1 Contents
During the 2022 mpox outbreak, queer and trans New Yorkers built our own data infrastructure when traditional systems lagged behind. The result was MPX NYC, a rapid, anonymous network-mapping study led by the RESPND-MI collective. Using a new analytic framework—SSNAC (Social and Spatial Network Analysis with Causal Interpretation) — this report how patterns of movement and gathering likely shaped transmission and how targeted, neighborhood-based interventions could make prevention more efficient. Beyond its scientific findings, the project proves that rigorous, community-led research is possible at city scale—offering a practical model for what a People’s Department of Health could look like.
FRONT MATTER
MPX NYC METHODS
The study deploys an innovative, privacy-preserving survey platform to collect spatial and social data anonymously (on-device processing, anonymous link-tracing, graph database) and uses statistical tools to describe social-spatial networks.
MPX NYC RESULTS
Residences and gatherings cluster in Manhattan and North Brooklyn. Mixing shows strong homophily by age, race–gender, and sexual orientation. Simulated strategies trade off rapid coverage versus faster network fragmentation.
BACK MATTER
SSNAC FRAMEWORK
SSNAC updates causal-inference tools to address interdependent observational units and helps researchers learn from causal interference.
RESPND-MI
The project organized research through a weekly LGBTQ+ Community Forum, distributed leadership, and small, shared tasks—building redundancy as resilience.