Working Toward Empowering a Community: How Immigrant-Focused Nonprofit Organizations Use Twitter During Political Conflicts

In the digital age, social media has become a popular venue for nonprofit organizations to advocate for causes and promote social change. The 2016 United States Presidential Election occurred amidst divisive public opinions and political uncertainties for immigrants and immigration policies were a frequently-contested debate focus. Thus, this election provided an opportunity to examine nonprofit organizations' social media usage during political conflicts. We analyzed social media posts by immigrant-focused nonprofit organizations and conducted interviews probing into how they managed their online presence and social relations. This study finds that these nonprofit organizations adopted three key strategies to support their target community: 1) disseminating content about immigration-related issues and policies; 2) calling for participation in collective endeavors to influence the political climate; 3) engaging in conversations with outside stakeholders including political actors, media, and other organizations. We use empowerment theory, which has been used widely to study marginalized populations, as a theoretical lens to discuss how NPOs' social media usage on Twitter reflects their endeavors to bring information and calls to action to immigrant communities. We, then, present design opportunities to amplify the advantages of social media to help nonprofit organizations better serve their communities in times of political upheavals

Navigating LGBTQ+ and Disabled Intersections Online: Social Support and Identity Construction in the Age of Social Media

There is a lack of research about the lived experiences of self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and otherwise-identified (LGBTQ+) young adults with disabilities who use the Internet to achieve particular social aims. Using open-ended survey questions, the researcher applied multidimensional and overlapping frameworks of intersectionality, feminist-disability theory, and social work to answer the following: What are the lived experiences of disabled, LGBTQ+ young adults who use social media for social support and identity construction? Using secondary data, fifteen (N=15) cases of LGBTQ+ disabled young adults aged 18 to 31 living in the United States were selected, and data was analyzed using a phenomenological thematic analysis. The research revealed salient themes, such as community/belonging, access to “others like me,” positive identity formation and protective mental health factors to name a few, each of which respectively facilitated or complicated participants’ motives to use social media platforms. Implications of v the research findings for social science scholars and suggestions for future research are discussed

Experiences of Transgender Men Who Joined National Pan-Hellenic Council Sororities Pre-Transition

The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) - affectionately known as The Divine Nine - are places of support and leadership development for students. However, these groups espouse traditional gender role themes that align with sexual orientation and gender rigidity. This paper explores how four NPHC members negotiate their identity as both nonbinary or transgender, and Greek. Using the narrative inquiry approach, the researcher will explore how sorority members who no longer identify as cisgender women are treated post-gender transition by other sorority members

Building a Model of Black Women\u27s Confidence in Campus Sexual Assault Resources: A Critical Race Feminist Quantitative Study

The United States’ evolving federal regulations and laws are doing little to disrupt systemic sexual violence, and more narrowly, are doing very little to protect Black women (Dunn, 2014; Harris, 2017; Harris & Linder, 2017; Konradi, 2016; O’Toole et al., 2015; Yung, 2015). Further, Black women are underrepresented in college sexual assault literature and little is known about how Black women perceive campus sexual violence resources and policy (Crosby, 2015; Tillman et al., 2010). The purpose of this study is to create a model to explore Black women’s confidence in sexual assault resources. In order for institutions of higher education to combat sexual violence against women, college administrators must understand the factors that impact women’s confidence in their sexual violence resources and policies. In this study, I argue that college administrators must eradicate essentialist perspectives of how women perceive resources and are impacted by sexual violence. This study explores the unique factors impacting the confidence level Black undergraduate college women have in campus sexual assault resources. Understanding Black women’s unique confidence level is central to providing sexual violence support services that cater to the specific needs of Black women. This quantitative correlational study explores to what extent the independent variables (gendered racism, affective commitment to the institution, perception of safety, perception of support, knowledge of sexual assault resources, and experience with sexual assault) impact Black women’s confidence in campus sexual assault resources. The research questions that informed this study were (1) What is the relationship between the independent variables and Black women’s confidence in campus sexual assault resources? (2) Which independent variables account for the most variation in Black women’s confidence in campus sexual assault resources? For this research study, I utilized black feminist thought (Collins, 2009) and critical race quantitative intersectionality (Covarrubias & Velez, 2013) as theoretical perspectives to create a descriptive quantitative non-experimental, correlational study. The population for this study was undergraduate women, who identify as Black and currently attend attending public, 4-year, predominantly white public colleges within the United States. I utilized survey research methods to collect data from research participants and used multiple regression analysis to address both research questions. Affective commitment to the institution, perception of safety, and knowledge of sexual assault resources had statistically significant impact on Black women’s confidence in campus sexual assault resources. This study highlights the pivotal role that campuses have in building confidence in their sexual assault policies, particularly for Black women. This research project underscores that building confidence in sexual assault resources is more complex than just training and informing students of resources, but should include more holistic strategies to build Black women’s confidence in their resources. Future research should expand on this research to explore underlying or latent factors that could help explain Black women’s confidence levels. Lastly, researchers should explore to what extent state and local laws have on Black women’s confidence in campus sexual assault resources

