Lillian Comas-Díaz, PhD, is awarded a Presidential Citation for her contributions and dedication to the field of psychology and society at-large.
Comas-Díaz was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Puerto Rico. She is a visionary leader whose legacy is transformational and far-reaching. Comas-Díaz is a prolific scholar, an inspiring educator, a devoted mentor, a dedicated advocate, and an exceptional role-model that has worked relentlessly to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in our field with a firm commitment towards social justice.
Recently awarded with the 2019 American Psychological Foundation (APF) Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the Practice of Psychology, Comas-Díaz became the first person of color to receive this award for her exceptional and numerous professional contributions to transform our field. In addition to her instrumental role in the advancement of APA’s Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs, the Minority Fellowship Program, and the formation of APA Division 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity and Race), her the work has been essential to further knowledge of multicultural practices needed to better serve and to advocate for historically marginalized communities.
Comas-Díaz’ work on the use of liberation psychology as a lens to address racial trauma from ethnocultural and multicultural standpoints addresses a gap in our field and paves new ways of thinking and practicing psychology. In developing approaches that contextualize racial trauma as stemming from sociopolitical and historical events, her work emphasizes the relevance of decolonizing people’s thinking to deconstruct systems of oppression. In her own words, Comas-Díaz reminds us that, “Racism and many types of oppression affect all of us . . .[and] it is important, whether we are perpetrator or victim, to become critically aware of our role and to commit to change so we can co-create a society that is more peaceful [and] more respectful.”
For her contributions and dedication to the field of psychology and society-at-large, I am honored to award Lillian Comas-Díaz an APA presidential citation.