The Labor, Health, Equity, Action Project (LHEAP) is a team of interdisciplinary researchers from across University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, coalescing in the Infection Genomics for One Health theme at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. Its core members include Professors Jessica Brinkworth, Korinta Maldonado, Ellen Moodie, from the Department Anthropology and Rachel Whitaker, from the Department of Microbiology, as well as Gilberto Rosas, in the Departments of Anthropology and Latina/o Studies. It also includes Community Researchers: Sofia Bolaños-Robinette, Paty Kamenga, Diana Mendoza and Sylvia Mateo, project manager Susan Thomas, graduate student Grace Shaw and an amazing group of volunteers who are helping to bring pop-up COVID-testing sites to communities who want and need them.
The team pursues a dynamic research agenda on the intersections of the structural, socio-cultural, and immunity factors involved in transmission of SARS COVID 19, as it affects essential laborers in agriculture, pork processing, and related industries, who are often racial minorities. Central to this project and as form of committed reciprocity and public health, the team coordinates free pop-up COVID testing in Champaign County with a focus on people who live and work in Rantoul, Illinois with limited access to testing drawing on a network of committed community partners and volunteers.
Team
Full list of LHEAP team members
Media
WFYI Public Media: https://www.sideeffectspublicmedia.org/post/building-trust-key-ensure-f…
WCIA: https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/3-news-at-1000-september-27-2020/&…;
(final 3 minutes)
NPR The 21st: https://will.illinois.edu/nfs/21st_113020_segaandb1.mp3?dl=1&siteplayer…;
Speaking: Kora Maldonado, Jessica Brinkworth
Illinois News Bureau: https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/605166319
Outreach
LAS Impact interview: https://mediaspace.illinois.edu/media/t/1_pejq8qar/187820863
UIUC COVID course talk: https://mediaspace.illinois.edu/media/1_zmtt6koa
Grants
UIUC CSBS Small Grant Program
“Essential Work, Expendable Life? Identifying SARS-CoV-2 Critical Control Points in Rantoul and Surrounding Communities”
Sponsors
Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
CUPHD is working to provide technical assistance and resources from the IL Department of Human Services to assist with efforts
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation (OVCRI)
The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES)
Illinois Pork Producers Association
Anonymous donors