January 9, 2026
Fairness First Over the Years
As we start another year, we’re reflecting on where we came from and thinking about where we’re headed.
If you’ve been with us for a while, you know that the Fairness First Campaign (FFC) has changed over the years. Created in 2021 by Carmenlita Chief and Alexandra Samarron Longorio, FFC originally featured a podcast, TED Talk style FFX Talks, Health Justice Futures Art Mixers, and a blog.
Staying true to Fairness First’s goal of connecting researchers and communities, we continue to highlight academic and community voices in dialogues that show how relationships shape health research. Over the years we’ve brought new perspectives into our blog posts by inviting students, community partners, and researchers to share their stories together. The Fairness First Blog continues to focus on accessible research communication and we now feature short-form Fit it in a Minute videos that showcase the perspectives and experiences of student researchers. In 2026 we’re excited to continue to grow the Fit it in a Minute video series to feature more students, researchers and community partners!
Below, we invite you to revisit stories from the past year. We thank all of our contributors for taking the time to share their stories and look forward to sharing new stories of community-grounded health research with you in the new year!
2025 Fairness First Roundup
Blog Post Features
Learn about Mental Wellness and Stress: Bridging Gaps Through Cultural Awareness with Dr. Tara Bautista and her Stress and Health Equity Lab students, Daniela Castañeda Mendoza, Ayejah Rivera, Veronica Rivas and Juliana Herrera-Arias.
Want to learn about the intersection of anthropology and public health? Research scientists Mark Remiker and Kelly Laurila discuss how they use their backgrounds in anthropology in their blog post, Anthropology and Public Health: Levers for Change.
In Riding Together: The Power of Mountain Biking in Youth Development, Katherine Mommaerts and Hannah Hendrickson share how their work gives kids from all backgrounds the opportunity to benefit from the “physical, mental, and social advantages of mountain biking.”
Sheila Hammer and Tanya Riggs discuss how they’re navigating the intricacies of delivering cancer care in tribal communities in their blog post, Finding Solutions for Cancer Care through Partnership.
Meet SHERC’s new graduate research assistants! Learn about aspiring public health professionals Nick Calles and Brighten Crawford in New Semester, Fresh Perspectives.
Collective impact is a framework for creating change at a systems level. In her blog post, First Things First’s Lisa Blyth shares how she’s Putting together the Puzzle Pieces: Harnessing Partnerships to Address Community Needs in the Yavapai Region.
Fit it in a Minute Features
Undergraduate research assistants Ayejah Rivera and Daniela Castañeda share their work on developing programs that address stress in different communities.
CHER Research Scientist Kelly Laurila discusses how a multidisciplinary team leads to stronger health research.
Graduate research assistant Ruby Johnson tells listeners about a partnership with a local youth mountain biking organization and how community engagement improves research on community health.
This year’s SHERC graduate research assistants Brighten Crawford and Nick Calles discuss the importance of fostering strong relationships to address health needs and a research project that looks at defining a healthy community.
CHER Research Scientist Kelly McCue Nation tells viewers about a collaborative systems change project that focuses on early childhood health in Arizona.
Interested in learning more about community health research at NAU?
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