Risk Reduction Regarding Stigmatized and Marginalized Communities

While there are several perspectives on marginalization, there are multiple marginalized individuals, social groups, and communities globally. This process of marginalization produces individuals, groups and communities which are refused complete privileges, rights, and power within the broader political and social framework. Social, cultural, biological, and economic factors can thus be used as yardsticks to marginalize individuals and communities. Marginalization can be based on gender, race and ethnicity, social class, and sexuality, among others. Clearly, marginalized communities face poorer health outcomes and these outcomes are sometimes linked to risky behaviors more prevalent in such demographics. Marginalization is associated with reduced health outcomes and can limit the agency of marginalized communities. However, even within sites of marginalization, affected communities make significant attempts to mitigate health risks and retain agency. For example, marginalized men who have sex with men in China face severe discrimination which affects their health outcomes. Even within such contexts, these men still encourage peers to receive sexually transmitted infection testing. I explore how marginalized communities reduce health risks likely produced by marginalization and retain agency through doing so. I explore sexually transmitted infection testing and related issues in Chinese men who have sex with men, the United States legal cannabis industry, and medication for those with opioid use disorder. In doing so, I will provide understanding on risk reduction of health behaviors in marginalized communities, building a knowledge base to aid overall health outcomes. In the first chapter, I detailed a range of cannabis-centric studies. First, I detailed cannabis usage preferences among United States cannabis users. I put forth that frequent cannabis use may increase risk of health harms and highlighted the need to minimize problematic use. I also explored sociodemographic indicators and their association with likelihood for cannabis-related emergency department admissions in New York City. Results suggested that cannabis use may further burden marginalized groups. I investigated large cannabis firms’ motivations for participating in the cannabis space. I put forth that policymakers be aware that non-profits and for-profits both seek to expand cannabis access and consider the groups as a unified whole. In the second chapter I explored concerns regarding sexually transmitted infection testing in the Chinese men who have sex with men environment. I first detailed factors associated with sexually transmitted infection testing. Results detailed the role of altruism in a sexually transmitted infection testing intervention. Expressions of altruism may promote contributions toward public health initiatives in marginalized communities. In the same vein, I detailed the association between men who have sex with men community-centric behaviors and contributions toward others’ sexually transmitted infection testing. I proposed that community-oriented behaviors may be related with a reduction in testing service costs. Then, I evaluated whether men who have sex with men selected a sexually transmitted infection test appropriate for their sexual behavior. I suggested that disclosing sexual identity to treatment providers can improve men who have sex with men sexually transmitted infection prevalence estimates. I also detailed the correlates of antisocial behavior on the world\u27s largest gay dating app among Chinese men who have sex with men. I suggested that age, condom use, and number of social ties may be associated with antisocial behavior, with implications for the design of online sexual health interventions. Finally, I assessed if same-sex sexual behavior disclosure of Chinese men who have sex with men was related to number of HIV self-testing kits requested, and number of test results successfully uploaded by alters in a network-based HIV self-testing intervention. Findings had implications for the development of network-based interventions for key populations. In the final chapter I detailed that various forms of social network support may influence medication for opioid use disorder treatment outcomes. Failure to implement successful social network support programs within medication for opioid use disorder treatment settings may represent an important missed opportunity to engage patients at risk of treatment failure. While the topics here are broad, they all share similar thematic arcs. Low sexually transmitted infection testing uptake, opioid use disorder and cannabis use are issues often disproportionately faced by marginalized communities. Establishing marginalization as the causal factor behind these concerns is often complex, but there is significant work indicating that problematic patterns of drug use and poor sexual health outcomes are engendered by marginalization. Marginalization is associated with conditions inimical to health and well-being, creating a host of health risks. Such marginalization limits the agency of affected communities. However, even within these sites of marginalization, men who have sex with men seek testing and opioid use disorder patients seek medication, mitigating health risks borne from marginalization. I advance that marginalized communities are not completely helpless considering reduced health outcomes, indicating how agency is reclaimed. Finally, I indicated other cases where fostering agency in marginalized communities needs to be carefully considered

