Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) researcher Dr. Cayley Velazquez has been named a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Race, Food and Health.
KPU instructor Dr. Cayley Velazquez is receiving $600,000 in federal funding to research food security.
Through this Tier 2 Chair position, Velazquez will receive $600,000 in federal funding over the next five years to research food security among the Black, African and Caribbean (BAC) population in Surrey, B.C.
"The City of Surrey is home to B.C.'s largest self-identifying Black population a group that is underserved and under-engaged in this region," says Velazquez, a health science instructor at KPU. "Some of the pilot data that has been collected tells us that food security, along with access to culturally preferred food items, continues to be problematic for this population."
Working alongside BAC partner organizations and community members, the research will use multi-method approaches to examine the intersecting cultural, social, economic and environmental factors that drive food security.
"There is a lot of work to be done to strengthen marginalized voices and collectively dismantle barriers being experienced by BAC groups. We want to better understand what is impacting the availability, accessibility and utilization of food for this community," she says. "The ultimate goal is to use what we learn to inform equitable food programs and policies that meet the needs of all people."
Velazquez is collaborating with Seeds of Change Surrey (SOCS), a network of more than 25 community partners working toward the establishment of a resilient and ecologically sustainable regional food system. SOCS includes a BAC advisory group to ensure BAC needs and priorities are represented.
As a researcher, Velazquez has been involved in several projects exploring food- and health-related issues, including food security among immigrants in Canada and the impact of food security on mental health.
"Dr. Velazquez has demonstrated passion for community-engaged research through KPU and beyond," says Dr. Deepak Gupta, Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation at KPU. "We are proud to see her recognized for her work towards food security and health equity, including meaningful collaborations with local partners while engaging students with experiential learning opportunities. Projects like hers exemplify KPU's vision for research and innovation that is relevant and impactful."
Prior to teaching at KPU, Velazquez worked as a Canadian Institutes of Health Research postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, where her research explored connections between the food environment and the food preferences and choices of youth. Velazquez has also worked as a registered dietitian in health systems across B.C.
"It feels really exciting to be able to work together with the BAC community and support their priorities," she says. "I'm looking forward to focusing my time more significantly on research, and in doing so, advancing our understanding of this topic. I am very grateful to the CRC program for this opportunity and sincerely appreciate the support of KPU, as well as that of my community partners and colleagues."
The CRC program aims to attract and retain some of the world's most accomplished and promising minds. Chairholders aim to achieve research excellence in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities and social sciences.
