231448 "Behind the Fence" forum theater: A community-driven popular arts performance partnership to address lupus and environmental Justice

Monday, November 8, 2010 : 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM

Edith M. Williams, PhD, MS , Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
     
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a method to improve environmental quality in communities primarily inhabited by minorities or low income families. This presentation will highlight the activities and accomplishments of the Buffalo Lupus Project, a CBPR partnership formed to explore the relationship between a local waste site and high rates of lupus in a largely African American area of Buffalo, NY. Specifically, the “Behind the Fence” Community Environmental Forum Theater project will be presented as a facet of the overall project that successfully funneled the results of scientific research and ongoing activities to the community by utilizing a Forum Theater approach, image-making techniques, an interactive workshop, and energetic public performance.

Learning Areas:
Environmental health sciences
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Other professions or practice related to public health
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Define the Popular Arts/Education approach and its role in Community Based Participatory Research. Demonstrate how popular arts / education methodologies promote bidirectional communication among CBPR partners. Identify lessons learned and best practices in using popular arts / education methodologies within a Community Based Participatory Research context to address community health issues. Describe the translational education / communication skill sets of CBPR practitioners as enhanced by popular arts / education modalities. Evaluate both formal and informal impacts of participation in popular arts / education activities on lay and scientific CBPR partners in addressing environmental public health issues.

Keywords: Environmental Justice, Risk Communication

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the lead author and point of contact for the presentation, "Behind the Fence Forum Theater: An Arts Performance Partnership to Address Lupus and Environmental Justice"
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3110.0: The role of popular arts & education methodologies in democratizing and enhancing community-based participatory research for environmental and occupational justice