Shaun Danquah, the founder of Centric, broke out of the statistical mold of what was expected for a young man from his heritage. He took his experiences and learnings from subverting the stereotypes about working-class Black male underachievement with him into the educational and professional spheres. Shaun earned a B.A. in Political Science & Government from Brunel University, an M.A. in Urban Regeneration from the University of Westminster, and a P.H.D. in ‘Assessing the inter-play between gang criminality and jihadi narratives within the public space’ from London Metropolitan University. His edification informs the importance Centric places on ensuring that the people are at the forefront of what they do.
Centric believes that those who have lived the challenges of underserved communities know better about them. The organization has built a platform for the ‘hard to reach’ to gain access to research to tell their realities, experiences, truth and lessons. Centric provides healing for the deepest, darkest pain and a strong sense of empathy towards those going through issues and about to embark on perilous journeys. Their work is not about appeasement; it’s about being real about the desire to improve the situation through access in the academic world.
Centric’s environment is very different from the comforts of middle England; therefore, the organization strategizes approaches that came to terms with the uncertainty of their existence. Centric is ready to address the unknown as they know first-hand that “smooth seas never made a skilled sailor”.
The three core components behind what they do are Empowerment (Cultural esteem, equity, leadership), Ownership (Entrepreneurialism, street corner innovation, harnessing and unearthing talent within urban locales), and Sustainability (Creating vehicles that continue good service and build a legacy). Shaun Danquah is on a cultural-centric exploration to rethink how research is done across the urban milieu to ensure that unheard voices are heard and that the right people are sitting at the table where decisions about the future are made.
At the Implementation Science Research Conference, drawing on his extensive experience and knowledge of best practices in community development, Shaun will share his insights on how to effectively engage communities in the process of developing and implementing initiatives that are locally driven, culturally appropriate, and sustainable.