Exploring LGBTQ Latino/a/x Stories of Chosen Families

Latino/a/x Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) people may face rejection from their families upon coming out (Hailey et al. 2020; McConnell et al. 2018). In response to this rejection, some Latino/a/x LGBTQ people become part of chosen families that provide them with the support that would otherwise be provided by their family of origin (Carpineto et al., 2008; Horne et al., 2015; Hwahng et al., 2018; Kubicek, Beyer, et al., 2013; Kubicek, McNeeley, et al., 2013; Levitt et al., 2015; Muraco, 2006). Research exploring the experiences of LGBTQ Latino/a/x individuals experiencing rejection from their family of origin and becoming part of a chosen family is limited. Thus, the goal of this dissertation was to understand these stories. To achieve this aim, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants who identified themselves as both Latino/a/x and LGBTQ and who experienced rejection from their family of origin and joined a chosen family. The study was informed by Latin Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality. Findings demonstrated that early messages received by participants from their families and communities set the stage for family rejection. Participants shared that there were several reasons for rejection informed by cultural and religious values. Finally, findings indicated the various benefits that participants gained by being part of a chosen family. Implications for counseling practice, supervision, counselor education, and future research were presented

The impact of a strengths-based group counseling intervention on LGBTQ+ young adult\u27s coping, social support, and coming out growth

