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CECH DEI Research and Resources

The CECH Library guide to CECH Office of Inclusive Excellence Programming

Awardees 2023-2024

“Developing Inclusive Cognitive Behavioral Interventions in Corrections” By Natasha Khade 

  • Evidence has consistently shown correctional interventions that are grounded in cognitive, behavioral, and social learning approaches to be effective in reducing the risk for recidivism. However, during a time of reform and change, corrections professionals are looking for guidance on how to strengthen their cultural competencies and build practices of inclusion into their services— all while maintaining program fidelity to cognitive behavioral interventions (CBI). Therefore, it is not surprising that the field of corrections faces a dilemma to balance fidelity while adapting to the differences people bring to treatment. This proposal aims to contribute to the field by exploring strategies to make CBI more responsive to the individual differences of justice involved persons. Specifically, using focus groups, this proposal seeks to gain insights about inclusive strategies from individuals with facilitator knowledge and lived experiences. Insights from these focus groups will help inform the University of Cincinnati's Corrections Institute's (UCCI) efforts to develop inclusive correctional curricula. 

 

 

“Leveraging methodological techniques to test the effects of intersectional demographic” by Madeline Lancaster 

  • The differential treatment of citizens based on race and mental illness status at the hands of criminal justice professionals is well established in criminal justice data, the media, and empirical literature. However, little is known about how criminal justice professionals respond to individuals with intersecting minority identities. This study aims to experimentally test the impacts of race and mental illness on individuals’ perceptions, emotions, attributions, behavioral responses to a person in distress. A secondary aim of this study is to test whether the method of information delivery (vignette vs. video) through which participants learn about the distressed individual affects their perceptions, emotions, attributions, and responses. In doing so, this study provides important contributions to research as the findings on how information is presented to participants can further inform methodological practices and improve the real-world validity of future studies. Additionally, the rigorous experimental testing of multiple potential sources of bias provides a needed and currently lacking empirical complement to current knowledge about intersectionality and biased decision-making. Finally, the results of this study can inform training and other interventions for criminal justice professionals that aim to reduce bias in decision-making and prevent further marginalization of minority groups. 

 

“Youth Firearm Research Study” by Aaron Mallory 

  • The Youth Firearm Research Study goal is to understand factors that contribute to inner city youth carrying firearms within their community. The leading cause of death for African American males between the ages of 0-34 is homicide, by a firearm (CDC, 2018). By understanding factor to why youth feel the need to carry and use firearms, programming and strategies can be designed to mitigate the behavior. Aaron Mallory, principal investigator, is a PhD candidate at the University of Cincinnati, School of Criminal Justice. Additionally, social work master level interns from the University of Chicago, University of Illinois, Chicago, and Governors State University will assist Aaron in this project as research assistants. Aaron, has spent the last thirteen years working within Chicago’s inner-city communities with youth and families impacted by gun violence. Aaron is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and draws upon his work from the lens of a clinician helping many families navigate and manage symptoms of complex and posttraumatic stress disorder due to living in high crime and gun violence communities.   

 

“Self-Study of Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility in Criminal Justice” By Sarah Manchak 

  • Requesting funding to support a paid research position to conduct a mixed-method, comprehensive, systematic, and in-depth self-study of the School of Criminal Justice’s (a) historical and current policies and practices, and (b) experiences of students, faculty, staff and community partners related to Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) principles. 

 

“Rehabilitation, Redemption, and Restorative Justice: Does Religiosity Affect Support for the 3Rs?” By Sinui Park   

  • A majority of U.S. adults believe in the redeemability of people who have committed crime, support restorative justice, and endorse rehabilitation as a correctional goal. We consider these the “3Rs” of progressive approaches to criminal justice. Although such beliefs are known to influence the reintegration of offenders into the communities, the factors that influence whether a person supports the 3Rs have not been fully explored. Using a 2022 YouGov survey of a national sample of U.S. adults (N = 2,400), the current study examines the relationship between religiosity and the 3Rs. On one hand, more religious individuals may also be more politically conservative, and may hold more punitive attitudes toward people who commit crime, including rejecting the 3Rs. On the other hand, redemption and forgiveness are core principles in many religions, which may lead more religious people to be especially favorable to the 3Rs. It has not been found which beliefs among the three Rs would predict the more/less willingness to get involved in actions. Understanding the degree to which religiosity affects support for the 3Rs could help public officials and practitioners garner public support for these initiatives. Unlike punitive approaches to criminal justice, the 3Rs are highly dependent on community support.   

