Through the Global Lens: Forging pathways to justice and inclusivity

Part 1: In our backyard

Those who live on the margins of society are there due to systemic inequities and barriers that prevent them from accessing the same opportunities as others. Through support of various programs, Columbia Global works with these communities to tackle the challenges they face.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we highlight these efforts in the United States, including in New York City. In Part 2, we will look at our work around the globe.

Across the US, bolstering the well-being of marginalized groups

Many rural areas across the United States don’t have access to centralized wastewater treatment systems, and households must rely on septic tanks. However, in the Black Belt region of Alabama most septic tanks are failing due to poor soil conditions, aging infrastructure, and increased flooding. This problem has its roots in resource allocation that overlooked the needs of poor and rural communities, as well as historic racism.

To mitigate this problem, Columbia World Projects supports Columbia faculty in partnership with other researchers, government officials, and community partners in Alabama in an effort to pilot a new way to treat wastewater in rural Alabama. The method involves connecting neighboring homes and businesses with a remote, monitored system that will collect and treat wastewater, a less costly option than a centralized system.

Another pressing issue is the maternal mortality rate in the United States, which is substantially higher compared to other high-income countries. With support from Columbia World Projects, faculty from Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health, School of Social Work, and the Cornell Law School developed a novel survey to measure the overall well-being and access to health services by women in the first year after giving birth, particularly Black and Hispanic women covered by Medicaid. The Postpartum Assessment of Health Survey, which was administered in several states, aimed to generate evidence to inform Medicaid policy, as well as other social policies to reduce the negative health outcomes for these women.

Recognizing the disparities in outcomes from COVID-19 and the critical need to enhance public trust in vaccinations, researchers from the Columbia University School of Arts and Sciences and the Columbia University Irving Medical School are leading a project supported by Columbia World Projects to increase COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence. The project uses artificial intelligence to develop public messaging to boost vaccine uptake, with a focus on hard-to-reach and underserved populations across the U.S.

Helping next-generation changemakers address inequity

Providing young people who aspire to contribute to creating more peaceful, tolerant, and secure societies.

Through initiatives like the Social Impact Fellowship and the Early Career Faculty Impact Fellowship, Columbia Global aims to equip both students and faculty with the tools necessary to contribute to achieving social impact. The Social Impact Fellowship prepares Columbia and Barnard juniors and seniors for careers dedicated to creating positive change through hands-on projects and immersive experiences.

The Early Career Faculty Impact Fellowship supports early career faculty in advancing interdisciplinary research for social good, providing them with the resources needed to address pressing social issues and expand the reach of their research.

To complement these efforts, Columbia Global has also supported skill development in youth traditionally overlooked for leadership training. The Justice Ambassadors Youth Council, led by Columbia University’s Center for Justice, is a 12-week course designed to build the leadership skills of justice-system-involved youth in New York City, empowering them to drive institutional and community change. Columbia World Projects evaluated this program, showing its impact. Over four years and five cohorts, the Council has catalyzed change for participants, their communities, and the broader systems and institutions in New York City and state.

Despite its small scale, the Justice Ambassadors Youth Council has led to community events, new partnerships, policy proposals, and publications. The program also reduced legal system involvement, increased GED completions and college enrollment, and decreased recidivism among participants. This course hopes to be especially impactful for minorities. While youth arrests in New York City have dropped in recent years, significant racial disparities persist, with 93% of the youths arrested being individuals of color.