ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Community engagement is widely regarded as a necessary strategy to address health disparities;however, connecting with the most marginalized communities can be difficult. Early in the COVID 19 pandemic (January 2020-March 2021) it became nearly impossible. Cicatelli Associates Inc. was funded to build the capacity of Black/African American identifying young adults, age 21-27, in developing and implementing an intervention to address social determinants of health that lead to STI disparities in Jackson, MS. Partnering with My Brother's Keeper, Inc. from October 2020 to December 2021, we implemented an authentic community engagement model to recruit 12 community members to form a Community Advisory Board (CAB). METHOD(S): We utilized the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) process with the CAB to train, conduct and implement a needs assessment, and make meaning of its results. We hosted meticulously designed bi-weekly meetings that accounted for the virtual platform, provided technology and software, while using surveys to address any challenges experienced by the CAB and staff. Between meetings we kept lines of communication open utilizing group chat messaging and telephone calls. RESULT(S): During the 14-month period, we held 20 meetings with an attendance rate of 74%. We conducted 15 trainings with attendance rate of 76%. We assessed the CAB's experience and satisfaction via 25 statements (scale: 1 = strongly disagree to 4= strongly agree);on average, the CAB reported high satisfaction (score = 3.98), with special attention being given to staff treating them as equal partners (4), Zoom as an effective meeting platform (3.98), and meetings were a good use of their time (3.99). CONCLUSION(S): Employing authentic community engagement principles and strategies, making technology available and creating space and time for communities to discuss effects of the pandemic on their lives beyond the scope of the work, organizations can successfully engage and collaborate with communities within an authentic manner.