flint residents while creating research connections and disseminating information to the community and other researchers through community dialogues, webinars, symposiums, and other methods.
This year’s symposium, held at UM-Flint’s Riverbank Center, had a theme of improving scientific communication, something that keynote speaker Ali Abazeed, the city of Detroit’s Chief Public Health Officer, said is vital in his remarks to attendees.
“Health communication, by the way, is a health intervention,” Abazeed said. “The same way we talk about maternal and child health, the same way we talk about childhood lead, the same way we talk about childhood asthma, health communication is fundamentally an intervention in and of itself.”
The symposium featured a poster session that showcased dozens of Flint-focused research projects. Presenters included faculty and students from Michigan, Michigan State, UM-Flint, Wayne State, and more, as well as several Flint community organizations. Topics focused on everything from maternal and infant health to environmental issues to suicide prevention to education to substance use.
The day also included presentations and talks from faculty, a live Flint Community Webinar, and significant opportunities for hundreds of attendees to connect, learn about other work occurring in the community, and network.
Abby Parrill-Baker, PhD, provost at UM-Flint, welcomed attendees to the conference and noted the importance of incorporating the wisdom and insights of community members into how research and higher education initiatives are designed and implemented.
“I encourage us to consider whose voices are shaping our questions,” Parrill-Baker said. “How are students and community members participating in creating knowledge? How will findings be shared in useful and accessible ways? And how will our partnerships create lasting, measurable, and mutual benefit? I hope today generates new ideas, strengthens relationships, creates opportunities for our students, and inspires collaborations that continue well beyond this conference.”
Several researchers and community partners were also recognized for their work with annual awards.
The Early Career Award recognizes two people, one from the community and one from an academic institution, who have significantly contributed to the city of Flint in the first 10 or fewer years of their career. That work could include within a classroom or through research, volunteerism, or other service. This year’s recipients were Melissa Hertlein from the Genesee County Land Bank and Samantha Gainey, PhD, from MSU.
The Community-Academic Partnership Award recognizes two people, one from the community and one from an academic institution, working in partnership that demonstrates their commitment to Flint’s future through their engagement and contributions. This year’s recipients were Christina Kelly from the Genesee County Land Bank and Roshanak Mehdipanah, PhD, from UM-Ann Arbor.
The E. Hill DeLoney Community Champion Award, named in honor of the beloved activist and educator known as the “mother” and “grandmother” of Flint, recognizes a community member with a long history of work devoted to making positive contributions to Flint, particularly in areas that impact health and well-being. This year’s recipient was community activist Arlene V. Sparks.
The Toby Citrin Award, named in honor of a longtime University of Michigan faculty member and public health advocate, recognizes a person working in academia who has devoted significant time to improving health and well-being in Flint, including through policy work, economics, infrastructure, or research. This year’s recipient was Nicole Jones, PhD, from MSU.
Gabriella Craner, a UM-Flint student, was recognized for best poster, which showcased occupational therapy approaches for underserved populations. She worked with St. Luke New Life Center on the project.
More information about the HFRCC is available on their website or Facebook page. An archive of previous Flint Community Webinar recordings and topics is available on YouTube.
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