About Us
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The UCLA Center for LGBTQ+ Advocacy, Research & Health, or C-LARAH (LARAH is derived from the Latin word “hilaris,” meaning cheerful) is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of sexual and gender minorities. We are committed to sharing our expertise in public health, including epidemiological methods, developing and testing bio-behavioral interventions, education a
nd research training, program design and analysis, health policy initiatives and implementation science. We work directly with members of the LGBTQ+ community and are able to draw upon expansive local and national relationships with state and local public health departments, academic researchers, healthcare providers, community-based organizations, consumer groups, advocacy foundations, and funding agencies. Our familiarity and experience working with the LGBTQ+ community and allied organizations well-equips us to inform policymakers of the most effectual ways to reach members of this historically marginalized population and how to serve them holistically through all social determinants of health and justice. Mission Statement
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To maintain an interdisciplinary, research-driven, evidence-based platform used to carry out public policy initiatives that improve the health and social well-being of sexual and gender minorities. We engage our local and national community, as well as global partners, through cross-culturally informed scholarship, advanced academic training, and civic advocacy. We are deeply invested in intercultural competence and the importance of intersectionality of identities and lived experience; we are committed to conducting research to advance LGBTQ+ racial/ethnic health disparities.
