Abstract
Community-engaged research, often produced by community–academic partnerships, is a critical tool used by environmental justice communities to achieve policy action. The Communiversity Model, developed by Dr. Beverly Wright, is a theoretical framework and intervention strategy that collects data and fosters progress toward environmental justice simultaneously and has been in use in Gulf Coast communities since the 1990s. This research draws on a retrospective evaluation of a recent application of the Communiversity Model, the Historically Black Colleges and Universities—Community-Based Organizations Gulf Coast Equity Consortium (HBCU-CBO GCEC, or simply GCEC). Through a comparative case study analysis, we explore the mechanisms by which the Communiversity Model builds community-based organizations’ (CBOs) capacities to conduct research and policy action. Results indicate that the Communiversity Model is an effective tool for building community capacity to conduct research and policy action. Resource sharing, association with partners, and equitable valuation of contributions were partners’ most valued model elements. The education and training, community engagement, and research support provided increased CBOs’ capacities to achieve prioritized goals. The production of community-generated data was most useful in achieving policy change when communities were able to cultivate political allies, but entrenched political opposition slowed policy action. Flexibility and long-term commitment are necessary elements of a successful partnership under the model. The Communiversity Model was described by partners as more effective than other community–academic partnerships and was characterized by accountability and trust. While the Communiversity Model is not appropriate for implementation in all contexts, these case studies provide valuable insights for those considering its adoption.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.