Our Community Review Board Agreement of Non-Negotiables

The ICBOs have created a Community Review Board Agreement of Non-Negotiables to guide research and evaluation in our communities. We believe these key agreements will guide equitable, inclusive research that ultimately benefits our communities. This agreement will guide our work -- much like Institutional Review Boards might do so at universities and research institutions, but from the community perspective.

ICBO Community Review Board Agreement of Non-Negotiables

What is non-negotiable as we undertake community-based participatory research?

1. Research in our communities must be conducted with respect and cultural competence.

2. Research in our communities must include our communities from the beginning.

3. Research in our communities will be beneficial and empowering to our communities.

4. Researchers must have a deep understanding of equity*.

5. Researchers must have a high level of emotional intelligence.

6. Researchers will use vocabulary that is easy for everyone involved in the project (and their communities) to understand.

7. Researchers must understand our communities’ priorities.

8. Researchers will not use our communities as guinea pigs. We do not want to be studied or used for the benefit of others.

9. Research in our communities will be honest, transparent, and have high integrity.

10. OUR worldviews ARE NOT THOSE OF THE DOMINANT CULTURE. WE WILL NOT ADAPT SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS THE WAY SCIENCE IS TRADITIONALLY DONE.  

11. Researchers will be clear and transparent about their agenda.

12. Researchers will NOT use our communities for the benefit of their institutions or for their personal benefit.

13. Research results will always be shared with our communities first and in ways that are accessible and clear to everyone.

14. Consent documents will be clear and to the point so that anyone can understand what they are agreeing to.

15. The intellectual property that is taken from our communities belongs to our community. 

*Equity: Providing the structure, tools, respect, and support needed to give each member the same opportunity to succeed. Working for equity also means identifying and fighting forces and systems that limit opportunities and outcomes.

 

Photos of the ICBOs meeting at our December 11-13 meeting at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The ICBOs have co-created and signed a copy of our working agreements. Photos by Marilú Lopez-Fretts

Community Perspectives Survey about Noise Pollution

We are excited to launch our co-created survey to learn more about how our communities are experiencing noise pollution. 

What is the research about? We are trying to understand issues of equity and noise so we can create a national Community Science project (and APP) that brings about meaningful change and benefits underserved communities throughout North America.

Who is leading the research? The ICBOs (a group of community organizations representing underserved communities throughout North America). Led by Metro Atlanta Urban Farm in Georgia, the WorldBeat Center in California, CLUES (Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio) in Minnesota, and Camp Compass Academy in Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

How long should it take? 10 minutes

Is there payment for participation? There is no payment for participation, but by completing the survey you’ll have the opportunity to be entered into a drawing to win a pair of noise-cancelling headphones or a pair of binoculars.  

Survey in English: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9oTpcNrBb8C72Gp

Help us spread the word!

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Estamos encantados de lanzar nuestra encuesta para obtener más información sobre cómo nuestras comunidades están viviendo con la contaminación acústica.

¿De qué se trata la investigación? Estamos estudiando las perspectivas comunitarias acerca de la contaminación acústica para crear un proyecto científico comunitario y una aplicación telefónica para medir el impacto del ruido. La idea es ayudar a promover cambios significativos y beneficios para las comunidades marginadas en América del Norte.

¿Quién está haciendo la investigación? Los ICBOs  (Un grupo de organizaciones comunitarias que representan a comunidades marginadas en toda América del Norte). Este trabajo es liderado por Metro Atlanta Urban Farm en Georgia, Camp Compass Academy en Pennsylvania , WorldBeat Center en California, CLUES en Minnesota, Green Jay Mayan Birding en México y el Laboratorio de Ornitología de la Universidad de Cornell.

¿Cuánto tiempo debe tomar? 10 minutos

¿Hay algún pago por mi participación? No hay pago por su participación, aunque al completar la encuesta podrá ingresar a un sorteo para ganar un par de auriculares con cancelación de ruido o un par de binoculares. Agradecemos mucho su valiosa contribución. Encuesta en Español: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6gMJyReFZpNao4d 

¡Ayúdenos a correr la voz!

Photo by Marilú López Fretts

NSF Awards New Grant to The ICBOs!

Photo by Jesse Graham of the WorldBeat Center.

More exciting news from our community! The National Science Foundation awarded the ICBOs and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology a three-year $2.5-million dollar grant to create a national community science project focused on noise pollution.

The ICBOs will be working together, following our rules based on the Jemez Principles to co-create this new project with our communities. What makes the project so exciting is the fact that three of our community researchers are named Co-Principal Investigators. The grant proposal was co-created with the ICBOs and The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, living our mission, vision and values for building and maintaining equitable collaborations.

Our plan is to measure the impacts of noise pollution in inner cities on people and birds with the help of a co-created app. We plan to record noise levels and look at impacts on human well-being. In addition, we plan to create noise refuges and connect people with birds in our communities.

Nine community advisors representing underserved African American, Latino, and Native communities across the U.S., members of the ICBOs, will be part of the project. In addition, Metro Atlanta Urban Farm, in Atlanta, GA., Camp Compass Academy in Allentown, PA., WorldBeat Center in San Diego, CA., and Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES) in St. Paul, MN. will be leading the project via community-based participatory research.

The project also includes other wonderful advisors with expertise on the non-auditory effects of noise pollution; community-based participatory research; equity, diversity, and inclusion in science and citizen science.

Congratulations to the ICBOs.

We'll keep you posted with our work!