Research

Research Projects

CONNECT Initiative

CONNECT is a collaboration initiative responding to the Sandy Hook tragedy, providing comprehensive care for children with severe behavioral and mental health needs. In my role, I manage quantitative data, ensuring compliance with GPRA Modernization Act, and utilize National Outcome Measures for consistent metrics across SAMHSA programs. On behalf of CONNECT, we evaluate and enhance training programs for Connect to Care Program for Care Coordinators of the initiative. As part of The Consultation Center at Yale (TCC), I contribute to monitoring and evaluating the initiative to ensure its effectiveness in delivering impactful mental health support to the community. The initiative is on it’s 4th-year grant.

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

– Nelson Mandela

Evaluation for emme Coalition

The Consultation Center at Yale (TCC) evaluated the emme coalition, a program in collaboration with OPTIMUS Healthcare and Fairfield County’s Community Foundation (FCCF). The goal of the program is to empower underserved women and young women in Fairfield County, Connecticut, focusing on enhancing mental, physical, social, and financial well-being through comprehensive support and resources. Evaluators assessed the program’s impact on the population and provided an informative narrative that captured emme’s essence and role in fostering wellness, resilience, and positive community connections.

“Empower a girl, empower a community“

– Michelle Obama

Black Immigrant and Refugee Housing Project

The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV), in collaboration with community experts, conducted an evaluation of housing instability and service needs for Black immigrant and refugee survivors of gender-based violence. The project goal was to develop policy recommendations that have the potential to increase the availability of safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable housing for Black immigrant and refugee survivors. In order to explore the extent of housing insecurity among these populations, NRCDV documented the experiences of advocates and direct service providers across the Washington metropolitan area, as well as Black immigrant and Refugee survivors through one-on-one interviews and group listening sessions.

“An institution does not bend. It does not breathe. Does not change. Does not move. The DV response section should never become an institution. It should remain a living representation of the people who are working and moving within it.”

– Participant

Embodied Youth Narratives: A National Photovoice Project

Thesis Committee: Alexandria Guzmán, Ph.D. (Chair), Lillie Macias, Ph.D., Shayda Kafai, Ph.D., Melissa Whitson, Ph.D.

My thesis used a qualitative research design that explored sources of stress reported by Latiné youth, cultural identity and body-image perceptions, and photovoice as a method to engage youth in social action. Data revealed themes of navigating Eurocentric body norms, strengths and challenges of cultural identity, and wellbeing in emerging adulthood. The project was supported by Esperanza United, a national gender-based violence resource center, and in collaboration with youth-serving community-based organizations across three states. A video description of the project and examples of youth narratives and photography will soon be published and linked here.

“I have always struggled loving my body. Growing up my nickname was gordi, and that perception of my body was always reminded to me…“

– Youth Participant

Restorative Approaches for Parter Violence

Esperanza United, a federally funded gender-based violence resource center, conducted semi-structured interviews to learn more about restorative justice models for domestic violence. Goal of study was to inform best practices in culturally relevant, community-based restorative justice programs for intimate partner violence among adults and dating violence amonth youth.

“Justice requires that we work to restore those who have been injured”

– Carolyn Boyes-Watson

Embodied Narratives: Bodymind Resistance Through Storytelling

McNair Committee: Shayda Kafai, Ph.D. (McNair Committee – Winnie Dong, Ph.D., Alejandro Morales, Ph.D., & Wei Bidlack, Ph.D.)

Research Question: How does embodied storytelling impact individual empowerment & institute social change?

IRB protocol: IRB-20-146

“Storytelling is data with a soul”

– Brené Brown

“And where the words of women are crying to be heard, we must each of us recognize our responsibility to seek those words out, to read them and share them and examine them in their pertinence to our lives.”

– Audre Lorde

Project Details & Justification

  • Systems of oppression affect:
    • accuracy of education & history
    • distribution of power
    • marginalized bodyminds
    • radical social change
    • individual & community authenticity
  • Storytellers of this project include:
    • women & nonbinary genders
    • Black, Indigenous or People of Color
    • and/or persons with disabilities
  • Theoretical Frameworks:
    • Intersectional Feminism
    • Critical Race Theory
    • Women and Gender Studies
    • Disability Studies
  • Method: Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews
  • Data Analysis: Grounded Theory
  • Themes found in data:
    • Ideological Oppression
    • Empowerment and Liberation
    • Activism & Community Involvement
    • Inaccurate or Lack of Representation

New Haven Body Liberation

Body Neutrality Definitions:

A mindful practice of examining what is

Body acceptance rather than love

Dismantling & opposing diet culture

Appreciating body function instead of appearance

Decolonizing body image expectations

Removing morality from food, appearance, and exercise

This idea was birthed during a community psychology course assignment. While the long term goal is program development, the short term goal is to develop a community intervention that educates members on body neutrality and promotes the deconstruction of diet culture. The program will reflect the frameworks of Women and Gender Studies and Fat Studies, and will actively reject current social norms/standards within the medical industrial complex. Other goals are to raise awareness for the prevalence of negative body image within BIPOC communities and to develop culturally informed strategies to address those issues. Services will include free workshops, supportive virtual and in-person spaces, events, support groups, mentorship, and dialogue.

  • Project Justification: While body-image is not a new topic of discussion, the negative effects are becoming more damaging. Access to content that is saturated with fatphobic and objectifying messages, creates a dangerous foundation of mental illness and trauma. Within the last two years, the National Eating Disorder Association helpline has had a 40% jump in calls, and 35% of those callers were between the ages of 13 to 17. Community education and prevention is essential to dismantle these cultural realities.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Macias, R. L., LeFrancois, J., Coker, K., & Cooper, D. [in preparation]. Restorative approaches for partner violence: Findings from a culturally-specific needs assessment. Journal of Interpersonal violence.

LeFrancois, J. (2022). Reborn in Crip Kinship [Review of Crip Kinship: The Disability & Art Activism of Sins Invalid, by S. K.] Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry & Literature, 16(1), https:///wordgathering.com/vol16/issue1/reviews/kafai/

Peer-Reviewed Presentations

Exploring the Role of Police in Restorative Approaches for Gender-Based Violence

Cardenas, A., LeFrancois, J., & Macias, R. L. (2023, June 20-24) Exploring the role of police in restorative appraoches for gender-based violence [Conference session]. Society for Community Research and Action Bienneial Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Examining Gender-Based Violence through the Lens of Disability Justice

LeFrancois, J., & Macias, R. L. (2023, June 20-24). Examining gender-based violence through the lense of disability justice [Conference session]. Society for Community Research and Action Biennial Conference, Atlanta, GA

Photovoice Technology Innovations and Engagement with BIPOC Youth

Nava, N., LeFrancois, J., & Macias, R. L. (2022, October 22). Photovoice technology innovations and engagement with BIPOC youth [Conference session]. National Photovoice Conference, Virtual.

Storytelling as Reclamation: Adapting Photovoice in the Name of Equity & Access

LeFrancois, J., Nava, N., Macias, R. L., & Kuperminc, G. (2022, October 20). Storytelling as reclamation: Adapting photovoice in the name of equity & access [Poster presentation]. National Photovoice Conference, Virtual.

Storytelling as Transformation: Reconstructing & Mobilizing Through First-Person Narratives

Kafai, S., LeFrancois, J., & Boyd, S. (2022, June 3) Storytelling as transformation: Reconstructing & mobilizing through first-person narratives [Conference session]. Cultural Studies Association Conference, Chicago, IL.

Leveraging Technology to Center Marginalized Communities in Evaluation Practice

Macias, R. L., Grajo, K. M., O’Connor, R., Beschel, J. N., LeFrancois, J., Nava, N. (2022, June 6-7). Leveraging technology to center marginalized communities in evaluation practice [Workshop]. American Evaluation Association 2022 Summer Evaluation Institute, Atlanta, GA.

New Haven Body Liberation: Body-Neutral Program Proposal

LeFrancois, J. (2022, April 5) New Haven body liberation: Body-neutrality program proposal [Poster Presentation]. University of New Haven Graduate Showcase, West Haven, CT.

Storytelling Research as a Liberatory Methodology for BIPOC communities

LeFrancois, J., & Whitson, M. (2022, February 25) Storytelling research as a liberatory methodology for BIPOC communities [Conference session]. Teachers College, Columbia University Winter Rountable, Virtual.

Transforming Rape Culture into Resilience Culture: Deconstructing Gender Norms & Harmful Messaging

LeFrancois, J., Lippa, M., Whitson, M., Dunn, A., & Macias, R. L. (2022, April 4) Transforming rape cutlure into resilience culture: Deconstructing gender norms & harmful messaging [Workshop]. ResilienceCon, Virtual.

Embodied Narratives: Bodymind Resistence Through Storytelling

2021 Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Conference

2021 Ronald E. McNair Scholar Undergraduate Research Symposium

2021 UCLA McNair Symposium

2021 Creative Activities and Research Symposium

Author/Principal Investigator: Julia LeFrancois

Invited Lectures & Workshops

Sexual Violence and Safety Training

Dunn, A., & LeFrancois, J. (2022, September 13-October 17). Step up: Moving from bystander to upstander [Lecture]. University of New Haven Sexual Violence and Safety Training, New Haven, CT.

Body Talks: Conversations about Body-Neutrality

LeFrancois, J., & Imbriale, A. (2022, September 20-December 6). Body talks: Conversations about body-neutrality [Support group]. Counseling and Psychological Services, University of New Haven, New Haven, CT.

Cultural Competence and Program Adaptation

Macias, R. L., LeFrancois, J., Nava, N. (2022, July 11).Cultural competence and program adaptation [Workshop]. Esperanza United, Research and Evaluation Center, Virtual.

Using Art & Storytelling to Engage Youth in Social Change

LeFrancois, J., Van Buren, P., & Macias, R. L. (2022, July 19021) Using art & storytelling to engage youth in social change [Workshop]. Tow Youth Justice Institute and Office of Youth, Family, & Engagement Social Justice Summer Program, New Haven CT.

Graduate School Preparation for Esperanza United

Macias, R. L., Nava, N., Beschel, J., Grajo, K., & LeFrancois, J. (2021, October 7) Graduate school preparation [Workshop]. Esperanza United, Virtual.

Grad School Preparation for Ethnic and Women’s Studies

LeFrancois, J. (2021, September 23) Graduate school preparation & intro to research [Lecture notes on resource allocation]. Department of Ethnic & Women’s Studies, California Polytechnic University Pomona. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-JH0tHyva9aPSa-CHU84hGLUAGlBxmzz_-SCavH5E4Q/edit#slide=id.g3606f1c2d_30

Remote Learning & Research Organization

LeFrancois, J. (2021, July 21) Remote learning & research organization [Workshop]. California Polytechnic University Pomona McNair, Virtual.

Professional Reports & Projects

Review of Social Indicators of Need for Gender-Based Violence Prevention in Latin@ Communities

Macias, R. L., Grajo, K., LeFrancois, J. Research and Evaluation Center Esperanza United, Sabrina C. Rutgers University, Esperanza United Research Advisory Council. (2022, June) Gender-based violence prevention with Latin@ communities: A review of social indicators of need (Report No. OVW-2022.1). Esperanza United.

Migrant Farmworker and Gender-based Violence Factsheet

Mercado-Diaz, V., LeFrancois, J., Research and Evaluation Center Esperanza United. Migrant farmworker and gender-based violence [Factsheet]. Esperanza United Resources [in preparation. Expected date January 2023].

Embodied Narrative: Bodymind Resistance through Storytelling

LeFrancois, J. (2021). Embodied narratives: Bodymind resistance through storytelling. BroncoScholarworks: Creative Research & Activities Symposium [Deposited and archived] https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/w6634866s?locale=en

Professional Service

Professional reviewer for American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

Professional reviewer for the Journal of Interpersonal Violence

LeFrancois, J., Aquino, M., Ramirez, A, & Macias, R. L. (2022). Program evaluation for SUCCESS Mentoring Program: University of New Haven [in preparation].