In this onePERspective episode of asPERusual, doctoral trainee Sasha Kullman reflects on key take aways from Season 3, Episode 6 of asPERusual, which featured guests Sunday Queskekapow and Brianna Hunt. Sasha emphasizes why framing research around “sensitive topics” — rather than deficit-based terms like “vulnerable” or “marginalized” — shifts power and narrative back to communities. She highlights the ethical imperative of including peer researchers with lived experience, the importance of pre-research relationship building, and the responsibility of academic teams to support peer researchers emotionally, materially, and culturally. The central takeaway: ethical, justice-oriented research requires humility, reciprocity, and creating safe, supportive spaces for both participants and peer researchers.
