Lead Poisoning and Health Care Among Issues Nonprofits are Addressing; New UR Program Will Incubate Solutions

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND — The Bonner Center for Civic Engagement at the University of Richmond will welcome two Richmond nonprofit leaders to campus to conduct research on lead poisoning and health care assessment tools as a part of its new Community Partner-in-Residence Fellowship. 

Piloting in August, this program will provide participants the space and resources necessary for in-depth research and reflection.

“The nonprofit sector demands significant commitments making it difficult for Richmond nonprofit changemakers to find the time and freedom necessary to research and reflect on creative solutions and ideas,” said the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement’s Associate Director for Community Relationships Kim Dean-Anderson.

This year’s inaugural fellowships were awarded to Queen Zakia Rafiqa Shabazz, coordinator of the Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative and founder of United Parents Against Lead, and Carol Dunlap, family services director of Goochland Cares.

After discovering her son had been poisoned by lead in 1996, Shabazz established the Virginia Chapter of United Parents Against Lead, which evolved into United Parents Against Lead and Other Environmental Hazards. Shabazz will spend her fellowship researching the effects of lead poisoning in the greater Richmond community. 

As the family services director at Goochland Cares, Dunlap works to ensure Goochland residents in need are able to receive basic services. Dunlap will develop assessment tools for measuring the impact of Goochland Cares programming. 

The pair’s UR residency will run from August through December, and each will receive a $6,000 dollar stipend. Fellows will share their research with the community through open presentations, invitational meetings, and classes.

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