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ETR Blog

Check out what our people and partners are researching, thinking, reading, writing, watching and doing! (Note: The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ETR as an agency.)


Customer Service: A Point of Pride at ETR
August 2, 2018

Customer Service: A Point of Pride at ETR

By Karrie Bobby | August 2, 2018
Customer Service Representative, ETR

Thinking about calling ETR? You might talk to me. I’m one of the voices behind ETR’s Customer Service Department. The other day, a customer said I had a soothing voice. That was nice to hear.

By Karrie Bobby
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Tags: ETR staff, Customer service
Who Has The Power? A Call for Black and Brown Leadership in Public Health
July 31, 2018

Who Has The Power? A Call for Black and Brown Leadership in Public Health

By Antwan Matthews, BS | July 31, 2018
SHARP Scholar, ETR and San Francisco Department of Public Health

I am Antwan Matthews, a native of Meridian, Mississippi, and recently graduated from Tougaloo College in Biology. This summer I have the privilege to serve as a scholar for the Summer HIV AIDS Research Program (SHARP), an NIH-funded initiative of the San Francisco Department of Public Health.    

I have an argument to offer about the ways we think about public health. 

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Tags: Advocacy, Empowerment, Internship, Health equity, Equity
Making Information Accessible: New Section 508 Standards
July 26, 2018

Making Information Accessible: New Section 508 Standards

ByTamara Neff, MA | July 26, 2018
E-Learning Curriculum Developer, ETR

One of our core values at ETR states, “We believe everyone should have the same access and opportunities in life.” This resonates with me deeply, as it directly connects to one of my personal tenets as an eLearning specialist and instructional designer: to provide quality learning experiences for everyone and anyone with a desire to learn. At ETR, I want people to easily find the valuable information and training we provide, and to be able to meaningfully apply it.

By Tamara Neff, MA
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Tags: Health equity, Equity, Accessibility
Reflections, Connections, Enthusiasm and One Really Great Luncheon!
July 24, 2018

Reflections, Connections, Enthusiasm and One Really Great Luncheon!

Emily Green, MA | July 24, 2018
Research Associate, ETR

ETR is a distributed workforce. This means we have four sites spread over three cities, along with a team of remote workers spread all over the country. This helps strengthen our ability to reach different populations and bring talented people on board who wouldn’t be able to commute to one of our physical offices.

If you work in the field of Equity and Inclusion in STEM, you’ll recognize this as a structural model that encourages greater diversity in a workforce.

By Emily Green, MA
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Tags: Mentoring, Inspiration, Equity in tech, Equity
Helen Rodriguez Trías: A Powerful Vision Continues
July 19, 2018

Helen Rodriguez Trías: A Powerful Vision Continues

By Mary Nelson, MLS | July 19, 2018
Publisher Emeritus, ETR

This July 7, the Google Doodle honored Helen Rodriguez Trías. This evoked some lovely memories and powerful reflections for those of us who had the privilege of working with this remarkable woman. She was a leader not only in her own time (she died in 2001), but for the challenging times we are facing today.

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Tags: Inspiration, Health equity
Elementary Health Education: Observations from a Student
July 17, 2018

Elementary Health Education: Observations from a Student

By Jenna | July 13, 2018
Transitioning to 6th Grade

Editor’s note: I had an opportunity to talk with the daughter of a friend about some of her recent school health education experiences. Here are some of her comments.

I just graduated from 5th grade. I’m excited about what’s coming next—I’m going into middle school next year!

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Tags: Adolescents, School health education, Sex education
Sex Education National Survey: How Does the Country Feel?
July 12, 2018

Sex Education National Survey: How Does the Country Feel?

By Amelia Holstom, MPH | July 12, 2018
Associate Director of Evaluation, Education, Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Support for sex education among likely voters in the United States is remarkably high. Overwhelming support for sex education that provides information about a range of topics including both abstinence and birth control demonstrates that sex education in school should not be a controversial issue. How can we be so confident about this?

