Reflections of Trans and Nonbinary (TNB) Communities Navigating The COVID-19 Pandemic

This report is part of a rapid response research project designed to better understand some of the experiences of trans and nonbinary (TNB) people during the COVID-19 pandemic. This preliminary report is based on our initial stages of analysis. The process of reducing abundant and dynamic narratives into a research report is difficult and always partial. We start with who we are, how we did our research, what we found, and what curiosities we have moving forward with our TNB-led health research. We honor each and every person that took the time to share their stories with us and feel deeply interconnected to each participant. There are many ways to interpret and tell these stories, and this is one of them.

Strategic Planning Frameworks

The six frameworks were created and identified through feedback gathered from various Howard Brown Health staff members, Board of Directors members, and information collected through community feedback in advance of the strategic planning process.

Feedback on the first drafts of these descriptions was gathered from a large catchment of Howard Brown staff and stakeholders to ensure they were representative of the core values of Howard Brown. The frameworks were met with an overwhelming support and affirmation that these frameworks are core to the work of Howard Brown. The final drafts presented here incorporate edits obtained from these review sessions to ensure appropriate reading level utilized, inclusion of all components of Howard Brown service offerings, and appropriate representation of staff and patients.

2020 Community Impact Report

In response to the events of 2020, Howard Brown Health made the bold and necessary decision to radically re-envision our presence across the City of Chicago. Through COVID-19 screening, we collaborated with diverse neighborhoods and communities, bringing greater awareness to our mission of advancing LGBTQ health equity. Our expedited launch of telehealth in March 2020 brought providers into patients’ homes, while slowing the spread of COVID-19. Through intentional partnerships, targeted outreach, and nimble redirection of our resources, the impact of our work improved outcomes for thousands of patients across Chicago.

COVID-19 2020 Fact Sheet

An unprecedented pandemic in 2020 brought Howard Brown Health’s mission into focus. Amidst a backdrop of uncertainty, COVID-19 created an immediate crisis requiring a coordinated response in the service of public health and for the safety of historically under-resourced communities. With a bench of experts in community health, infectious disease, epidemiology, and contact tracing, Howard Brown quickly responded with testing stations, innovative partnerships, and revised protocols to keep patients and staff safe from a previously unknown virus. Using experience in crisis HIV response, social service support, and wraparound medical care, Howard Brown is uniquely positioned to adapt to urgent needs during an unpredictable time.

Four Corners: Health Research Priorities Among TNB Communities

In the summer of 2019, Four Corners conducted eight focus groups, two in each city of participating sites, in order to explore health and research priorities, participants’ prior experiences with research, and preferences for research dissemination. Focus groups were facilitated by two TNB project staff and included 65 participants, all of whom were at least eighteen years of age and self-identified as transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming. Participants were recruited via flyers posted at the four FQHCs and social media advertisements. Focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed.

Four Corners: Health Research Priorities Among TNB Communities – Community Report

We are a group of trans and nonbinary community members from the Four Corners: Trans & Nonbinary (TNB) Health Research Advisory Network. In 2019, we conducted our first study on TNB health research priorities. We want to share the project, research, and findings with YOU, our community! We also want to provide helpful guidelines for TNB people to engage in meaningful research that reflect our values and we want to challenge researchers and institutions to prioritize our needs, because we know us better than anyone else does!

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