The Chicago Queer Latine Collaborative: Catalyzing Health Equity Through Community-Engaged Opportunities

Abstract

Latine Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) communities face a disproportionate burden of new HIV diagnoses, driven by structural, social, and personal barriers that limit the uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Addressing these inequities requires research deeply rooted in community lived experiences and cultural contexts. The Chicago Queer Latine (CQL) Collaborative, a partnership of community, academic, and clinical health professionals, adopted a Community-Engaged Research (CER) approach to tackle HIV disparities in our metropolitan area. We strategically utilized federal seed funding, including grants for capacity building and partnership development, to ensure protected and compensated training for community leaders and establish a formal, multidisciplinary partnership co-led by community, academic, and clinical investigators. This foundational work culminated in securing research awards, which supported the development and dissemination of a bilingual social marketing PrEP promotion campaign. The campaign’s success, evidenced by significant reach and PrEP awareness/uptake, is attributed to its community-driven design and culturally responsive elements. Our experience underscores the critical need for genuinely shared leadership, where community members lead and co-lead and are equitably compensated. We urge funding agencies to stabilize mechanisms that explicitly support community-led initiatives and to streamline administrative processes to overcome burdens that can impede equitable partnerships. This model serves as a compelling case for sustained investment in CER to achieve true health equity.