 

 

“Culture of Community: Empowering Communities through Strategic Organizing” by Eunique Avery 

  • This exploratory research project aims to add to existing literature on community organizing in education. In summer 2024, School Board School (SBS) will kick off its 7-month learning program, where participants will engage in experiential learning exercises that equip them with the skills and resources needed to organize and drive change in the community. In this exploratory case study analysis, I seek to gain a comprehensive understanding of School Board Schools organizational structure, engagement practices, and overall effectiveness in community organizing. 
     
    This research study will be guided by four questions: How do members perceive the impact of participating in the SBS leadership program; What organizing strategies are used amongst SBS staff to increase community participation among its members and the general public; What are the challenges associated with engaging SBS members and the general public; and How does School Board School measure their success? This study will use qualitative (observations, interviews, document analysis) methods to collect data throughout the research process. 

“Summer Melt and College-Going: A grounded theory exploration with high school counselors” by Amy Awtrey 

  • This project investigates summer melt (summer attrition from the educational pipeline) and college-going for recent high school graduates who have been marginalized in their schooling experience. Using grounded theory analysis of interviews with high school counselors, I am exploring counselor observations of patterns and themes in their experiences of helping hundreds of students in the college application and enrollment process each year. Findings aim to contribute to knowledge about summer melt and college-going, as well as to the improvement of college-going supports for students who have been marginalized in their schooling experiences, particularly low-socioeconomic status, first-generation, and racially minoritized students, who are underrepresented in higher education. 

“Learning from the Land: Community-based land justice and future land pedagogy” By Rae Baker 

  • Thinking beyond classroom and formal learning environments, this article will address a gap in the application of pedagogy as a tool that informs the built environment, and the social, political, and ecological relations that shape the lives of its inhabitants. There are pedagogical practices in classrooms, and there are pedagogies practiced beyond the walls of formal institutions of learning. Cultivating a connecting between social and environmental realms is resurgence missions of indigenous and decolonial ways of knowing, being, and building the world. Nishnaabeg scholar, Leanna Betasamosake Simpson writes about the 'rebellious transformation potential' of reclaiming land and land relations as a pedagogy for building knowledge, skills, and values that reflect a challenge to colonial claims of power and nationhood that are reliant on the denial of indigenous existence across North America (Betasmamosake Simpson, 2014). The project of reclaiming land as pedagogy holds the possibility then, as Betasamosake Simpson describes, of leading to a form of multi-nationhood that supports indigenous intimacy with ecosystems and autonomy through self-governance. The research will examine how land pedagogies can co-construct generative relational contexts for learning, from and alongside Lands in the indigenous (Anishinabee) sense of the practice. This research will uphold values of sharing spaces and knowledge and fostering relations, through economic and political terms, of non-violence and liberation between indigenous and settler communities. 

“Empowering International Students Through Tutoring and Mentorship” by Tiffany Berman 

  • The number of international students from Uzbekistan and Russia in schools within the U.S. is rapidly increasing. This increase creates a challenge for local school districts unprepared to work with this student population and for universities concerned with ensuring the adjustment and retention of international students. However, these challenges provide an opportunity for a partnership, connecting international university students with elementary students who speak limited English through a university tutoring project. The researchers aim to determine the benefits of utilizing international university students to tutor immigrant children from their home countries in a local school district. Research has shown the positive outcomes of tutoring programs for tutors and tutees. Similarly, there is evidence that developing connections within local communities can aid international student retention and confidence. This project would provide vital information to understand the use of such programs, enabling techniques to be shared with those who wish to develop similar programs.   

“Exploring the Experiences of Higher Education Professionals in Their Quest to Support and Retain Black Collegiate Men” by Jarrod Druery 

  • Among the most important and complex challenges facing higher education is the retention, success, and graduation rates of Black men on college campuses (Cuyjet, 2006; Harper, 2012; Strayhorn, 2019). Many scholars have challenged institutions, especially historically white institutions (HWIs), to create initiatives and programs tailored specifically to Black men in college (Cuyjet, 2006; Barker & Avery, 2012; Brooks et al., 2013; Harper & Kuykendall, 2012; Zell, 2011). Subsequently, institutions have created programs that provide Black collegiate men with the tools needed to persist, excel academically and socially, and graduate at higher rates (Barker & Avery, 2012; Brooks et al., 2013; Druery & Brooms, 2019; Ellis, 2009; McElderry et al., 2018). These programs are commonly known as Black male initiatives (BMIs) or men of color programs. Much of the literature that focuses on BMIs has been largely centered around the experiences and perceptions of students engaged in these programs (see Barker & Avery, 2012; Brooks et al., 2013; Brooms et al., 2021; Druery & Brooms, 2019; Druery, 2018; Zell, 2011). To this end, scholars have called for research that explores the experiences and narratives of staff and faculty who operate BMIs (Briscoe et al., 2020; Jones et al., 2023). Thus, the proposed study will explore the experiences of and challenges encountered by BMI leaders in their quest to support, retain, and help graduate Black collegiate men at historically white institutions (HWIs). 

