Abstract IA48: Engagement with Native American communities

Abstract

Abstract Increasing the numbers of underrepresented minorities (URM) in biomedical research, including cancer, is more than a laudable goal. It is an important priority because it will likely lead to better disease outcomes for people from within these communities. Therefore, we must build capacities to provide pathways for URM students to succeed. Over the past 15 years we have worked with both urban and reservation Native American communities to bring health and science education to their teachers and students. There are some salient and universal principals that must be acknowledged. First and foremost is trust. One does not alter decades of neglect, suspicion, and distrust without serious and open dialogue. Moreover, while one does find many stories of success, they are often anecdotal and, while no less powerful, a foundation must be laid to make these stories much more common. Among the first things that we learned was that the starting point needs to moved back. We had heard that there were programs and partnerships, past and present, within the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) with an area tribal college. These programs seemingly included collaborations to increase student enrollment in allied health professions or experience research opportunities. Unfortunately, neither had much, if any, success. Thus, we learned that post-secondary engagement was not sufficient to garner positive results. Our first program, even though UNMC is primarily a graduate institution, was a K-8 program for students and teachers. It is there that a foundation of learning, STEM engagement, tapping the natural curiosity of young learners, and providing resources to teachers, especially those in severely under-sourced areas, would have to be set. In addition, spending time within the schools and communities, at times hundreds of miles from campus, was essential to build the necessary trust for this work to continue and become impactful. We have not changed the world, but we have established trust with many communities. Our middle school summer programs have become practically standing room only. We have had many students, high school and undergraduates, engage in research, both bench and community based. We have students who have explored pathways to health careers, and now some are graduating college with their eyes on medical school and research careers. Clearly, decades of neglect will not be alleviated in just a few grant cycles, but significant steps have been made and continued concerted efforts will, in time, bridge gaps that seemed to be chasms not long before. Citation Format: Maurice Godfrey. Engagement with Native American communities [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr IA48.