Collaboration in Community Research: Spotlight on Rochester Healthy Community Partnership

The power of collaboration helps Mayo Clinic research thrive. For more than 20 years, groups like Pamoja Women, Somali American Social Services Association, and the Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics and Latin Americans (ACHLA) have been active partners in the Rochester Healthy Community Partnership (RHCP), a community-based participatory research initiative in Rochester, Minnesota. 

Beyond RHCP, a broad network of organizations and individuals play important roles in research projects. One example is “Through the Lens, Immigrant Perspectives on Health in Southeast Minnesota.” Here, organizations helped recruit participants for a program that used photography to highlight health topics important to immigrant communities. The priorities identified by participants were shared with the wider community, sparking conversations and action. The exhibit featured twenty-seven photographs, including the powerful “Hard Work Has Its Rewards” by Carolina Perdomo, which offered personal glimpses into participants’ lives. Together, these images and reflections provided a deeper understanding of the community’s experiences. The photovoice method, used in this project, is a creative way for community members to share their stories and perspectives. An evaluation of the project was recently published in the American Journal of Public Health. 

Partner organizations also support research in other ways. ACHLA and Pamoja Women, for example, identified women to participate in a Community Health Assessment and Improvement Measures Program (CHAMP) led by Dr. Jissy Cyriac. These organizations promote the Community Research Registry among their members, helping expand participation and outreach.  

Partnerships like those with RHCP, ACHLA, and others make research more meaningful and relevant. By working together, these organizations create lasting impact for the Rochester community.