“Exploring Retention Programming, Black Places, and Affirming Spaces at a PWI” by Gabrielle Golden 

  • While scholars recognize that engagement in Black and other affirming campus places strengthen Black college student retention efforts (Miller, 2017; Patton, 2006; Solórzano et al., 2000; Volpe & Jones, 2021), less is known about how these areas become important to Black students. In this instrumental case study, I will utilize a case to deepen understandings around Black student retention programming experiences. Through a series of in-depth interviews with recent graduates who participated in Black retention programming throughout the duration of their undergraduate experience, I will explore their perception of involvement in campus-based retention programs. Using a Black placemaking theoretical approach, I pay special attention to the spatial context through which retention programming may be involved in the creation and maintenance of Black and other affirming campus spaces for Black college students at a Predominantly White institution (PWI). I am requesting $1,500 to facilitate the research project. Findings have the potential to deepen understandings around how students may come to perceive the significance of Black and other affirming places in their retention experience, if at all. Moreover, findings will broaden the conversation concerning the capacity for community and joy in Black college student retention experiences. 

“National Deaf History Month (NDHM) Projects” by Katie Foran-Mulcahy, Juanita Hall, Rachel Hoople, and Elizabeth Jean- Baptiste 

  • National Deaf History Month (NDHM), celebrated annually in April, commemorates significant events in d/Deaf history, while also calling for reflection, learning and activism. In observance of NDHM, the CECH American Sign Language and Deaf Studies (ASLDS) department and the CECH Library will be collaborating on several projects in spring 2024 united under these themes, including a d/Deaf in Media exhibit in Langsam Library, an ASL story time with the Arlitt Center, and a student collection development and exhibit project in the CECH Library highlighting d/Deaf representation in children’s literature. This proposal specifically relates to the CECH Library collection/exhibit project. 
     
    In the spring term, an ASL class will meet with a librarian and complete an in-class activity to develop a framework for the selection of children’s books with representation of d/Deaf identities. After creating this framework, students will apply it directly by making book recommendations for the CECH Library’s collection. 

“Examining the Representations of Asian Americans on the Covers of Award-Winning Children’s and Young Adult Literature” by Stephanie Reid 

  • This qualitative multimodal content analysis study seeks to examine the representations of Asian characters (fiction), people (nonfiction), and cultures on the covers of award-winning children’s and young adult books published between 2016 and 2023. As this content analysis study is multimodal in nature, the research team will explore both the linguistic and visual aspects of the cover. Covers are print media worthy of critical exploration because they are marketing devices designed for imagined consumers and are often a reader’s first means of transacting with books and the stories authors and illustrators tell. This research will contribute to conversations about the ongoing need for diverse and authentic literature for young people. The analytical tools developed for this study could also be useful to other scholars or educators who wish to critically read the texts readers encounter in schools, libraries, and daily life. 

 

“Exploring Breastfeeding Practices Among African Migrant Women: Impact of Support Networks and Information Sources” by Tabitha Addy 

  • In the United States (US), black women experience lower rates of breastfeeding compared to whites with a reduced likelihood of breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months. Data on migration shows an influx of African migrant women in the US driven by economic and political instability in home countries and favorable US policies toward immigration. African women who migrate leave behind significant support relevant to their breastfeeding practices. Moreover, information sources in the US may not be culturally sensitive. Despite the growing presence of African migrant women in the US, there are gaps in research on African migrant women’s experiences of breastfeeding, their support networks, and their “breastfeeding information” sources. Understanding how information sources and support networks influence breastfeeding initiation, duration, exclusivity, and health outcomes is crucial in meeting Healthy People Targets 2030 on breastfeeding for this vulnerable group. The aim of this study is to interview African migrant mothers to gain knowledge about breastfeeding practices and how information sources and interactions with support networks influence these practices. Information gained from this study will aid health professionals in developing culturally sensitive communications and interventions to address the unique needs of this minority group. 

“In Their Own Words: Focus Groups to Identify Mental Health Opportunities in Cincinnati’s Black Community” by Don Jason & Lauren White  

  • These researchers will collaborate with a community partner, Ashley Glass, CEO of Black Women Cultivating Change (BWCC). The aim of the focus groups is to identify mental health needs and opportunities. BWCC plans to meet these needs through future programming efforts. Data will be collected and added to BWCC’s existing data dashboard. This request builds on BWCC’s successful focus group in April of 2023. Attendees were a mix of Black men and women. Feedback suggested hosting additional focus groups specific to men and women would yield additional insights. The focus groups will yield several outcomes. 1) The focus groups will yield additional data for the data dashboard. The current dashboard has data from one focus group. The addition of data from two focus groups would make the data dashboard stronger and help yield additional themes and insights. 

