Being the subject of someone else’s study isn’t fun or interesting. It’s also a hassle for orgs. If you don’t have a pre-existing collaborative relationship, leave them alone. We @DrugPolicyNerds have guidelines for researchers on democratizing research: http://drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/democratizingresearchforacademics_0.pdf">https://drugpolicy.org/sites/def... https://twitter.com/Boston_Mackin/status/1194372109167996928">https://twitter.com/Boston_Ma...

1) Engagement- volunteer at the organization, ask them what’s important to them- what questions would they like to answer, let them read your proposal, teach them some research basics and literacy

2) Collaboration- after the community agrees to work with you, draw up a memorandum of understanding to delineate roles, get community members on board as interviewers, collaborators, co-presenters, co-authors.

3) Resource allocation and impact- pay people for their time (CA$H), let them know their rights, provide support if they are triggered, have a plan for after your intervention ends

4) Credit- participants and staff should have opportunity to be co-authors and co-presenters. Give them credit for their expertise.

We also made guidelines for organizations so they can grill prospective researchers too. Ask them these questions http://drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/democratizingresearchforcommunities_0.pdf">https://drugpolicy.org/sites/def...