The 3rd Annual Community Engagement Institute (CEI), which will take place in Birmingham on October 14, is seeking proposals for workshop sessions and its poster competition. The theme is “The Journey to Justice: Expanding the Possibilities.”

Designed as a full-day symposium focused on issues related to health equity and social justice, the CEI examines the importance of why and how community engagement and collaboration are effective in social/behavioral research and essential in community building practices. “Our goal is to disseminate research, exchange information, and share successful approaches to decreasing health disparities and increasing health equity and social justice,” said Dr. Shauntice Allen, program director of CCTS’s One Great Community, a CEI sponsor. “We also seek to empower participants to make a difference within and across communities,” she added.

CEI is looking for presentations that are “innovative, interactive, and creative.” Dr. Allen listed several examples of potential topics:

• Inclusion and fairness as approaches to eliminating inequalities seen in communities
• Enhancing community & campus relationships

• Civic engagement (i.e. informed voting, involvement in civic activities, the importance of your voice)

• The importance and power of collecting and using data for social change
• Community outreach and community development strategies
• Community organizing and advocacy approaches that address social injustices in communities
• Social entrepreneurism (use of business techniques to find solutions to social, cultural, and environmental issues)
• Increasing understanding of social justice concepts (economic stability, neighborhoods and built environment, health and health care accessibility, education, and social and community context)

CEI welcomes proposals for both workshops and posters from faculty and staff across multiple disciplines, undergraduate and graduate students, community members, organizational and community/neighborhood leaders, volunteers, business leaders, faith-based leaders, health advocates, information consumers, and grass-roots organizers and funders.

Interested? Submit your proposal idea by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To learn more about CEI 2016, including workshop and poster submission and acceptance criteria, registration, logistics, and more, visit our CEI web page.