“A Culturally Competent Exploration of Perception and Knowledge of Maternal and Infant Health Amongst African American Adolescent Females” by Danielle Pierre Hixon 

  • Socioenvironmental and cultural risks lend itself to adverse maternal and child health outcomes for African American women and remains a persistent problem in the United States (Tabi, 2002). Despite the efforts shown to work towards health equity and literature published, health disparities are rampant for Black pregnant women or new moms, and their unborn or newborn child. Current literature explores how socioenvironmental and cultural risks adversely impact African American women who are prenatal and/or post-natal and African American infants. Limited research accounts for the experiences, knowledge, and views related to maternal and infant health risks and outcomes of young African American females and their family and peer support systems. Research regarding adolescent African American maternal health is generally focused on prevention and the co-morbidity of sexually transmitted diseases. The goal of this study is to examine the knowledge and perspective of risk factors that contribute to adverse maternal and birth outcomes for adolescent African American females in an urban setting. It is expected that the knowledge of socioeconomic and cultural risk factors on maternal and infant health outcomes of adolescent African American females will increase and that this study will bring awareness to views of family, school, neighborhood, and community factors influencing risk and resilience behaviors, thus increasing competency, and advocacy for mothers and their immediate support groups. 

“The Effects of a Culturally Relevant Repeated Readings Intervention on Oral Reading Black boys with EBD” by JP Pollard 

  • Black students with emotional and behavior disorders (EBD) experience negative educational and life outcomes. Reading is an essential skill for academic and lifelong success and an entrance into other academic disciplines (Pressley et al., 2023). Additional research is needed to identify effective interventions to promote reading skill development in students with EBD, particularly Black students who often experience more negative outcomes than their White peers (Peterson, 2021). Research indicates that students who share similar gender or racial characteristics with their teacher tend to feel more cared for, have greater engagement in their schoolwork, and are better able to communicate with their teacher than unmatched students (Bristol & Martin-Fernandez, 2019; Rasheed et al., 2020).   

“Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Program for Youth with Developmental Disabilities” by Laura Nabors 

  • The Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) Program is a health program to encourage healthy living through healthy eating and regular exercise for older children and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This program will be developed through a participatory approach with feedback and direction from youth, parents/caregivers, and staff and experts working with youth with IDD. After developing a manual of activities (adapted from successful programming) these new activities will be piloted with five days of youth with IDD and their caregivers or parents. Results will yield new successful obesity prevention and intervention activities, by and for youth with IDD to promote their health (eating more fruits and vegetables) and increase their health literacy, thereby reducing health disparities and improving health education for this important group. 

 

“Adaptive Living: Dynamic Hand Gesture Home Control System Based on Machine Perception Intelligent for Elderly and Disabled” by Nelly Elsayed 

  • Elderly and Disabled individuals are facing daily challenges in their lives. Enhancing their life quality and daily experience is crucial to achieve the equity. The daily life requirements, even at home, require multiple physical activities to perform different tasks, starting from turning on the light switch to joining the dining room table, which looks pretty simple; however, for mobility impaired and elderly individuals, it can be a significantly challenging task. Thus, to contribute towards improving their life experience at home, this project aims to utilize technology, intelligent systems, and computer vision to build an adaptive smart home control system that makes home activities more accessible for mobility-impaired and elderly individuals. This project can significantly improve the quality of their daily life experience. 

“Seeds of Change: Empowering Historically Underserved Urban Farmers with Sustainable IT Support” by Feifei Pang 

  • This project examines the integration of information technologies (IT) among historically underserved urban food producers, a group that includes family farms and urban gardens within diverse communities. Employing a suite of qualitative ethnographic methods, the study seeks to understand the unique communication challenges these food producers face in marketing their products and engaging with consumers. The research will involve systematic participant observation at urban farming sites, interviews with food producers to explore their use of IT in farm management, and visual methodologies to document their daily operations and consumer interactions. This multi-method approach will ensure a holistic understanding of the producers' experiences and the potential of IT to address their needs. Through thematic analysis of the collected data, the research aims to identify actionable themes that can inform the development of accessible and equitable IT solutions. These solutions are anticipated to improve farmer-to-consumer interactions, reduce the digital divide, and promote sustainable practices within urban community food systems. By directly involving the food producers in the research process, the study also intends to foster trust and empowerment within these marginalized communities. The ultimate goal is to design and test a prototype tool tailored for these producers, aiming to enhance their market presence and contribute to the sustainability of local food systems.   

 

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