From the President’s Desk: November 2023

Thank you for your continued support and engagement. I’m honored to serve as president of our growing association. This month with the support of our insightful members, incredible staff, and outstanding Board of Representatives and Council of Representatives, I have been able to advance the work of APA’s strategic plan by completing the following:

• Invited to present the keynote on culturally informed trauma recovery for the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies where I was awarded the Charles Silverstein Lifetime Achievement Award for Social Justice;

• Invited presenter on Decolonial Psychology for the Puerto Rico Psychological Association;

• Invited presenter for the American Public Health Association annual conference;

• Invited panelist for USAID virtual event on global mental health;
• Invited keynote speaker for the International Congress on Clinical Psychology;
• Invited panelist for the West African International Collaborative Conference on Psychology;
• Keynote speaker for APA’s Conference on Work, Health, and Stress;
• Cohost for APA Member’s Town Hall on 2023 Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Actions;
• Coedited and approved APA statement on the need for trauma prevention and recovery in the Middle East with more than 30,000 views on social media;
• Hosted Town Hall for Council of Representatives on meeting frequency and format(s);
• Invited interviewee for the Division 45 podcast about my leadership journey;
• Finalized the Healing Guide Inspired by the Oprah Winfrey/Warner Brothers film The Color Purple with co-editors spanning from multiple APA divisions;
• Invited speaker for Goop mental health session in Los Angeles hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow;
• Facilitated APA Board of Directors meetings where the agendas covered board orientation, delegation of financial authority, dependent care reimbursement for council, boards, and committees, strategic alignment items, third quarter financials, MOUs, appointments, update from Board Finance Sub-committee which I convened, Middle East response, Division 48 statement, and update on APA buildings;
• Facilitated Board of Directors Executive Committee meeting on awards, the Middle East, and finance sub-committee;
• Met regularly with Dr. Arthur Evans, Jr., APA CEO, Dr. David Susman, CLT chair, and key staff members;
• Continued individual meetings with board members to facilitate dialogue and liaison feedback;
• Provided support for and/or promoted my presidential initiatives, which are:

1. Health Advisory on Social Media Use in Adolescence (completed)
2. Representation Matters Documentary (completed film, working on discussion guide)
3. Free public summit on culturally informed trauma recovery (held in October at Howard University)
4. Culturally Informed Trauma Recovery Kits which will be available online (written documents completed; issued call for video submissions)
5. Enhancing belonging and engagement at APA, which presented findings at APA 2023 (research survey of members completed and presented at convention)
6. Decolonizing and Liberation Psychology which is editing a special issue for the American Psychologist and has provided trainings for the APA Board, Boards, and Committees, and Council of Representatives in alignment with APA’s EDI Action Plan (call for submissions received over 100 submissions; task force presented at the APA convention).

Thank you for your support and efforts in service of society and the field of psychology. To reach me, please feel free to email me. We thrive together!