The Overall Goal of the MIEHR Research Center is to elucidate contributions of the biological, physical, social and built environments of the environmental riskcape to environmental health disparities in pregnant women and their infants. Importantly, this guiding vision aligns closely with community concerns about infant mortality, preterm birth and other maternal and infant outcomes among African-Americans. The Community Engagement and Dissemination Core (CEDC) of the MIEHR Research Center will be essential to achieving this vision. Our leadership team, Director Dr. Robert Bullard (widely known as the ?Father of Environmental Justice?) and Associate Director Dr. Denae King, of the Barbara Jordan ? Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University (TSU), are uniquely qualified to lead this Core. Together they will build upon their existing community partnerships and activities to develop a robust communications and engagement network in the greater Houston area that is committed to reducing environmental health disparities in maternal and infant health. Drs. Bullard and King have strong ties to vulnerable, predominantly African-American, communities in Houston, the 4th largest and most diverse city in the country. The CEDC will serve as the nexus for facilitating multi- directional communications among MIEHR Center leadership, investigators (including Pilot Project awardees), and community partners. The CEDC will support and complement Center research activities through multidirectional communication with our stakeholders; for example, by informing investigators of community priorities and translating and disseminating findings from Center research (including Pilot Project research) to diverse audiences, most importantly to residents who live in environmentally overburdened and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. An engaged Community Advisory Board (CAB) will consist of community leaders and environmental health partners, each of whom will provide a different ?lens? through which to view environmental issues, including many with whom we have long-standing relationships. Hence, the CAB will be key to successful community interactions with stakeholders, and have a vital role in determining what, when, how and to whom findings from Research and Pilot Projects will be communicated via multi-level, multi- directional and multi-modal engagement. Qualitative research methods will be used to ground truth research findings and develop infographics, fact sheets and presentations for translating and disseminating information related to the environmental riskscape and risk reduction. In addition, the CEDC will enhance community resilience by educating investigators, community leaders and the CAB on best practices for impactful policy advocacy using study findings. Finally, evaluation is a critical component and activity of the CEDC, which will play an important role in determing whether goals are met, the extent of success of processes and engagement procedures utilized, and the impact of the Center on enhanced community environmental health literacy, numeracy advocacy and resilience capacity.
