Bringing 'invisible' slights into the light
As a child born to Chinese immigrants in Portland, Oregon, Derald Wing Sue, PhD, regularly experienced racism and discrimination. Growing up, he developed a passion for psychology as a means to study injustice and oppression, and as a tool for bringing about positive social change.
Sue's work has focused on issues of ethnicity, diversity and the development of culture-specific therapeutic practices. Today, as a professor of counseling psychology at Columbia University Teacher's College, Sue is widely recognized as a leading multicultural scholar, having published more than 150 academic works, including his groundbreaking 2007 American Psychologist article "Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life," which brought microaggression theory into mainstream discourse.
Sue first began working with APF in 1999, when he co-founded the National Multicultural Conference and Summit. While his initial goal was to sustain future conferences, he soon realized the broader good work APF was doing in funding research for doctoral students and early career professionals—and has been committed to supporting them ever since.
"It is very important to fill the pipeline of psychology with young future professionals who believe strongly in bettering the human condition, in carrying on the important and innovative work of psychology, and in making a major contribution to society," he says. "As I review the broad expanse of good work and the research APF is funding, it leaves little doubt in my mind that this is what my donation and the generous gifts of others are fulfilling."
APF's work to support high school psychology
Through the generosity of longtime donor Lee Gurel, PhD, APF is proud to expand its funding for high school psychology. In 2016, the foundation supported three programs to ensure high school teachers have the tools they need to prepare and inspire students:
- The APF High School Psychology Outreach Grants supported 15 high school teachers across the country in networking, professional development and educational outreach opportunities. (Learn more about the grants at www.apa.org/apf/funding/psychology-teacher-network.)
- The 12th annual APA/Clark University Workshop brought 25 high school psychology teachers together to learn from master psychology teachers and Clark University psychology professors. (Learn more about the workshop at www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/clark-university-workshop.)
- At a Pre-Convention Workshop for Introductory Psychology Teachers held before APA's Annual Convention in August, two master teachers discussed how to develop teaching strategies for hard-to-teach topics.
Support research, transform lives
It's not too late to give to APF's Campaign to Transform the Future. Through the campaign, donors are uniting to ensure that psychology's unique problem-solving perspective will combat societal problems and foster the careers of psychology students and early career psychologists.
Funding for psychological research is scarce, particularly for those innovative projects that major funding agencies do not support. Currently, APF can fund only 9 percent of the applications it receives. The success of this campaign will mean that APF can expand and deepen the knowledge base with the best and brightest psychologists.
To learn how you can help transform the future, go to https://ampsychfdn.org/donate/, or email us at foundation@apa.orgopens in new window or call us at (202) 336-5843.
For more information about how to support APF and/or apply for funding opportunities, please visit https://ampsychfdn.org/funding/.
