What's New/Upcoming Events

ICR Receives Federal Grant to Study MDMA Use; Announces New Position

The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently awarded The Institute for Community Research a 3-year grant to study MDMA and STD/HIV Risk Among Hidden Networks of Ecstasy-Using Young Adults in the Greater Hartford area. Through qualitative methods, researchers will explore the contexts in which ecstasy use is more likely to lead to sexual risk taking. Collecting data through focus groups, in-depth interviews, and field ethnography, researchers hope to craft interventions around ecstasy use reinforcing pathways that to protection, and eliminating those leading to unprotected sex. Read on for more details about the study.

New Position at ICR: Senior Research Associate Sought to Help with Grant Development

The Institute for Community Research (ICR) has an opening to begin in 2008 for a full time Senior Research Associate, with interest in and qualifications to assist with building the future of the organization. ICR’s mission, which is to conduct research with community partners that promotes justice and equity in a diverse, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural world, directs the organization to focus on research that responds to issues of inequity and disparities in health, education, cultural representation, and other areas of community concern, both in the United States and in the developing world. The Senior Research Associate should have at least 5 years of federal grant experience as a Principal Investigator. The position will be filled by someone prepared to contribute significantly to grant development that advances the community oriented mission and work of the Institute, including his or her own partnership research grants, and to contribute through this work to shaping the future of the Institute. Required is a Ph.D. in an applied social science, public health research, educational, or humanities field, a strong publications record, and a commitment to conduct research in a non-clinical community setting. Experience and expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methods is preferable; please read on for a full job description.

Youth Researchers Spend Summer Exploring Impact of Racism on Hartford Teens

Fifteen-year-old Sherrie Mark remembers when her family first came to Hartford from Grenada, an English-speaking country in the Caribbean. “They put my little sister in a class to teach her English, like it was her second language,” she says in disbelief. “No matter where you go, racism is everywhere.” Thirty youth researchers from Hartford (ages 14-17) working at The Institute for Community Research’s Summer Youth Research Institute (SYRI) have chosen to investigate how racism affects them and their peers, specifically through educational systems, the media, and people’s attitudes, behaviors and opinions. The teens presented their findings, based on interviews, surveys, and visual research, to the community on Friday, August 10, 2007. The event took place at The Institute for Community Research, 146 Wyllys St. in Hartford. The presentation, including a debut of an original documentary, took place from 1-4 pm; a reception followed from 4-5 pm. The event was free and open to the public.

Press Release | Invitation (pdf) | View images from the event

Xperience Hartford Seeks Talented Young Artists
Xperience Hartford, a drug prevention program partnering with young adults (ages 14-20), sought fresh talent to be part of community-wide drug-free entertainment shows. Singers, dancers, rappers, poets, spoken word artists, bands, musicians, choirs, dj's, step and drill teams, actors, comedians, visual artists and any others auditioned between August 6-25, 2007. In addition to the talent show, Xperience artists have opportunities to be featured on an enhanced Xperience Vol. II CD, have a bio-page posted on our website, and make guest appearances at other Hartford-area events. The Xperience Vol. 1 CD-release party on May 5, 2007 drew over 180 people, including over 100 youth. The program, which began in the summer of 2006, aims to support young people's choice not to use drugs or alcohol and improve adult perceptions of youth through hosting substance free shows and other social events featuring positive-minded youth-produced entertainment. Xperience is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the project is a collaboration among The Institute for Community Research, The University of Connecticut Center for Health Communication and Marketing, the Hartford Animation Institute, and MiCasa Family Services & Educational Center, Inc. For more information, including how to participate in the auditions, please contact the Xperience team at 860-982-9985, email xperience@icrweb.org, or visit www.xperiencehartford.org.

Call for artists postcard (pdf): front | back

Crossroads II Conference Opens with Reception for Exhibit “Explorations of Social and Environmental Justice Issues”

The Institute for Community Research’s (ICR) second international conference, Crossroads II: Community-Based Collaborative Research for Social Justice, began on June 7, 2007 as conference participants joined community members for Explorations of Social and Environmental Justice Issues. For the interdisciplinary, mixed media exhibit, participating artists displayed work to represent, advocate, and ameliorate social justice issues. Many artists and others featured in the exhibit also took part in panel sessions throughout the three-day conference. The opening reception featured an introduction from ICR Artistic Director and exhibit curator Colleen Coleman, and a performance by the Alvin Carter trio.

View images from the gallery exhibit

Gallery Postcard (back) | Gallery Postcard (front)

Crossroads II: Community-Based Collaborative Research for Social Justice Draws Hundreds to Hartford

From June 7-9, 2007, roughly four hundred researchers, activists, cultural leaders, funders, community members, educators, artists, and healthcare professionals convened in Hartford, CT to share experiences and gain insights about community-based collaborative research for social justice. Crossroads II, the second international conference sponsored by The Institute for Community Research in Hartford, featured local, national and international experts presenting research with such populations as People Living with HIV/AIDS; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender; youth; artists; immigrants; and more. In addition to pre-conference workshops and a community tour of Hartford, conference attendees enjoyed keynote performances in story telling, dance and music, as well as speeches discussing how to use community-based research to create change. The conference’s three main themes were addressing the root causes of inequities in health, criminal justice, education, the environment, and economic development; translating and adapting science-based interventions to be effective in diverse, real-life settings; and integrating artistic and cultural expression with research. Over 60 abstracts presented at the conference are available for download here (pdf). A gallery exhibition, "Explorations of Social and Environmental Justice Issues," complemented the conference.

View images from the conference

Conference Program | Conference Highlights

Youth Action Research Institute Holds Legislative Summit on Teen Dating Violence

Teen researchers from Guilford, Hartford, Killingly, and Windham presented their findings from a yearlong collaborative research project on Teen Dating Violence in Connecticut. Sponsored by The Institute for Community Research, the legislative summit on June 13, 2007 included a performance by Touchstone Poets and presentations of findings by youth researchers from the four communities. To measure the prevalence of teen dating violence in Connecticut, youth researchers surveyed 428 teens from their communities about their experiences. They also conducted interviews and pile sorts with youth and adults. The youth were particularly concerned that so many of their peers reported having no one to turn to when experiencing teen dating violence. The research and summit were supported by The Institute for Community Research, the Office of the Child Advocate, the CT Girl Scouts, the Center for Youth Leadership, the CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and The Perrin Family Foundation.

Presentation (pdf) | View presentation (on CT Network)

Community-Based Research Conference Draws International Audience to Hartford

The Institute for Community Research (ICR) announced its second international conference, Crossroads II: Community-Based Collaborative Research for Social Justice. Through interactive workshops, artistic performances, keynote speeches, film screenings, a gallery exhibit, and more, participants explored how community-based collaborative research (CBCR) can be used to address the root causes of social injustice worldwide. Among the conference’s dozens of locally, nationally and internationally known presenters were researchers, activists, cultural leaders, funders, community members, educators, artists, and healthcare professionals, who shared their experiences in CBCR as they formed new networks and generated new understanding. The conference took place from June 7-9, 2007, at the Hartford Hilton in Hartford, CT.

Press Release | Crossroads II Program