Newsletter: Volume 2, Number 1

Community Engagement at

Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute (SC CTSI)

Mission: The Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute (SC CTSI) Community Engagement core group aims to serve as a bridge between research and the community, ensuring collaborative solutions to Los Angeles' most pressing health challenges.

IN THIS ISSUE:



• A Message to Our Community Members
• Upcoming Workshop
• Community Member Spotlight
• Health Research Studies

• Resources
• The Healthy Food Corner
• VaccinateLA Campaign
• Inspirational Quotes

South Los Angeles Community Engagement Team Members:

Tyrone Nance, MA

Lead Community Outreach Specialist

 213.910.0243

[email protected]

Natayla Seals

Community Health Research Ambassador

323.447.7905

[email protected].edu

Esther Karpilow

Community Health Research Ambassador

[email protected]

A Message to our Community Members

With each new year comes a sense of renewal and an opportunity to bring out the best in ourselves. To start 2023 off on the right note, we are planning more in-person workshops with local schools in South Central, offering mental health resources to families and building stronger partnerships. As health needs continue to grow in our community, we are aware of the need for reliable, accessible, and culturally competent information. This year we are focused on bringing workshops, resources, and events to the South L.A. community. Our goal is to be consistently present and bridge the gap between academia and the needs of our community. Thank you for being a part of the USC CTSI community. Wishing you and yours health and prosperity in the new year!

Research 101 Workshop

Join our Research 101 Workshop to learn why it's important for the African American community to participate in research and clinical trials. Register here.

Thursday, January 26

5:30 PM - 7 PM

Zoom

Community Member Spotlight

South Los Angeles Leader: Dr. Tracey Veal

Dr. Veal has over 30 years of experience working in the healthcare industry. She specializes in clinical operations, chronic disease surveillance and interventions, operations management, marketing, and community outreach. She currently serves as a Senior Advisor in the Vaccine Preventable Disease Control Program at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

She previously led the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Committee as an Executive FUSE Fellow with Los Angeles County Public Health (2020-2021) after consulting with non-profit and private equity firms during the pandemic. As a result of Los Angeles County’s vaccine equity collaboration, 80% of residents, including 95% of seniors (65+) received at least one dose. As a result, Dr. Veal was chosen as one of the nation’s Top 100 Diversity Leaders in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare (September 2021) and a Public Health Hero by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. She is currently leading efforts to relaunch the Immunization Coalition to improve access to medically recommended immunizations for adults and adolescents, especially among groups at the highest risk for vaccine-preventable diseases in Los Angeles County.

Prior to working at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, she served as Vice President at UnitedHealth Group after serving as Aetna’s Senior Director of Strategic Programs. During her tenure at Aetna, Dr. Veal was awarded Aetna’s highest honor, the Chairman’s Award for leadership excellence and organizational impact. She developed and implemented quality and clinical risk strategies related to the Affordable Care Act. Before her tenure at Aetna, Tracey served as a leader in sales marketing and operations, expanding Medicare in California and 14 other states, while building key provider partnerships for growth and retention.

Health Research Studies

RECOVER

A team of researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles are conducting a study to understand the long-term effects of COVID-19 in people under 25 years of age who are suspected of having or have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

They want to understand...

• How COVID affects a child's body
• How many children continue to feel sick after getting COVID-19
• Why some children feel sick for so long

Participants will be compensated for their time and participation in the study.

To obtain more information, please get in touch with Natayla Seals at [email protected] or call (323) 447-7905.

HYM

Healthy Young Men (HYM) is a five-year health research project focused on improving the health and wellness of young men who have sex with men (MSM) of color.

HYM is for Black, Latinx or mixed-race individuals between the ages of 20 to 26 who identify as MSM, gay or bisexual, and live in the greater Los Angeles area.

Participation in this research project is voluntary. Participants receive $55 to $110 per visit.

Interested? Call 323-356-9224 or email [email protected].

The principal investigator for this project is Michele D. Kipke, Ph.D. HYM is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

TRUTH

Trans and Gender-Nonconforming Youth of Color (TRUTH) is a five-year health research project focused on improving the health and wellness of transgender, gender-nonconforming, and non-binary young adults of color.

TRUTH is for Black, Latinx, or mixed-race individuals between the ages of 20 to 26 who identify as transgender, gender nonconforming or non-binary who live in the greater Los Angeles area.

Participation in this research project is voluntary. Participants receive $55 to $110 per visit.

Interested? Call 323-356-9224 or email [email protected].

The principal investigator for this project is Michele D. Kipke, PhD. TRUTH is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

PrEP Research Opportunity

PrEPresent is an app focused on sexual health that may help people learn more about, get on, and stay on PrEP. The app includes resources, a forum, quizzes, goal-setting activities, and a live PrEP Health Advocate who is available to chat or video call to answer any questions you may have.

You may be eligible if you are:

• 16-26 years old
• HIV negative
• Identify as trans, non-binary, or are a queer cis man
• Interested but not actively taking PrEP

You can receive up to $280 for participating.

Learn more here.

THRIVE

The Research In Virtual Environments Study (THRIVE) is looking for teenagers to participate in a research study where they will explore a virtual city!

Along with parental consent, you may be eligible if you are:

• Between 14-17 years old
• Fluent in English
• Can control a joystick
• Have at least 1cm of hair
• Not pregnant
• Good physical and mental health (i.e., no history of high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease)

The goal is to examine how adolescents' minds and bodies respond to different city environments to better understand how neighborhoods affect health.

Eligible participants will be compensated for their time.

For more information, please call (213) 821-9501 or email [email protected].

Resources

Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

When: Monday-Friday

Time: 9 AM- 4:00 PM

Address: 1734 East 41st street Los Angeles, Ca 90058

The City of Los Angeles is now accepting applications for a Programmer Analyst

Salary: $71,639-164,993

Closes: January 19, 2023

Click here for more information on this opportunity!

Hollywood Arts Collective 

Affordable community apartments for families

Applications will be accepted online and in person January 16, 2023.

Deadline: February 15, 2023

Additional Information:

Address:1630 Schrader Blvd., Los Angeles, Ca 900028

For more questions call: (888)291-9994 or email [email protected]

For online applications, please visit: www.TheHollywoodArtsCollective.com

Utility Bill Assistant Programs

Redeemer Community Partnership can provide our South L.A. community members with info on programs that they may be eligible for.

Please Contact Martha or Wendy

(323) 989-3223 or email [email protected] or [email protected]

Hours: Monday- Friday 9 AM - 5 PM, Saturday 9 AM - 12 PM

The Healthy Food Corner

For more healthy recipes, click here.

VaccinateLA Campaign

VaccinateLA is a joint effort between the University of Southern California (USC), multiple hospitals, and the community. This campaign works to make access to COVID vaccines fast and easy for every Angeleno. We provide you and your family with resources, such as interviews with experts, to help you make the best choice for your health.

Visit our website at vaccinatela.info for more information.

Inspirational Quotes

“The magic in new beginnings is truly the most powerful of them all.”

Josiyah Martin

“Let our New Year’s resolution be this: we will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.”

Goran Persson

 “Dedication, hard work, plus patience.”

Airmiess Asghedom

“Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.”

Germany Kent

Suggestions, ideas, corrections? Have something to include in the Jan. 2023 edition of this newsletter? Please email Natayla Seals at [email protected].

To learn more about Southern California Clinical and Translational Science, visit our website at sc-ctsi.org.