As my term as APA president draws to a close, I want to thank the many people—basically my village—who made it possible. First of all, I want to thank my family, friends, everyone in APA governance, the people who have worked so diligently on my presidential initiatives, APA staff, my election team, my science advisory committee and my advisers from graduate school.
I also want to give a special shoutout to my colleagues at the University of Memphis. From the time I became president-elect in 2018, they paved the way for my success. On the suggestion of my co-faculty members, my department chair provided me with a half-time graduate assistant who helped me prepare research data on poverty and presentations for numerous invited national and international talks. Once I became president, I was given a reduced teaching load, and fellow faculty members generously took over my advisory and committee duties.
Meanwhile, knowing that deep poverty was the focus of my presidential initiative, faculty and students at the university alike took my five-week deep poverty challenge to support anti-poverty efforts in Memphis by performing at least one of the suggested activities each week.
This incredible support system—my “sheroes” and heroes—made it possible for me to travel around the country and the world representing our field. They’re a big reason I have had the stamina and the time to fulfill these duties and share the importance of psychology with so many others.
Their contributions also make me think about the bigger picture at APA. This kind of support and teamwork is what we need to fulfill APA’s strategic plan. To make the changes our field deems most significant, we need everyone working together in all parts of our discipline to impact the quality of people’s lives. My colleagues at the University of Memphis set an example for us, and I look forward to seeing it replicated on a larger scale.
So, thanks to my village for making my presidency so fulfilling and successful. My sincere hope is that each of you finds the support you need to help you do the important work of our discipline—to make a lasting impact in the places that need it the most.
For more information on the Deep Poverty Initiative, visit www.apa.org/about/governance/president/deep-poverty-initiative.
