JOIN US, JOIN FORCES!

Small newcomer, refugee, and immigrant communities are here in abundance. How are they growing and changing the larger social, cultural, and political landscape of the Triad and North Carolina? For researchers, scholars, and other professionals, the argument against investing time, energy and resources is one we've heard about the Montagnard community: Too small, too obscure, and too local to matter. Even institutions with missions to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion can fail to respond to realities faced by newcomer communities when they insist on big demographic categories (Black/African American, AAPI, etc). The consequences of not recognizing or ignoring these communities were played out during COVID-19 when it became clear that a single undetected case could overwhelm a local health system. 

A network of scholars, professionals, advocates and community members dedicated to scholarship and community building... 

• Has unique and overlapping skills that can respond to community needs with an array of perspectives. 

• Can leverage the sum of our knowledge and resources for areas of interest that are woefully understood and generally underfunded. 

• Demonstrates an alternate model of community involvement, empowerment, scholarship, and societal change to academics, researchers, service providers, and policy influencers. 

• Raises further awareness in institutions such as higher education, research, foundations, non-profits, etc. about community issues, to generate support from them.

• Raises the standard of community-engaged scholarship and research.

• Has an action focus. 

• Inspires other refugee and immigrant groups struggling to fill knowledge gaps.

You're invited to join our network! Contact us for more information.

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Network Milestones

• S. D. Morrison, A. Young, S. Sudha. (2023). Youth Capacity Building and Leadership Through CBPR and Conflict Transformation with the Montagnard Refugee-Origin Community Journal of Leadership Studies August 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.21857 

• S. D. Morrison, S. Sudha, K. Denzongpa, H. Adrong, K. Bernot, M Malotky, M. Nsonwu, (2021). Using Community-Based Participatory Research to Characterize Health and Lifestyle Behaviors of Montagnards, a Refugee-Origin Asian-American Subgroup Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-021-01272-x  

• Al Amin, S., Morrison, S. D., & Sudha, S. (2020). Small and Invisible, Yet Strong and Impactful: North Carolina's Montagnard Community Responds to COVID-19. North Carolina Medical Journal, 81(6), 408-408. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18043/ncm.81.6.408

• MM Malotky, K Mayes, K Price, G Smith, S Mann, M Guinyard, S Veale, H'L Mlo, L Siuh, V Ksor, A J Young, M B Nsonwu, S D Morrison, S Sudha, KM Bernot (2020) Fostering Inclusion through an Inter-institutional, Community-engaged, Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education April 2020 21(1) pp 1-13 doi:10.1128/jmbe.v21i1.1939

• S. D. Morrison, S. Sudha, Andrew Young, Y Bhim Nie, H Wier Siu, H’Yua Adrong, and Janet Sayers. (2018) When community calls, we collaborate! Implementing a Community-based participatory research project with the multi-language Montagnard refugee community Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action 2(12) 179-186 doi:10.1353/cpr.2018.0038 

• Morrison, S., Young, A., Dharod, J., Xin, H., Nsonwu, M., Sills, S., Bailey, R. (Apr 2012). Empowering Underserved Communities. University of North Carolina Greensboro, NC

• Morrison, S., Dharod, J., Sills, S., Nsonwu, M., Young, A., Xin, H. (Oct 2012). The Montagnard Health Disparities Network: Workable Solutions for Community Empowerment. National Refugee and Immigrant Conference, Chicago, IL

• Morrison, M., Nsonwu, M., Young, A. (Aug 2015). Montagnard Health Disparities Research Network: Health Gaps and Strategies for Empowerment. Gillings School for Global Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC

• International Association for Research on Service Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) Community Impacts and Outcomes Award (2019) to MDA and the Research Network.

• The first Research Network Symposium (2021) via zoom during COVID-19

• Increased community work with Bhutanese, Cambodian, Liberian, Karen, Swahili-speaking, Hmong and Karenni communities through MDA's community health worker program.