Director Ryan McNeil Proposes Selectively Finding Harlem Research Subjects “Who Suck”
On July 15, 2024, Ryan McNeil, the Director of Harm Reduction Research at Yale School of Medicine and his colleague, Gina Bonilla, conducted a Yale University Zoom interview with the Greater Harlem Coalition’s co-founder Shawn Hill.
McNeil is working on a funded study that started in 2022 and ends in 2027 looking at both fentanyl and polysubstance use (using drug combinations to increase or decrease the impact of the drug high or to experience the different effects produced by the combination), and how those intersect with homelessness. The research plan is to pay and follow unhoused drug users in order to develop an understanding of their needs and how they’re using services. McNeil and Bonilla also proposed to include interviews that establish perspectives on service gaps, neighborhood dynamics, and community priorities – all of which led them to reach out to The Greater Harlem Coalition for our thoughts on the addiction crisis.
In the interview, Shawn described the position of The Greater Harlem Coalition — that social services should be equitably distributed throughout New York City so all communities have local access to services, and so neighborhoods of color don’t continue to suffer the effects of redlining by serving as municipal or regional containment zones. He noted the importance of working towards our goal of equity by locating small-scale addiction treatment programs throughout all New York neighborhoods.
“Thank you so much for taking the time. The time to connect with us. Really appreciate it.”– Ryan McNeil
Later that day, on July 15th, 2024, the Greater Harlem Coalition received an AI generated transcript of the interview and a copy of the audio recording. While Shawn had left the Yale University Zoom call at approximately 1:05, McNeil and Bonilla continued to talk – reflecting on the interview, Harlem residents, future interview subjects, and past research collection projects.Listening to this part of the conversation with only McNeil and Bonilla, it is clear that the researchers had not realized that their AI transcription and recording tool continued to document their post-interview conversation. In addition to recording McNeil and Bonilla’s discussion, the AI transcription/recording tool send a copy to The Greater Harlem Coalition.
Below are some post-interview quotes from Ryan McNeil, the Director of Harm Reduction Research at Yale School of Medicine and his colleague, Gina Bonilla:
“That dude sucked.”– Gina Bonilla
“And it’s interesting that his solution is for us to talk to the community.”– Gina Bonilla
“They just want these people dead.”– Gina Bonilla speculating on Harlem residents’ thoughts
“the little coalition”– Gina Bonilla
“That obviously means arresting people, which he probably wants.”– Ryan McNeil speculating on his interview subject’s thoughts
“I was hoping he’s going to be, honestly, a bit more of a prick… kind of disappointed he wasn’t.”– Ryan McNeil
“And there’s that whole, like even, like, the liberal white, “Oh my god, the businesses are closing,” bullshit.”– Ryan McNeil
“I’d be really curious as to the extent to which [GHC members] all actually co sign the shit that they do..”– Ryan McNeil
“This group that wants to, like, lock people up and shit.”– Ryan McNeil
“[Drug dealers] might meet up with six people [in Harlem]. That honestly, is a positive outcome, because it’s a hell of a lot more efficient for everybody..”– Ryan McNeil
“Everything that he was saying was so ridiculous.”– Gina Bonilla
“Let’s try to get some more interviews with people who suck. I want to find someone who we can give enough rope to hang themselves with.” - Ryan McNeil, Yale University School of Medicine Research Study Investigator on Obtaining Future Harlem Interview Participants
From LinkedIn
GHC Responds to Yale School of Medicine
Regarding Institutional Standards of Conduct and Research Ethics
The integrity of any academic study is founded on unbiased research and a willingness to listen to research subjects who volunteer their time and offer their insight. In this example of a ‘hot mic’, Yale University’s School of Medicine’s Harm Reduction Research reveal petty and unethical behavior which may also contravene grant funding terms, permission to conduct human research from Yale University’s School of Medicine’s Institutional Review Board, and terms of employment at Yale University.
The Greater Harlem Coalition reached out to Yale University and noted that the post-interview recording and transcript indicate a clear pre-existing research outcome bias, and research conspiracy to to alter the project’s methodology and to prejudice future interview subjects and questions.
The post-interview audio and transcript are both evidence of a disregard for scholarly research integrity and a breach of Yale University’s School of Medicine’s ethical, research, and possibly legal standards.
In addition, casually using the phrase, “I want to find someone who we can give enough rope to hang themselves with” in the context of finding future Harlem research subjects is profoundly disturbing with its echoes of the toxic history of lynching in this country.
The Greater Harlem Coalition would appreciate hearing how Yale University’s School of Medicine will address Ryan McNeil and Gina Bonilla’s breach of:
We have united 150+ Harlem based organizations to work for a vibrant, tolerant, clean, and safe Harlem where families, visitors, businesses, and all residents can thrive. To this end, we rely on data analysis to expose how New York State and New York City have packed excessive concentration of Drug Treatment, Harm Reduction, Adult-only Shelters, Mental Health Services into Harlem and other neighborhoods of color resulting in a concentration of people struggling with mental health, homelessness, and addiction.
Our goal is to balance compassion with the demand that all communities take their fair share. We want to end the decades-long practice of packing programs in this historic neighborhood while supporting our neighbors who continue to struggle with disproportionate, systemic, and generational health, economic, social, and safety disparities.
Explore how multiple government agencies simultaneously used Harlem as a containment zone below:
Excessive density of Drug Treatment Programs allocated by New York State Office of Addiction Support and Services (OASAS)
Excessive density of Adult-Only Shelters allocated by Department of Homeless Services
Excessive density of Harm Reduction Programs, including the nation’s first safe injection site, allocated by Department of Health
These services are densely located on 125th Street, where renowned Black Cultural Institutions are placed. Sadly, Harlem is the Black Cultural Capital, but decades of structural racism has relegated it as NYC’s containment zone.
Seek press coverage via in-person and online events and distribute relevant news and data to our members and to social media to raise awareness. To see past events, click here
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