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Tags: School health education, Health education, Adolescent health, Sex education
Inspiration Time: Work, Life, Pets
July 10, 2018

Inspiration Time: Work, Life, Pets

Marcia Quackenbush, MS, MFT, MCHES | July 10, 2018
Senior Editor, ETR

How do you do what you do? How do you keep going? Where do you find your inspiration?

Most of us doing mission-focused work have a range of answers. We connect with family. Read. Exercise. Stay active in a spiritual community. See friends. Take long walks on the beach.

By Marcia Quackenbush, MS, MFT, MCHES
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Tags: Pets, Life lessons, Workplace wellness
Tips for Supporting Attitudinal Shifts
July 5, 2018

Tips for Supporting Attitudinal Shifts

By Michael Everett, MHS | July 5, 2018
Project Co-Director, ETR

Why do we deliver trainings? To share information, to build new skills—and sometimes, to help people get a whole new attitude. In my previous post, I discussed the ways emotions and feelings can influence attitudes, along with the importance of helping training participants succeed in achieving positive attitude shifts.

When participants can look honestly and thoroughly at the emotions and feelings that shape their attitudes, they’re in a better place to make a shift.

By Michael Everett, MHS
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Tags: CISP, Training design, Professional development, HIV, Attitudes
Currently Reading: A Black, Gay Man in America
July 3, 2018

Currently Reading: A Black, Gay Man in America

By Marcia Quackenbush, MS, MFT, MCHES | July 3, 2018
Senior Editor, ETR

A memory: I’m presenting a training on AIDS. AIDS, not HIV, because it’s in the mid-1980’s. The HIV test does not yet exist. Participants in this training will be working with people at risk, and at this time in history, in this country, that’s mostly gay men.

By Marcia Quackenbush, MS, MFT, MCHES
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Tags: Attitudes, Health equity, Professional development, AIDS, HIV
When the Problem is Not the Problem: Emotions, Feelings and Attitudes
June 26, 2018

When the Problem is Not the Problem: Emotions, Feelings and Attitudes

By Michael Everett, MHS | June 26, 2018
Project Co-Director, ETR

Are you a trainer? If so, you are likely to already know this truism. Changes in knowledge come pretty easily. Changes in skill take a little more effort. But let’s face it—changing attitudes sometimes feels impossible.

By Michael Everett, MHS
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Tags: HIV prevention, Emotions, Attitudes, Professional development, Training
Messing Up: Using Humility to Become a Better Trainer
June 20, 2018

Messing Up: Using Humility to Become a Better Trainer

By Sarah Axelson, MSW | June 20, 2018
Director of Training, ETR

It’s 10:30 on a Thursday night, and I’m somewhere over the Midwest, flying home. I’ve spent the last few days training a group of professionals who, for the most part, I haven’t worked with before. The training as a whole was fantastic. Well-planned, intentional, engaging, and the list goes on. I couldn’t be more proud of our team for putting it together. 

What I wasn’t proud of was my own section, or more specifically one activity within the day-long session that I delivered.

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Tags: Facilitation, Training, Professional development
When LGBTQ Youth Come Out: Consequences, Benefits, Possibilities
June 18, 2018

When LGBTQ Youth Come Out: Consequences, Benefits, Possibilities

By Ryan Watson, PhD | June 18, 2018
Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut

To come out, or not to come out? That is a very real question constantly facing LGBTQ youth, as well as a fair number of young adults, across their entire lifespan. As a researcher, one of my interests is the choices queer youth and adults make about being out. Who do they come out to? How does this affect their health and well-being?

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Tags: LGBTQ, HIV prevention, Adolescent health, Coming out, LGBTQ youth
Leadership in the Transgender Community: What Part Will You Play?
June 14, 2018

Leadership in the Transgender Community: What Part Will You Play?

By Stacy Soria, MPA | June 14, 2018
Lead Consultant, Stacy Soria Consulting, LLC

We need to hear some stories. Then, through listening to these stories, we need to make some commitments. It’s time to join in the process of raising up a community. Whatever your role, your gender, your experience—this is my take-home message about leadership in the transgender community: you have a part to play.

