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President's Column

Honoring those who take action

During APA’s Annual Convention in San Francisco, we will pay tribute to those who are making the world better despite today’s challenges

By Jessica Henderson Daniel, APA president

July/August 2018, Vol 49, No. 7

Print version: page 6

2 min read

Jessica Henderson Daniel, APA president
APA Style leaf logo Cite This Article in APA Style
Daniel, J. H. (2018, July 1). President's column: Honoring those who take action. Monitor on Psychology, 49(7). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2018/07-08/pc

Each year, APA's Annual Convention offers us an immense array of energizing events and activities. We get the chance to hear robust scholarly presentations from psychologists of every subfield and career stage. We can renew relationships and meet new colleagues who share our interests. And we are given a forum where we can come together as a community to learn about and recognize those who have made significant contributions to the psychology field and to society at large.

This year's convention keynote speaker, Bryan Stevenson, JD, is one of the contributors we can learn from. As the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, and a professor of law at New York University School of Law, Stevenson is known for his tireless advocacy for social justice. This year, the Harvard Law School graduate and former MacArthur fellow garnered national attention for launching the National Memorial for Peace and Justiceopens in new window to honor the more than 4,000 African-Americans who were victims of lynching in 12 Southern states from 1877 to 1950. Please join me in hearing about his inspirational work during the convention's opening ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 10, at 5:30 p.m.

APA's convention also gives me the opportunity to honor a group of lesser-known individuals who are working to improve our world—those I call Citizen Psychologists. These psychologists are bringing our science and expertise to bear on today's challenges in an effort to improve the lives of all.

In addition to recognizing Citizen Psychologists, my initiative seeks to educate the public about the ways psychology improves our communities and to provide resources to help others become Citizen Psychologists. Several convention programs will spotlight the work of this presidential initiative:

  • Survey Data on Citizen Psychologists: Who They Are, What They Do and How to Prepare the Next Generation , Aug. 10, 1–3 p.m.
  • Stories From Citizen Psychologists: How They Became Involved, What They Do, and Recommendations on How to Become One , Aug. 11, 2–3 p.m.
  • A Reception Celebrating Our Citizen Psychologists and All Those Who Use Psychology to Enhance Their Communities , Aug. 11, 3–4 p.m.

Please join me in applauding their work—and to learn more about what we can do to make the world a better place.

For more information on the Citizen Psychologist initiative and this year's winners, go to www.apa.org/about/governance/citizen-psychologist/default .

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