KT Connects – Leveraging arts-based methods in research dissemination: Partnering with community and using film to address HIV stigma

Leveraging arts-based methods such as film can be utilized for research dissemination. In this webinar, Dr. Angela Kaida, Juno Roche, and Azra Bhanji will discuss how they are using their film HIV Made Me Fabulous to help share HIV science to reduce stigma and discrimination.

HIV Made Me Fabulous is a 10-minute film that tells the personal story of Juno Roche, a writer, activist and trans woman, who has been living with HIV for over 25 years. Grounded in HIV science, the film examines issues related to HIV, intersectionality, and sexual health equity, and delivers these themes through embodied storytelling.

Learning Objectives

After this webinar, the audience will be able to:

1. Understand the use of arts-based methods in research dissemination
2. Understand the methods used to develop a dissemination strategy and measure its reach
3. Understand the impacts of film as a knowledge translation tool to affect change

Speakers

Dr. Angela Kaida is an epidemiologist and community-engaged researcher at Simon Fraser University where she is an SFU distinguished professor in the faculty of health sciences and the former Canada Research Chair in global perspectives on HIV and sexual and reproductive health. She leads a global research program focused on factors and environments that increase vulnerability or protect sexual and reproductive health in the context of HIV. Dr. Kaida works closely with community leaders and decision makers to integrate research evidence into health policy and programming attending to social and gender equity. As of January 2023, she is the scientific director of the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health.

Juno Roche is a writer and campaigner whose work around gender, sexuality, and trans lives has been funded by the likes of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and described as ‘provocative, cutting edge and innovative’. She studied fine art and philosophy at Brighton and English literature at Sussex and writes for a wide range of publications. She has authored five books: Queer Sex, Trans Power, Gender Explorers, A Working-Class Family Ages Badly, and Roam: the search for happiness.

Azra Bhanji is a recent master of public health graduate from Simon Fraser University. She is currently the research co-ordinator for the short film HIV Made Me Fabulous. Azra also co-ordinates the Life and Love with HIV digital storytelling platform that shares experiences, disseminates scientific evidence and offers support for health and wellbeing among women living with HIV. She also has experience planning, organizing and implementing HIV and youth related programming in Kenya.