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Tags: LGBTQ, Mentoring, CISP, Transgender issues, Leadership, Professional development
Health Equity Framework in Practice: Communities Energized for Health
June 12, 2018

Health Equity Framework in Practice: Communities Energized for Health

By Theresa Boschert, JD | June 12, 2018
Project Director, ETR

I’d like to tell you a story about a woman I’ll call Minnie. She’s a single mom with two pre-school aged children. She called my office one day asking for help about her housing situation.

Minnie and her children lived in a second floor apartment in a privately owned low rent housing unit. She was routinely sleeping in her car with her kids because her downstairs neighbor came home from work each day around 6 PM and began smoking. By nine o’clock, her children, one of whom had asthma, were coughing and having problems breathing.

By Theresa Boschert, JD
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Tags: Health Equity Framework, Health equity, Social justice, Second-hand smoke, Tobacco prevention
Multiply the Good Through Your Leadership
June 4, 2018

Multiply the Good Through Your Leadership

By JT Perez | June 4, 2018
Transgender Advocate & Prevention Educator, Alianza of New Mexico

For some reason, I am seen as a leader. This isn’t something that comes naturally to me, but it’s a role I’ve done my best to step up to. I’ve received help in this effort from mentors, friends, community and family, and it’s made a world of difference to me.

Leadership is transformative. I’ve seen it change individuals, organizations and communities. It can save lives. It can lead the charge for social justice.

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Tags: LGBTQ, LGBTQ youth, Transgender issues, CISP, Leadership
Work Is Not the Enemy of Education: Let's Consider Stackable Credentials
May 31, 2018

Work Is Not the Enemy of Education: Let's Consider Stackable Credentials

By Louise Ann Lyon, PhD | May 31, 2018
Senior Research Associate, ETR

What comes first for young adults? Education? Or Work?

In this culture, we usually view education and work as sequential stages rather than part of a mutually enhancing cycle. Our ideal seems to be that secondary and post-secondary students need to focus on school and should not be working during the school year. At the same time, we expect education to give students skills they will need in the workplace.

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Tags: Equity in Tech, Diversity in technology, Technology education
Putting Intentional Advocacy Into Practice: Two Examples
May 29, 2018

Putting Intentional Advocacy Into Practice: Two Examples

By Michael Everett, MHS | May 29, 2018
Project Director, ETR

I believe in the power of advocacy. It fits nicely within my belief system. But more than that, I’ve seen the power of advocacy at work. This is a strategy that can transform and empower organizations.

Today, I’m pleased to share two stories with you from organizations that participated in the Intentional Advocacy project.

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Tags: CISP, HIV, HIV prevention, Intentional advocacy, Advocacy
Intentional Advocacy in the South: Success Starts with Trust and Community
May 22, 2018

Intentional Advocacy in the South: Success Starts with Trust and Community

By Michael Everett, MHS | May 22, 2018
Project Director, ETR

Advocacy is an extraordinary and powerful tool. This is a strategy that can tailor itself to the unique needs and culture of any service-related organization. It’s also genuinely exciting to offer technical assistance to organizations interested in putting advocacy to work.

These are just some of the reasons ETR’s team embraces any opportunity we are given to support organizations in building advocacy skills and practices.

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Tags: Capacity building, HIV-AIDS, HIV, CISP, Advocacy
Currently Reading: Keeping the Magic in Facilitation
May 15, 2018

Currently Reading: Keeping the Magic in Facilitation

By Sarah Axelson, MSW | May 15, 2018
Director of Training, ETR

I’m a training and facilitation nerd. Anyone who knows me knows I embrace that label and use it lovingly. I’m constantly trying to think of new, more engaging ways to help people learn.

I’m so entrenched in this work that at a recent dinner with friends, as we were settling our tab, I found myself digging through my purse searching for my wallet. It finally turned up under a copy of one of the books I’m currently reading.

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Tags: Currently reading, Facilitation, Professional development

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