Keeping it REAL: Re-storying Health Equity through Artistic Expression & Amplification of Lived Experiences
The Keeping it REAL Project is supported by the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science Pilot Studies Program (NIH/NCATS). Ariadne Meyers is the lead student and Mariángeles Soto-Díaz is the Community Partner Researcher and Artist. The project is also a collaboration with Grand Central Arts Center in Santa Ana, CA.
The purpose of this project is to build a formal process of campus-community collaboration centered on the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice (DEIJB). This will be facilitated by creating a space that fosters connection, trust, and psychological safety where all voices can be amplified in their desired form. The specific aims of this project are to:
1. Develop a working knowledge of evidence-based practices of self-care by engaging in activities that promote relaxation, stress management, healing, emotional regulation, healthy boundaries, and resilience.
2. To incorporate art and creative practices to serve as means of expression, communication, healing, and reflection, while challenging assumptions and discovering new insights.
3. Explore the impact of incorporating decolonizing practices into the lab’s day-to-day operations.
4. Establish a support structure and reflective practice through Healing Centered Engagement and explore this structure’s impact on our communities.