Equity-Focused Research & Community Engagement for Asian Communities

This contract seeks to conduct an equity audit focused on responsible gambling and advertising practices that disproportionately impact Asian communities in Massachusetts, with a particular emphasis on identifying predatory marketing strategies such as the use of casino shuttle buses. The project will apply Community-Based Participatory Research principles to ensure that Asian community members are actively involved in shaping the research design, data collection, and analysis, prioritizing culturally relevant methods and trust-building with underserved populations. The goal is to uncover systemic inequities in how gambling promotions are targeted, assess their social and economic consequences, and document how existing safeguards may fail to protect these communities. The effort will result in actionable insights that can inform policy, outreach, and regulatory responses, with a strong emphasis on community voice and lived experience. Research activities are to be conducted primarily in Boston, with performance centered at a physical location in the city with the ZIP code 02110. Proposals must be submitted by August 3, 2026, under a subcontract structure, and the work falls under the NAICS code for other scientific and technical consulting services. This initiative underscores a commitment to addressing harm reduction through grassroots engagement, ensuring that findings are not only academically rigorous but also directly responsive to the needs and concerns of Asian residents affected by gambling industry practices.