Thank you!

The 5th Annual C2DREAM Conference brought together more than 120 attendees for a multi-day gathering centered on learning, collaboration, and community impact. Held across three Minneapolis venues — the Bell Museum, the American Swedish Institute, and the Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building at the University of Minnesota — the conference featured a dynamic program designed to connect practitioners, researchers, youth, and community partners working to improve heart health across Minnesota.

The conference opened on Thursday evening at the Bell Museum with remarks from Chef Sean Sherman, followed by a networking activity that set the tone for the days ahead.

On Friday, attendees gathered at the American Swedish Institute, where the day began with an opening blessing led by Donna LaChapelle, an Elder from the Ojibwe and an enrolled citizen of the White Earth Nation, and Miziway. The day also included presentations from C2DREAM leaders Michele Allen, MD, MS; Felicity Enders, PhD; Christi Patten, PhD, MPH; and Antony Stately, PhD, along with project teams and highlights from PASCAL and Techquity by Faith, showcasing the wide range of work happening across C2DREAM.

Friday’s program continued with highlights from pilot grantees, data walks from C2DREAM research projects SCORE, PASCAL, and Techquity by Faith, a poster session, a youth panel titled Grown From Here: Youth Researchers on Food, Community & Taking Our Health Back, and a table talk exploring what it means to research with communities, not about them.

The conference concluded on Saturday with the final data walk from Project BRAID, a presentation on traditional lacrosse, and Lacrosse Fest. The conference came to a close with a strong sense of connection, culture, and shared purpose. Across all three days, the conference showcased the power of community-engaged research and the importance of partnership in advancing cardiovascular health equity.

Attendees left the C2DREAM conference inspired by the enduring relationships it has built and energized by what is possible when intention, community voice, and engagement are integrated into research with disenfranchised communities. The funded projects were widely praised as impressive and innovative, sparking new ideas for collaboration. Participants expressed deep appreciation for the Center’s remarkable work and the rich networking and cross-institutional partnerships it has fostered.

“This is a beautiful experience. This is what love looks like.’ It made me realize: when people come together to build projects, systems, and relationships, that’s what love looks like. Everyone benefits when love is invested in research.”

— Conference Attendee

Thank you to our co-sponsors, Project BRAID and its coalition, Native American Community Clinic, and the Program in Health Disparities Research, as well as to everyone who participated, attended, and contributed to making this event a success.