One year after our community research symposium at UNCG’s School of Education, meaningful progress continues to unfold. The connections and conversations sparked during the Symposium have grown into wide-reaching ripple effects across sectors and communities.
Impacts: The symposium led to immediate collaborations and outreach partnerships—linking academic researchers with community organizations and deepening shared understanding. Medium-term results include increased community capacity, leadership development, and successful grant proposals for pilot projects rooted in symposium discussions. Longer-term change is emerging through policy advocacy, sustained research partnerships, and a new wave of professionals from refugee and immigrant backgrounds entering community centered fields.
We are increasingly building connections to government policy makers and influencers as well as private funders, while pushing forward others’ policy recommendations and findings. This includes the 2024
NCIOM
and Governor’s reports (see below) that support improved Language Access for newcomers and Cone Foundation’s support for the work of community-based organizations such as the Montagnard Association of NC and grassroots efforts by the Bhutanese health team.
Emerging Research Priorities: Ongoing dialogue has highlighted key areas:
- Language access in social services and healthcare
- Mental health disparities
- Aging and caregiving in refugee-origin communities
- The need for better data disaggregation to serve diverse populations
- Longer term, we are exploring options for archiving and securing our research data while addressing issues of data ownership and access.
Building Solutions: Cross-sector partnerships that bring together academic researchers, community organizations, service providers, and policymakers are essential—from identifying challenges to implementing solutions. Strategic funding and policy support are critical, alongside culturally responsive research and service models.
Looking Ahead: We’re building on this momentum by expanding our network of researchers, practitioners, and community leaders. Upcoming workshops and symposiums will deepen collaboration and address emerging issues. Most importantly, we’re driving applied research forward with action items that turn shared insights into real-world impact. We’re excited about what’s next—and we invite you to be part of it.
Who We Are:
We are a network of community-engaged researchers, advocates, and community members dedicated to interdisciplinary scholarship, community building, and social action, with a focus on Low-Income Asian American Communities of Refugee Origin (LIAACRO).
