‘‘Citizen participation means a horizontal, equal relationship. It means relating with the other at the same level. One understands one’s usefulness as part of the solidarity produced within the relationship. Accepting the otherness involves admitting different modes of knowing and making possible the dialogue and the relation with the other in a plane of equality based on the acceptance of our own differences.’’ (Montero 2004, p. 251).

Venezuelan community psychologist Maritza Montero’s thoughtful reflection focuses on power, relationships, and differences in community research and intervention. These three concepts are intricately intertwined in the history and practice of community-based research described in this special issue. Here, we address conceptual and pragmatic issues raised in these papers and advocate for field-based researchers to establish community relationships built on trust and respect for culturally grounded lifeways and thoughtways. Montero’s clarion call to researchers comes none too soon, as community voices are challenging the way research has been conducted and the way that community participants have been treated during the research process. It also captures the shift in approach to research and intervention hailed by multicultural and indigenous psychologies (Trimble 1977; Smith 1999; Trickett et al. 2011; Trimble et al. 2012).