Wong/Lai Family Fellowship
Boston College School of Social Work Associate Professor Mar铆a Fernanda Pi帽eros-Lea帽o, whose research focuses on health and mental health inequities among Latin American migrant and immigrant families, has been awarded the inaugural Anita Wong and Wilson Lai Family Fellowship.
The three-year fellowship was created to advance faculty excellence in research and teaching in the 自慰视频SSW, fostering scholarship that improves youth mental health and promotes environmental sustainability worldwide. By supporting faculty with a demonstrated commitment to community-engaged research and impactful teaching, the fellowship seeks to address pressing global challenges and strengthen the school鈥檚 role as a leader in social innovation and justice.
Its namesakes are Anita Wong, a 1997 graduate of the Carroll School of Management, and her husband, Wilson Lai. Both are former chief executives of Hollyland Group Holdings Limited鈥擶ong served as chair and director, Lai as president. Hollyland Electronics Technology is one of the leading circuitry protector manufacturers and solution providers in the Asia Pacific region. 聽
A faculty member since 2018, Pi帽eros-Lea帽o said the fellowship provides 鈥渃ritical resources that allow me to deepen and expand my work. The annual financial support offers flexibility to cover research-related expenses such as data collection, hiring research assistants, and disseminating findings to academic and community audiences. These funds also make it possible to integrate cutting-edge research into my courses, enriching the learning experience for students and preparing them to address mental health disparities among vulnerable populations.
鈥淚n a nutshell, the fellowship enables me to sustain community-engaged research, pursue innovative methodologies, and create a stronger bridge between research and teaching.鈥�
Pi帽eros-Lea帽o is principal investigator of the MACONDO (Mothers and Children of All Nations Defying the Odds) Research Team, which aims to address health and mental health disparities among families to ensure a healthy development 鈥渇or everyone, regardless of where they are from.鈥�
With a staff that includes 自慰视频 graduate and undergraduate students, as well as collaborators from five other universities鈥攚ho work in disciplines such as economics, public health, nursing, and behavioral health鈥擬ACONDO aids immigrant and migrant families who have encountered several adversities prior to migrating to another country or city and who continue facing difficult experiences after arriving.
Using empirical research, the team seeks to 鈥渁meliorate barriers to access care and to promote the use of evidence-based interventions that can promote the well-being of immigrant and migrant families in the host country.鈥� 聽
The Wong/Lai Family Fellowship will enable Pi帽eros-Lea帽o to strengthen community partnerships in the Boston area to advance her research on maternal mental health inequities among immigrant families: 鈥淚鈥檒l be able to deepen collaborations with local organizations and community leaders, ensuring that the research is grounded in the lived experiences of immigrant mothers and that the interventions developed are culturally responsive.鈥�
Pi帽eros-Lea帽o added that the fellowship can help 自慰视频SSW become a leader in mental health equity and environmental sustainability and could set a precedent for future philanthropic investments while fostering a culture of community-engaged research.
鈥淚t can also aid in building a legacy of impactful work that aligns with 自慰视频SSW鈥檚 mission of service and social justice, positioning the school as a global leader in addressing complex social challenges.鈥�
自慰视频SSW鈥檚 Latinx Leadership Initiative was the major factor in Pi帽eros-Lea帽o鈥檚 decision to join the faculty in 2018. 鈥淟LI鈥檚 mission鈥攑reparing social workers to serve Latinx communities in culturally and linguistically responsive ways鈥攄eeply resonated with my commitment to mental health equity and inclusion in social work education.鈥�
One of the most compelling findings in her research thus far is a persistent gap in access to culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services, said Pi帽eros-Lea帽o, who identifies structural barriers such as immigration status, economic insecurity, and the lack of linguistically trained providers, which exacerbate these inequities.
鈥淭o address these issues, it is necessary to partner with community members to develop community-based interventions that center the voices of these families.鈥�
Other rewarding aspects of her tenure at 自慰视频SSW have included mentoring undergraduate and graduate students 鈥渨ho are deeply committed to social justice and eager to make meaningful contributions to social work practice.
鈥淚 also greatly value the collaborative environment at Boston College, which has allowed me to work across departments on initiatives that advance our shared mission of equity and inclusion.鈥