Mentored Training Diversity Supplements

As part of CHRP’s commitments to both increasing equity in our grantmaking and expanding the pipeline of the next generation of HIV researchers, CHRP offers supplemental awards to current CHRP-funded projects that meet eligibility criteria. After merit review, those nominees selected for funding are allocated $10,000 to support new employment on the project, tuition and fees for eligible coursework, and other associated costs (such as transportation or laboratory supplies). From 2020 through 2023, these supplements supported twelve scholars while they trained in basic biomedical HIV research.

April 1, 2024: CHRP announces $80,000 in new awards to support mentored training for eight early career-stage HIV researchers in California. New this year, we expanded eligibility beyond basic biomedical training to include all CHRP-funded awards, and were pleased to receive applications spanning all our priorities of clinical research, implementation science, and policy research.

Of the eight new researchers who are receiving these awards in 2024, each has lived experience in, and is committed to serving, many of our priority communities. We celebrate the accomplishments of these eight dedicated researchers and are grateful for the opportunity to fulfill the community mandate of “nothing about us without us”. These exciting projects will focus on resilience factors, housing insecurity, the California Healthy Youth Act, intimate partner violence, PrEP, and more; they will serve communities such as Latinx people with newly diagnosed HIV, transgender women of color, asylum seekers, youth, and internet-based sex workers. Below are short biosketches and photos of each of the eight members of this cohort of trainees, as approved by them. Congratulations and Welcome, Researchers!

Jamie Arangure, BA: Mi nombre es Jamie Arangure ( She/Ella). Soy una mujer transgenero inmigrante del estado Nayarit Mexico. Licenciada En Turismo De Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit Mex. Actualmente soy la Fundadora y Directora Ejecutiva de Proyecto Trans Latina San Diego. Co-Participante En La División de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Salud Pública Global, UCSD Escuela de Medicina. Representante LGBTQ+ de la Coalicion Fronteriza del Sur de California, California TGI Policy Alliance, y Trans Health Project ( Black & Latina Trans Community). Voluntaria humanitaria del Proyecto Mariposas Fronterizas, que es una colaboración de defensa de la frontera LGBTQ+ entre Transgender Law Center y Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement.

With this award, Ms. Arangure will work with the Trans(C)ending Collaborative to evaluate the implementation of an upstream evidence-based intervention (EBI) that can improve the utilization of available HIV services and reduce HIV transmission vulnerability, and will develop an implementation blueprint to address housing insecurity among Black and Latina transgender women.

Yuè Begay, BA: Yuè Begay yinishyé. Naakai Dine'é nishłį́. Kinyaa'áanii bááshishchíín. Dibéłzhiní da'shicheii. Tábąąhá da'shinálí. Ákót'éego t'áá diné asdzáán nishłį́. Ákót'éego t'áá nádleehí nishłį́ 'ałdó'. Kinłání Dookʼoʼoosłííd Biyaagidi shiʼdizhchį́. K'ad Indigenous Pride LA biChairwoman dóó Director of Operations nishłį́. Freelance Graphic Artist dóó website designer dóó Consultant nishłį́ ’ałdó’. Public Healthígíí bá naashnish. California State University State, Long Beachdę́ę́’ niniłtááh. K’ad Tovaangardi kééhasht’į́ ndi Tódí Néesh Zhee’dę́ę́’ naashá.

My name is Yuè Begay. I am of the Nomadic People Clan, Born for the Towering House Clan. My maternal grandfather is of the Black Sheep Clan and my paternal grandfather is of the Near the Water’s Edge Clan. In this way, I am a Navajo transgender woman. I was born in Flagstaff, AZ. I am the Chairwoman and Director of Operations of Indigenous Pride LA. I work as a Freelance Graphic Artist, website designer as well as a Consultant. I work in the Public Health field. I graduated from California State University, Long Beach. I currently live in Los Angeles, CA but am originally from Kayenta, AZ (Navajo Nation).] Ms. Begay is currently a Research Analyst with APAIT/SSG where she also is a key informant and stakeholder to the T.H3.E Project. With this award she will enhance her role on the study team, contributing to study design, data analysis and dissemination and continue pursuing her MPH at USC.

Chelsea Chan López, BA: is a first-generation American of Puerto Rican, Chinese, and Vietnamese descent pursuing her graduate studies in Social Welfare at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs. Her interest in sexual health and wellbeing of system-impacted youth who are minoritized due to sexual and gender identity is informed by her direct clinical experience working with clients navigating health and social service systems that often lack holistic approaches that center their needs, means to access resources, and/or lived experiences. Ms. Chan López will assist the Southern California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Center to evaluate California Healthy Youth Act compliance in school districts across the state. In addition, she will examine the intersection of HIV and intimate partner violence to identify strategic ways of implementing HIV prevention and treatment services for all women experiencing violence.

Martín Ibarra, BS: is a student researcher from San Diego State University, finalizing an MPH in Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences and an MA in Latin American Studies. As an immigrant to the US, Mr. Ibarra identifies as bilingual, bicultural, and part of the LGBTQ+ community. Mr. Ibarra’s research focuses on the intersection of queerness and health in Latin America. With this award, Mr. Ibarra will support his work examining the health condition of transgender individuals who migrated to the US from Latin America and the Caribbean seeking asylum. Outcomes from this work will be disseminated through the California Center for HIV Syndemic Policy Research Center.

Kristopher J. Jackson, PHD, MPH, MSN: is a first-generation college student and doctorly prepared nurse scientist. Growing up in rural New England, Kristopher has first-hand experience with the barriers and stigma that many LGBTQIA+ community members face during routine interactions with the American health care system. Kristopher's lived experience as a gay man has informed his program of research centered around improving the health and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ community members. With this award, Kristopher will investigate the advertised health and risk-taking behaviors of MSM who engage in sex work -- a stigmatized, vulnerable population underrepresented in contemporary HIV prevention science literature. This investigation will inform the Northern California HIV Policy Research Center’s evidence-based policy recommendations regarding the provision of PrEP to Internet-based MSM sex workers.

Chloé Ópalo: has developed a career grounded in community-engaged research. For nearly 10 years Ms. Ópalo has been working within community organizations to support the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ clients. As a bilingual, Mexican/Latina woman of trans experience and a first-generation immigrant who grew up in poverty in the U.S., Ms. Ópalo has been an advocate for and facilitator to PrEP for many transgender and non-binary persons. With this award she will analyze interview data from PrEP Well participants and Trans Wellness Center staff to understand the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of the PrEP Well program.

Julieta Rodriguez, MD, MPH: is a Latina internal medicine and pediatric physician who is a current fellow at UCSF specializing in infectious disease. She will participate in study design and chart review of Latinx patients newly diagnosed with HIV and take coursework on community engaged research and implementation science. She has a strong interest in helping her surrounding community by improving health outcomes via early diagnosis and successful treatment of infectious diseases.

Luz Venegas, BFA, MPH (in progress): is a Latina immigrant and first-generation college student completing her Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology at the George Washington University. She is also a current Fulbright scholar based in Mexico City. With the support of this award, Ms. Venegas will collaborate with the Sex Work Lived Experience Research Network study to examine health outcomes, including HIV testing and medication adherence, among transgender immigrant participants. Her research aims to investigate potential associations between time residing in the United States and these key health indicators.