Project Summary: The “Training Program to Address Social-Structural Factors Related to HIV Intersectionally” (TASHI) , based at the George Washington (GW) University, is a NIMH-supported T32 predoctoral training program (T32MH130247-02) that fosters the next generation of researchers prepared to tackle social-structural and intersectional factors that drive HIV and related health inequities. TASHI is currently structured as 2 years of tuition, stipend and travel support per trainee and has engaged its 4 trainees in academic coursework, an intersectionality seminar, mentored research, and community engagement. The Recognize Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Mentorship initiative represents a unique opportunity to extend and sustain TASHI’s impact. The goal of the 1-year supplement is to leverage our team’s NIH-supported T32 TASHI predoctoral training platform to provide additional in- depth and tailored mentorship and support to strengthen community-driven health equity research expertise among a group a cohort of diverse trainees from backgrounds under-represented in scientific research. The 4 current TASHI trainees are in various stages of their academic program trajectories (range 2-4 yrs/~5-yr programs). Providing a third year of funding to trainees during the supplement will allow them to deepen the integration of community engaged research principles and processes in their dissertations and build the necessary skills to become leading independent investigators in the health equity research field. Obj. 1: Utilizing the District of Columbia Center for AIDS Research’s Guide for Academic-Community Partnerships: “Advancing Equity and Fostering Change (AEFC)” as a model, trainees will receive mentorship and support to integrate the values, principles and processes of the AEFC guide into their dissertations. Obj. 2: Leveraging collaborations with existing NIH DEIA research training pipeline initiatives and DC CFAR scientists and community partners, TASHI trainees will disseminate their community engaged health equity research plans through scientific presentations and peer-reviewed publications with community co-authors. In Obj. 1, trainees will participate in: biweekly 1-1 tailored mentored meetings with TASHI MPIs Bowleg and Kerrigan; monthly seminar sessions with TASHI faculty to learn about and consider how to integrate the central value, principles and six step research process outlined in the AEFC guide into their dissertations. This will occur though readings, presentations, discussion, and feedback from faculty mentors, community partners and peers. In Obj. 2, trainees will receive mentorship, support and feedback to produce peer-reviewed publications, along with community co-authors, from their dissertation work from Aim 1 activities, and develop a collective publication documenting the use of the AEFC guide in dissertations. Additional dissemination will occur as trainees share their work with NIH DEIA r...