COVID-19 has illustrated that public health practitioners need access to data and tools that appropriately identify, respond to, culturally tailor, and reach historically marginalized and/or racialized populations during crises. Project REFOCUS was conceptualized as a collaborative and community-informed effort to address these challenges. Recognizing the need for a system that monitors stigma impacting these populations, Project REFOCUS prioritizes community input and the mediating roles of interpersonal communication, media frames and misinformation in relation to individual and collective health behavior. These factors are critical aspects of a successful response to public health crises.