Community Research Capacity-Building

ARCC  Community Research Capacity-Building Seed Grant | January 2025 - June 2025

This community research capacity-building project, led by Emily Jade Aguilar (CQLC NFP Community Health Partner) and Pedro A. Serrano (CQLC NFP Board Co-Chair), seeks to build transformative research leadership within Chicago’s Latine LGBTQ+ communities, with a focus on expanding the inclusion of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) health professionals. This project will identify and engage local Latine TGD health professionals to provide research training and capacity-building resources tailored to their needs. Our aim is to strengthen their ability to lead community-driven health research addressing root causes of health inequities affecting Latine TGD populations. Through this work, we will enhance the capacity of CQLC to foster inclusive and innovative research collaborations, prioritize equity-focused research agendas, and develop a pipeline of TGD leaders equipped to drive meaningful change. This initiative focuses on Chicago’s Latine LGBTQ+ communities, particularly in the city’s West, Near West, and Southwest neighborhoods. By empowering TGD professionals, we aim to expand health equity and amplify community-driven solutions.

CFAR Ending the HIV Epidemic Planning Award | December 2021 – April 2022    

This planning project, led by Community PI Pedro A. Serrano (Hektoen Institute of Medicine) and Academic PI Harita Shah (University of Chicago), convened a series of consultations with Latine LGBTQ+ serving community-based organizations. With support from the Third Coast Center for AIDS Research, the project yielded a mutual understanding of the layered impact of the historical HIV and contemporary COVID-19 epidemics on the community health workforce, and shared priorities for future research collaborations.

Community Collaborative Award | January 2021 – December 2021    

Led by Community PI Pedro A. Serrano (Hektoen Institute of Medicine) and Academic PI Gregory Phillips II (Northwestern University), this community collaborative award established a robust community-academic partnership among multiple health and academic institutions. Funded by the Third Coast Center for AIDS Research, the initiative leveraged community-engaged approaches to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Latine communities in Chicago and Cook County. A key objective was developing a targeted health communication plan to promote PrEP uptake among these communities.