Seven DUSON faculty and staff who served on Duke’s Latinx Advocacy Team & Interdisciplinary Network for COVID-19 (LATIN-19) were part of the team to receive a 2021 President’s Award during a ceremony on April 14. The full ceremony and clips can be viewed online.

Representing DUSON on the interdisciplinary project are Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda, associate professor, Assistant Professors Irene Felsman and Allison Stafford, Rosa Solorzano, consulting associate, Maralis Mercado Emerson, clinical research coordinator, and Senior Clinical Research Specialists Norma Garcia Ortiz and Angel Garcia Aristi.

The entire team, made of 56 volunteer members drawn from Duke University and Duke Health system and with backgrounds in health care, public policy, education, business and community activism, worked to identify and remedy pandemic-related disparities facing the Latinx population. The group helped improve access to testing, contact tracing and care for the Latinx community, increase the amount of Spanish language COVID-19 information available and guide state and local policy changes. All of these steps helped reduce the infection rate among Durham’s Latinx community.

The Presidential Awards program recognizes individuals and teams from the University and Health System who best demonstrate the values that define and shape Duke as an institution. The awards are the highest honor given by Duke to staff and faculty members.