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals, and those who otherwise identify as a minority in terms of affectional orientation and gender expression identity (LGBTQ+) have a higher rate of mental health concerns than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts (Meyer, 2003). Young adulthood is a difficult time for individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ as internal identity development processes coincide with stressors from the outside world. The conflict between intrapersonal and interpersonal pressures may evoke a multitude of negative emotions such as anxiety, loneliness, isolation, fear, anger, resentment, shame, guilt, and fear. One difficult task that triggers these depreciating sentiments is the task of managing the process of coming out during LGBTQ+ young adulthood. The tumultuous, transformative coming out process prompts stressors that may cause the increase of mental health concerns for the LGBTQ+ population. Although counselors recognize the need and lack of counselor competency to assist LGBTQ+ individuals, there is limited (a) client-based outcome research and (b) intervention research to assert the efficacy of methods to assist LGBTQ+ young adults during the coming out process. Specifically, no studies were found that examined the efficacy of a group counseling intervention to assist LGBTQ+ young adults through the coming out process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a strengths-based coming out group counseling intervention on LGBTQ+ young adults’ (ages 18-24) levels of coping, appraisal of social support, and coming out growth. In an effort to contribute to the knowledgebase in the fields of counseling and counselor education, the researcher examined (a) if a strengths-based group counseling intervention influences LGBTQ+ young adults’ levels of coping (as measured by the Brief COPE [Carver, 1997]), social support (as measured by the Social Support Questionnaire-6 [Sarason, Sarason, Shearin, & Pierce, 1987]), and coming out growth (as measured by the Coming Out Growth Scale [Vaughan & Waehler, 2010]) over time; (b) the potential relationship between the outcome variables and group therapeutic factors (Therapeutic Factors Inventory–Short Form [TFI-S]; Joyce et al., 2011); and (c) the potential relationship between the outcome variables and the participants’ demographic data (e.g., age, affectional orientation, level of outness). A one-group, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was utilized in this study. Participants received an eight-hour group counseling intervention divided in to four two-hour sessions. The counseling groups were offered at the University of Central Florida’s Community Counseling and Research Center (CCRC). There were three data collection points: (a) prior to the first session, (b) after the second session, and (c) at the end of the last session. The final sample size included 26 LGBTQ+ participants. The research questions were examined using: (a) Repeated Measures Multivariate Analysis of Variance (RM-MANOVA), (b) MANOVA, (c) Canonical correlation, (d) Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), (e) Pearson Product Moment Correlations, and (f) Cronbach’s alpha reliability analysis. The RM-MANOVA results identified a multivariate within-subjects effect across time (Wilks’ λ = .15; F (12, 14) = 6.77, p \u3c .001) and 84% of the variance was accounted for by this effect. Analysis of univariate tests indicated that Social Support Number (F [1.63, 68.18] = 13.94, p \u3c .01; partial ƞ² = .25), Social Support Satisfaction (F [2, 50] = 10.35, p \u3c .001; partial ƞ² = .29), Individualistic Growth (F [2, 50] = 8.22, p \u3c .01; partial ƞ² = .25), and Collectivistic Growth (F [2, 50] = 9.85, p \u3c .001; partial ƞ² = .28) exhibited change over time. Additionally, relationships were identified between the outcome variables of Individualistic Growth, Adaptive Coping, and Collectivistic Growth and the group therapeutic factors of Secure Emotional Expression, Awareness of Relational Impact, and Social Learning. Furthermore, age of questioning was positively correlated with Collectivistic Growth. In addition to a literature review, the research methods and statistical results are provided. Results of the investigation are reviewed and compared to previous research findings. Further, areas for future research, limitations of the study, and implications for the counseling and counselor education are presented. Implications of the study’s findings include: (a) support for the use of a strengths-based group counseling intervention in order to increase social support and coming out growth in LGBTQ+ young adults, (b) empirical evidence of a counseling strategy promoting positive therapeutic outcomes with LGBTQ+ college age clients, and (c) verification of the importance of group therapeutic factors in effective group counseling interventions

Policy in Motion: LGBTQ+ Health from the Fringes to Mainstream?

This manuscript-based dissertation examines the perceptions and experiences of selected community-based LGBTQ+ health organizations in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area of Ontario as they navigate the current neoliberal policy environment. It also examines how well these organizations understand and implement the social determinants of health (SDH) framework in their communities within that environment. As such, the SDHs structural approach to health equity, augmented by an emergent Queer Liberation Theory, forms the theoretical foundation of this analysis. For historical context, I conducted a content analysis of The Body Politics coverage of the HIV/AIDS crisis from 1981 to 1987 to examine the impact of HIV/AIDS on the movement. I also conducted semi-structured interviews with people who were active with the publication during that period for their reflections on how the movement has developed. To understand the place of LGBTQ+ health in the existing policy environment, I collaborated with colleagues to analyze how LGBTQ+ health is represented on the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Cares and the Ontario Local Health Integration Networks websites. We conducted comparative snapshot content analyses in 2009 and 2017. To contextualize the comparative content analysis, we conducted semi-structured interviews with bureaucrats to see how well stated policies and commitments to health equity matched with real policy initiatives. With these insights, I conducted semi-structured interviews with staff of community-based LGBTQ+ health organizations to understand their perceptions and experiences of the policy environment and of the SDH approach more broadly. Findings indicate that LBGTQ+ health equity is a very small part of the policy discussion and remains very much on the fringes of health care policy and programming in any practical sense. LGBTQ+ organizations have a good understanding of equity issues and the SDH approach but must operate in survival mode. The theoretical contribution of this work is to point out the inadequacy of the SDH frameworks understanding of LGBTQ+ health equity and to articulate three pillars in the development of Queer Liberation Theory (anti-assimilationism, solidarity across movements, and political economy) in the hope of improving the SDH framework and moving forward equitable approaches to LGBTQ+ health in a challenging policy environment