About
Health Equity in Action is a 6-week, self-paced online course designed to equip learners with practical tools to create inclusive, culturally competent, and community-centered research engagement programs. The first cohort starts January 26, 2026. This course guides participants through real-world strategies for building trust, increasing representation, and strengthening relationships between researchers and underrepresented communities. Using the 4-E Model — Educate, Engage, Empower, and Extend, learners will explore how to move beyond traditional outreach approaches and design programs that are transparent, respectful, and responsive to community needs. Through short recorded lessons, reflection activities, and applied exercises, participants will gain hands-on experience translating equity principles into action. This course is ideal for researchers, public health professionals, community advocates, nonprofit leaders, students, and anyone involved in clinical research or community engagement who wants to advance health equity in a meaningful, sustainable way. By the end of the course, participants will: - Understand the difference between health equity, equality, and inclusion - Identify barriers to diversity in research and strategies to address them - Apply the 4-E Model to outreach and engagement efforts - Design a culturally competent, community-centered research event plan - Reflect on their role in advancing equity and trust in research The course culminates in a Capstone Project, where learners create a participant-centered community research event plan applying all course concepts. Participants who complete all required assignments will receive a Certificate of Completion. Four Cohort Courses Coming in 2026: Cohort 1: Jan 26 – Mar 6 Cohort 2: Apr 20 – May 29 Cohort 3: Aug 10 – Sept 19 Cohort 4: Oct 26 – Dec 4