We are thrilled to introduce you to Jordan Caines, the newest member of the ACP team! Jordan joined ACP in March as the Program Manager of the iConquerMS Research Inclusion Diversity and Equity (RIDE) Council, which is working to bridge the gap between awareness and full representation of racial, ethnic, and gender minority groups in research. Jordan brings with him a background in community development and crisis management, having most recently served as Assistant Director of Education and Outreach for Lines for Life, a non-profit dedicated to preventing substance abuse and suicide, and promoting mental wellness. His experience and perspective will be valuable assets to the RIDE Council as they bring together diverse stakeholders within the MS community to discuss and strategize on how to best build genuine partnerships that encourage minority participation both within the iConquerMS network and beyond.
Jordan was born and raised in Culver City, CA and currently lives in Koreatown, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Los Angeles. He and his wife, Elisabeth, are newlyweds, recently married in December. Jordan did his undergraduate studies at the University of Oregon, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Ethnic Studies. After graduation, he worked for a few months as a counselor at a treatment facility for adults with mental health issues. At the beginning of COVID, Jordan was fortunate to find a temporary position as an emotional support outreach specialist and community liaison for Lines for Life. In that role, he connected individuals in need to local and statewide mental health resources. He states, “I still got to chat with, communicate and help people, but was able to do it virtually.”
Jordan transitioned to a permanent position as Assistant Director of Education and Outreach on Lines for Life’s Youth Line (a peer-to-peer youth crisis line). The bulk of Jordan’s role was overseeing the School Suicide Prevention Wellness team. In Jordan’s words, “It was a four-person team that communicated with every school district across the state of Oregon to make sure they had adequate mental health support in their school. I also oversaw the outreach team, so I would go into schools, mostly in and around the Portland metro area, giving presentations to middle and high school students on ways to support themselves when they were experiencing mental health challenges. We tried to give them a space to talk about whatever they wanted to talk about. Students were pretty overwhelmed, especially with COVID and so much going on in the world. That was an awesome experience.”
When not at work, Jordan and Elisabeth enjoy going on hikes and exploring national parks. They also love to travel and tour new places. Jordan shares, “We were in Hawaii for Thanksgiving this past year. We spent almost a full week there and that was a lot of fun. It was beautiful.” Sports are also a big part of his life. According to Jordan, “I’m a diehard Yankees fan. I watch every game with my wife… I played a bunch of sports growing up. I love baseball and played it all through high school. I wore the number two in every single sport for Derek Jeter, one of the greatest athletes of all time. Growing up my dad was my baseball coach, too. It was an amazing way to bond with him and spend time with him.”
Jordan has a strong passion for uplifting and highlighting voices that may have been historically underserved or not represented to the fullest extent. When asked where this passion came from, he states, “I grew up in LA, which is an extremely diverse area. My high school class when I graduated was the second most diverse high school class in the United States. Going to Oregon was definitely a bit of a culture shock for me at first. It was a predominantly white setting. I went from not really thinking about my identity and how I looked to being the only student of color in a class of thirty people. At first it was a little bit daunting and it was hard for me to build community and make friends there. Pretty early on I regretted my decision to go far from home and struggled with feelings of not fitting in… I used that as an opportunity to grow, branch out and experience new things. As soon as I found ethnic studies, I met some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met and had some of the most wonderful, insightful professors. I dove deep in my studies and learned a lot about historical inequalities that were surprising to learn about. It shaped much of what I want to pursue in the future, which is dismantling systems of inequality wherever I can, whether that’s in my personal life, or in professional relationships.”
Jordan was drawn to the position at ACP for a number of reasons. In his words, “Honestly, the first thing that stuck out to me is that ACP is based in Waltham, which is where my aunt lives right now. That was an interesting connection, but when I dove deep and read about all of the amazing programs that ACP offers, I was immediately blown away by their mission and how ACP is so willing to collaborate with other organizations that are either researching MS or doing anything that involves MS. Sometimes nonprofits get caught up in their own work. At least in my experience, sometimes they forget about their mission and the reason why they are an organization… I’ve only been here a short time, but it seems like everyone on the ACP team is so willing to do whatever they can, to be as flexible as possible and to be a team player and work with others, to surround themselves and focus on the goal. I just really love that.”
With ACP, the mission is crystal clear. Find a cure for MS. I love this organization’s ability to have such an amazing collaborative approach.
When asked what gifts and skills he thinks he brings to the ACP team, Jordan shares, “Some positive feedback I’ve received in the past is that I make people feel heard. From a very early age, my father instilled in me how to develop good active listening skills. Now, I try to focus on and understand what people are saying, swap perspectives and hear where they are coming from. I feel like I do a really good job at processing information and communicating it to other people… When I’m passionate about something, whether that’s a job, an organization or sports, I’m good at getting other people excited, too. What I really want to bring to the table with ACP, especially with the RIDE council, is elevating people’s voices. I’m really excited to meet everyone on the team and see what they want to do and what they want to elevate and do all that I can to make them feel heard.”
When asked about his vision for the RIDE council, Jordan states, “A lot is dependent on what members of the RIDE Council want it to be. I’d like to elevate the projects they want to do, whether that’s through social media or other media campaigns… The fact that there are three sub-councils (Black/African American, Latino/Latin X and Emerging Voices for those from other underserved or underrepresented groups) shows that every group of people has their own experience and set of challenges or barriers that come with their identity. I think each one of the sub-councils brings to the table a unique perspective that I’m really excited to learn more about and help them vocalize.”
We are excited to have Jordan on board, lending his experience and insight to the RIDE Council. Their work to diversify MS research will bring us one step closer to ensuring that its findings apply to and benefit people of all racial backgrounds, allowing all individuals living with MS to receive the best care possible. The prospects for 2023 are looking bright! Stay tuned!
