The Massachusetts Community Engagement Alliance (MA-CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities, led by Boston Medical Center, is part of a nationwide initiative funded by the National Institutes of Health. Our work includes providing education to our community members and leaders to address misinformation gaps and mistrust around COVID-19, delivering ambassador and physician-led vaccine education, and promoting equitable access to clinical research participation.
We engage, educate, empower and protect our communities with access to COVID-19 vaccines.
We promote diversity and access to clinical research to ensure tomorrow’s therapies work for all of us.
About MA-CEAL
MA-CEAL’s mission is to provide trustworthy information on COVID-19 through active community engagement and outreach to the people hardest-hit by the pandemic. Our goal is to build long-lasting partnerships and improve diversity and inclusion in our research response to COVID-19 and beyond.
MA-CEAL’s Objectives
- Conduct urgent community-engaged outreach and research around COVID-19
- Improve awareness and education to address widespread misinformation and distrust regarding COVID-19
- Improve education around COVID therapeutics and the prevalence of Long COVID
- Promote an evidence-based response to the disease
- Promote and facilitate the inclusion of diverse racial and ethnic populations in clinical trials to ensure therapies are safe and effective for populations disproportionately affected by the pandemic
The Questions We're Asking
- How can we build our community’s confidence in the vaccine?
- How can we communicate the importance of diverse participation in clinical research?
- What are the challenges and questions that prevent vaccination and research participation?
- How can we engage and partner with our communities to find solutions?
How to Get Involved
Partners
Everday Boston
Restorative Justice Storytelling Circle
Urban College of Boston
Multilingual education/serving a diverse community of learner
Boston Health Equity Research Network
12 Community Health Centers partnered with BMC
We Got Us Project
Black community members, students, health professionals addressing medical racism, COVID-19, and the vaccine
Boston Public Health Commission
Boston University
Boston University Clinical & Translational Science Institute
Hebrew College
Interfaith Youth Core
National Institute of Health
True Alliance Center
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Union Capital Boston (UCB)
YMCA of Greater Boston
Consulate General of Mexico in Boston
Project 2043
Equity Now and Beyond
Our Team
- Benjamin Linas, MD, MPH
Principal Investigator, Administrative Core Director - Matthew Spence, MPH
Program Manager - Marc Antoine
Community Engagement Specialist - Nike Asupoto
Clinical Research Coordinator, Clinical Research Network - Sabrina Assoumou, MD, MPH
Co-Investigator - Sarah Barnes
Research Assistant - Nicholas Bosch MD, MSc
Co-Investigator - Julien Dedier, MD, MPH
Co-investigator - Mari-Lynn Drainoni, PhD, MEd
Co-Investigator, Evaluation Core Director - Kimberly Fisher, MD
Co-Investigator, Population Data Core Director - Katherine Gergen Barnett, MD
Co-Investigator - Natalie Joseph, MD
Co-Investigator - Vicki Lee
Communications and Media Intern - Garey Lywood
Senior Manager, Community Engagement & Internal Affairs - Jai Marathe MD, MS
Co-Investigator - Kathleen Mazor, EdD
Co-Investigator - Yewon Na
Research Assistant - Rebecca Perkins, MD
Co-Investigator - Cassandra Pierre, MD, MPH
Co-Investigator - Shaquera Robinson
Community Engagement Specialist - Ryan Schroeder
BMC Clinical Research Network Director - Duncan Schulte
Project Manager, Clinical Research Network - Quinneil Simmons
Program Manager, Clinical Research Network - Autumn Tamlyn
Research Study Coordinator - Shannon Timlin
Community Engagement & Recruitment Specialist, Clinical Research Network - Hope White
Community Engagement Core Director
CEAL Nationwide
CEAL is a nationwide initiative led by the National Institutes of Health with centers across the country. Learn more about the NIH Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL)
Contact Us
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Recent News
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BMC Joins a New NIH Alliance to Address COVID-19 Inequities
By hearing stories of people in underserved neighborhoods, researchers hope to understand and help overcome longstanding barriers to healthcare access