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Author Bio

Lawrence Legaspi is a recent graduate from the University of California, Santa Cruz, pursuing a path towards being a public servant. With a strong focus on social justice and public policy, their work revolves around issue-based research and engages in advocacy on higher education, health care, and workforce development. Lawrence has experience with community-based research in local and national non-profits, including work on mental health access and policing impacts on LGBTQ+ communities, as well as voting rights and immigration. They plan to work towards being in the government or legal sector, with the long-term goal of advancing equitable policies for historically marginalized communities.

Amy Argenal is an assistant teaching professor of community engaged research and learning in the Sociology department at UC Santa Cruz. 

Abstract

This paper shares reflections from a community-engaged research project conducted in partnership with a local organization, aiming to understand community perspectives on policing and LGBTQ+ inclusion. The project was initiated in the classroom and speaks to the importance of engaged learning and research when understanding human rights struggles. My experience working with a local nonprofit, particularly in social justice and higher education contexts, informed my approach to this project. Through this role, I learned the importance of amplifying community voices, creating collaboration, and integrating higher educational learning into advocacy work. These reflections highlight the ethical responsibilities inherent in conducting research with historically marginalized communities. The value of combining practical nonprofit experience with academic inquiry to create meaningful, community-centered outcomes, emphasizing how research bridges theory and community organizing, linking universities, communities, and advocates in the shared pursuit of justice and respect for basic human rights.

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