What changes when researchers use more inclusive words, but communities still have little say in the research itself?
In NAMED Advocates’ Naming Our Power: Rethinking Language in Science webinar, host EJ Johnson joins Keri Gray, Dr. Tanya Smith Brice, and Lakeia Nard for a conversation about language, research, healthcare, and who holds power in scientific discovery. Keri shares how NAMED Advocates’ work is rooted in racial and disability justice, while Lakeia describes the importance of making Black communities partners in research rather than afterthoughts.
Dr. Smith Brice discusses an early finding from the project: although terms such as intersectionality and race appeared more often in the research reviewed, that shift in vocabulary did not bring a comparable shift in community power. Research designed to redistribute power to communities remained at roughly 4.5% across the period studied. Her finding asks us to look beyond the words researchers choose and consider who helps shape the questions, decisions, and outcomes.
Reflecting on Language and Power
This conversation invites viewers to consider:
- How deficit language can shape descriptions of disabled people and people living with rare diseases
- Why more inclusive vocabulary does not, by itself, give communities a voice in research decisions
- What it means for Black communities to be partners in scientific discovery
- How research and healthcare can better reflect racial and disability justice
At its heart, Naming Our Power asks us to pay attention to both language and action. Respectful words matter, and so does the power communities have to shape the research that affects their lives.
