The Chelsea Research Festival Model: Disseminating Research, Bridging Community and Academia, and Centering Youth.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Researchers often fail to disseminate their results to the communities they study. Meanwhile, youth in historically marginalized communities face barriers that reduce their likelihood of becoming researchers themselves.

Objectives

To bridge this research-community divide by creating the Chelsea Research Festival, an annual poster fair held at a public high school in the majority-Latinx city of Chelsea, Massachusetts.

Methods

The festival is co-planned by academics and community-based organizations. Posters may be either about Chelsea or conducted by Chelsea community members, including youth.

Lessons learned

Buy-in from local organizations, especially the school district, has been key to success. Youth present their own posters alongside academics',

SUBMITTER: Neville SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12642930 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature