Well, the year begins cold on the outside but warmly in our spirits as our focus turns from the holidays to the tasks, opportunities and challenges ahead for our division, our family. I’d like to begin by saying again what an honor it is being in this position and how profoundly I desire to help us achieve a solid and productive year for our members. I opened our Mid-winter Executive Committee (EC) Meeting in San Antonio by encouraging the EC and committees to always remember, even when the stress mounts and the work beckons, that our membership is counting on us to not only achieve, but exceed our goals. As elected and appointed leaders, we are all in key positions and the work of each individual is crucial to the success of our tribe. If you are an Arrow-maker, make the straightest and strongest arrows ever. Shield-makers create the best shields to protect us. Hunters nourish us and Warriors protect us and ours as never before. As to our Leaders, I called upon our wise D45 EC to guide us into and throughout a year that will be remembered fondly.

At our mid-winter meeting we addressed several goals:
• Finalizing the Strategic Plan. There are a few minor clarifications to be made to finish the task so masterfully assumed by Jean.
• Establishing the Policies and Procedures and the Orientation Manuals.
• Policies for: Budget construction and Finance Committee, Presidential Initiatives, Internet EC voting, among others.
• Clarification of Member-at-large roles.
• APA Convention Planning. To include new officer slates, Fellows and Awards, Hospitality Suite, Dance, etc.
• Discussions for 2013 NMCS and Second Biennial D45 Conference.
• Our public presence, in the form of CDEMP, our newsletter, website, relations with APA, etc.

As you all can see, we had a busy agenda! Our meeting was very productive and challenging and I was extremely proud of the entire EC for their patience, humor, and motivation. We’re focusing on presenting a very informative, professional convention program, Biennial conference (thanks to Rob!) and the run-up to the NMCS (thanks to Debra!) [see E-FOCUS Column for links to their websites].

Presidential Initiative
I’d like to close by clarifying my Presidential Initiative. As many of you know, I’ve long been a strong advocate for greater representation of Ethnic Diversity within APA governance. My theme for the convention, as well as my initiative is “Putting Diversity into Leadership Action”. Those of you who’ve served on COR and/or boards and committees are well aware of the “recycling” that takes place in which the same faces simply rotate around from one to another over the years. This occurs with Majority Culture folks too, to be sure. This phenomenon occurs for a variety of reasons, and partially because some of our leaders are very wise and strong and find it hard (because they are both humble and committed) to say “no”. It has always been my belief there’s strength in diversity, and in numbers. While the wisdom of our more senior brothers and sisters is invaluable, I also feel we should encourage, and even hard-wire, in-roads for different and particularly younger ethnically diverse psychologists to assume leadership roles.

American Indian Men of Division 45: (L to R) Casey McDougall (Mississippi Band of Ojibwe; Bear Clan), Joseph Gone (Gros Ventre); Doug McDonald (Oglala Lakota); Joseph Trimble (Lakota); John Gonzales (Anishinaabe).

Finally, I want to reiterate my humble thanks to this EC, for which I’m so proud to be a part. Never has a more talented and competent group been assembled to lead our family, and I am thrilled it occurred during my presidential year. Please feel free to contact me anytime with thoughts or concerns (justin_mcdonald@und.nodak.edu) . If there are complaints – I will gladly forward them to President-elect Vazquez!

Hanta Yo! (“Clear the Way!”)

As the demographics continue to become more diverse in the United States, the explanations about the lack of success in several sociocultural areas among people of color are becoming more homogenous, since these explanations have been formed from the point of reference of mainstream culture. Can psychology truly explain these sociocultural issues without truly understanding the cultures of those populations that have been impacted with these dilemmas? Is the current training in psychology allowing for the diversity of appropriate methodologies to help answer the complexities that sociocultural issues bring to the table of understanding diverse populations? Is psychology becoming more homogenous or better yet are we participating in the psychological cloning of psychology’s students? It is often stated that psychology is a reflection of current society. If this is truly the case, society is at a crossroads since the demographics of the United States are not reflected in the demographics of psychology. Developing a repository with information relevant to the psychology of diversity in several areas that all psychologists can learn from will be one of my goals as president elect for Division 45. I thank all of you who supported me and look forward to working with as many of you as I can in continuing the work of those who came before me in diversifying psychology in defense of the cloning of psychology.

Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology Website

FOCUS Newsletter Archives

Division 45 List Serve LISTSERV@LISTS.APA.ORG [in the text of your message (not the subject line), write: SUBSCRIBE DIV45].

Division 45 FACEBOOK

2012 APA Convention, Orlando, Florida

Division 45 Biennial Conference

National Multicultural Summit

CEMA Middle Easterners/Northern Africans (MENA) Working Group

Journal of Division 45: Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology

Taxonomy for education and training in professional psychology

Framework for the preparation of teachers of high school psychology

Johnson’s Presidential Report to Council

APA/NIGMS Project

Teaching of Psychology: Project Syllabus

Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs:

Communique Newsletter

Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs: Health Links

Links to Grants with June, 2012 Deadlines NIMHD Basic and Applied Biomedical Research on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R01)

NIMHD Social, Behavioral, Health Services, and Policy Research on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R01)

Progress in Community Health

Partnerships and Conference Information

First and foremost, we successfully developed our 2015 Strategic Plan with the addition of a 4th overarching goal: Strategic Goal 4: Promote the elimination of racism and social injustice in society through research, education, practice, policy and advocacy. While it is lofty and ambitious, it is the beacon for why we exist and where we want to go. It also signals our maturity in shifting from the operational focus of our 2010 Strategic Plan. I hope that our continued oversight will promote our advancement as a division. This plan is now on our Division website.

That brings us to a second major initiative. Jae Yeon Jeong has done a stupendous job at overhauling our website, working with Jordan Walker, our web master, to make it more user friendly and updated [see E-FOCUS column for links to our website].. She has added enhancements that bring us to the 21st century that will enable us to use our website as a communication and public relations tool. This has enabled us to sunset the Communications Committee, thanks to the work of Michi Fu, who has worked with Jae Yeon to develop a virtual happy hour as a benefit for our members.

Communication was an important goal, which I attempted to advance through monthly conference calls of the Executive Committee, and more postings on the Division listserve—sometimes to the dismay of some who felt overwhelmed by the depth and breadth of our happenings.

Promoting the division and our members was a goal which we addressed in many ways. Melanie Domenech Rodriquez graciously agreed to coordinate APA awards to support our members being recognized for their accomplishments; this was a newly created responsibility along with getting more of our members into APA governance, on its boards and committees. We developed and approved a new Mentoring Award in honor of John Robinson and Asuncion Miteria Austria—two members who have contributed immensely to supporting and mentoring our members. The first will be awarded at the 2012 APA Convention. I need to mention once again, our stellar accomplishments of having our Links and Program win the Richard Suinn Minority Achievement Award, this year coordinated by Jeff Ring, and the high impact rating of our CDEMP journal under the editorship of Michael Zarate.

Interdivisional collaboration was another avenue through which to accomplish our goals. We developed a joint membership initiative with Division 2 (Teaching) as a benefit to our members. We cosponsored several programs with other Divisions for the 2012 APA Convention, and are planning a Leadership Summit with several divisions. The NMCS continues to remain as a highlight of Division 45 initiatives. Debra Kawahara took on the impossible job of lead coordinator for us as the lead division for the 2013 NMCS. She has done an outstanding job. We are also working on getting the Division to be a Continuing Education sponsor so that we can offer CE credits for the Summit and other events that we sponsor. Caroline Springer is chairing this effort.

We wanted to honor and remember our history. Toward that end, I appointed Bertha Holliday and Felicisima Serafica as co-historians. They did an outstanding job which contributed to our 25th Anniversary brochure, and just recently have added this work to our Division 45 website—updating our history from 2010. Along these lines, we initiated an By Laws amendment to create the Council of Past Presidents—a way to honor our elders, draw on their wisdom, and direct our future by drawing on the past. These are syntonic with Division 45 values, and provide a structure for it to happen. The amendment was passed. Thanks to the efforts of Beth Boyd, who shepherded us through this process, and coordinated an elections process that truly captured the values of the division. Joseph Trimble was elected as the first chair, and Amado Padilla as vice chair. Also not wanting to lose what is in our oral history, we are codifying our procedures into an Orientation and Procedures Manual.

My Presidential Initiative on Diversity and Leadership was awesome for me. I learned so much, and feel it has helped to document Division 45 leadership. The initiative included a survey followed by a structured interview on leadership style, identity, and lived experience. It also included 2 leadership panels—one of Division 45 presidents at the 2011 National Multicultural Conference and Summit and the other at the 2011 APA Convention on the contexts of leadership. Results are being published in our CDEMP journal, the Asian American Journal of Psychology, and a book.

We could not have this report without discussing the 25th Anniversary Celebration at the 2011 APA Convention. It was a huge success, thanks to the efforts of many, especially with the cap-off of our Annual Dance, stupendously coordinated by Michi Fu.

As you can see, it has been a stellar year, and my honor to be your president in 2010-2011. I had the unique opportunity to have a year and half presidency as we changed our terms to a calendar year. I thank everyone for your commitment, inspiration, and contribution to make us the division with a soul. I welcome Doug McDonald as the new president, and retire myself to the ranks of the Council of Past Presidents.

Respectfully submitted,
Jean Lau Chin, EdD, ABPP
2011 Division 45 President

At the Executive Committee’s mid-winter meeting in San Antonio, TX in January 2012 the Committee recommended that COPPs work on two items, specifically: identify fiscally responsible procedures for investing a portion of our growing treasury in socially responsible and safe investment plans; and solicit opinion and advice on changing the name of division from the Society for the psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues to something more salient and relevant to our mission and goals. At this point, I should mention that a similar effort was initiated when Fred Leong was President of our division; at the time, he asked me to identify and consult with a few senior members of the division to identity a new name; and after much discussion we could not come to a consensus so the effort languished.

If you have suggestions and recommendation for Amado and me please contact us accordingly and, in turn, we will pass them along to our past-presidents for consideration and discussion. Our e-mail addresses are: joseph.trimble@wwu.edu and apadilla@stanford.edu. We look forward to hearing and learning from you.
Respectfully submitted ….

We have several new Member-At-Large representatives this year, and they bring tremendous wisdom, humor, and creativity to their roles. I encourage you to read the greeting from our Graduate Student representative, Koko Nichi, and the biographies of our Student Representatives. This is “Generation Next,” and I am thrilled with their energy and commitment to Division 45’s future.

At our mid-winter meeting, we also wanted to ensure that our members knew about the initiatives from OEMA, and the continued success of our division’s journal, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology (CDEMP). We have two IN FOCUS columns in this edition: a Q and A with the editor of CDEMP, and an update from Dr. Germine Awad about her efforts on the CEMA Middle Easterners/Northern Africans (MENA) Working Group.

You will see in the Council of Representatives report that APA is increasing its efforts in the areas of online and electronic resources. In that spirit of all things “E”, I have also instituted a new column, E-FOCUS, in which I will list links to all web-based materials, resources, pages, etc. mentioned [See page 3 for the list of links and resources]. I come to both Division 45 and my studies of ethnicity and identity as a child of immigrants (my parents did not become US citizens until I was in college) and with an academic background in social psychology. I teach at a small liberal arts college, where over 20% of our students are from Hawai`i . For 22 years, I have had the privilege of collaborating with members of the Native Hawaiian community and other Asian and Pacific Islander groups in research, mentoring, and programming focused on their well-being and academic success. I have learned to ‘talk story’ and to understand why stories matter.

I hope you will see that our newsletter and our webpage, and yes, even our FACEBOOK page is our modern way of telling our stories. I look forward to hearing yours, so please contact me throughout the year with story ideas, information, and congratulations for yourself or your peers.

Aloha,
doctorboo@pacificu.edu

In 2000, this Talking Stick was presented to the Division 25 Executive Committee by our former Division President, Dr. Joseph Trimble. We have incorporated it into our committee meetings and processes. We hope to have a sculptured replica with us at the 2012 APA Orlando Convention for all to see. We share with our members and friends this brief guide to understanding its importance. We hope you agree that it symbolizes what our division is and hopes to be. Below are insights provided to us by Dr. Trimble:

Although the origins of the Talking Stick (aka, “Spirit” or “Prayer” stick) are lost to history, its meanings resonate even now. For individuals, the Talking Stick symbolizes the search for “guidance, strength, and understanding.” Used in group discussions, it reminds us to speak honestly and with integrity: to gather in our circle and commit to a conversation, in which all can “openly present their thoughts and feelings to others.” When one who holds the stick speaks of something important from their heart only they can speak and those present are obliged to listen in respectful silence.

As you can see in our photo, the features of the stick have important spiritual elements. You can see the hawk tail feather—representing vision, balance, and protection. The horse hairs envelop the hawk’s feather—the horse symbolizing adventure, power and freedom. Deer hide strands are found in the center of the stick, and you can see the dear horn at the bottom of the stick. The deer represents adaptation and gentleness. The four fur wraps along the stick come from the otter, representing nurturance, sharing, and joy.

You can see the red, yellow, white, and black colors on the Talking Stick. These represent directions. Red is the color of the east and the new beginning of each day. Each day brings peace, life, insight and vision. Yellow is the color of the south; it is warmth, understanding, and ability. White is the color of the north and signifies cleansing, purification, and strength. Finally, the color of the west, Black, represents where thunder beings dwell and rain begins. Black is the last color strand: the final vow. The four colors also represent humans’ colors: all human beings can benefit from understanding the Talking Stick.

7 non-substantive hours: (We have 1 extra as of now)
1: James Johns Conversation Hour: “Putting Diversity into Leadership Action”
1: Links & Shoulder; Jeff Ring, Ph.D (Catering TBA).
1: Div 45 Presidential Address; Prez Trio
2: Div 45 Business Meeting (including fellows induction, awards ceremony)
1: Div 45 Social Hour (immediately following the Div 45 Business Meeting; Catering TBA)
0: Div 35 to Arrange Sat 8/4 Social Hour and Dance (9pm-12am)

Further questions, comments or correspondence may be addressed div45apa2012@gmail.com OR Casey.McDougall2@ihs.gov

I am entering my second year as treasurer and want to thank the Finance Committee and the EC for the support and guidance. As reported in the previous issue of the FOCUS, progress was being made at solidifying our budgeting process and procedures. At our midwinter meeting the EC met and approved a final budget for 2012 and established a clear policy that the division would operate under a more traditional budgeting process. Approval of a budget for the upcoming year will now occur at our summer EC meeting during APA Convention.

Just to remind our members: APA Divisional Accounting Services does our actual accounting – which provides quarterly balance sheets and reports to the treasurer. Final year-end balance sheets and reports have not been provided yet by APA Divisional Services. What follows is an accounting of our major revenue and expense budget categories based on the treasurer’s records.

Our total revenue for 2011 was $100,858. Major revenue categories include membership dues, royalties from our Journal, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, along with income form edited books and video series edited and produced by Division 45 members.

Our total expenses for 2011 were $57,090. Major expense categories included the APA convention programming, such as the Division Social Hour, Hospitality Suite, Dance co-sponsored by Division 35 section 1. Special 25th Anniversary Celebration items were purchased and provided to attendees at these events and are included in these costs. Additional convention expenses included student awards. Another expenses category includes the Midwinter Meeting of the Executive Committee. Our net revenue for 2011 is $43,770.

The Finance Committee continues to research and investigate investment strategies for the budget surplus the division as accrued over the years. Our goal is to find ways on supporting and providing opportunities to as many members as possible, with a particular emphasis on students and the next generations.

Again, it is an honor to serve as the treasurer to our Division 45 family. I welcome and comments and questions.

Miigwech (Thank you)
John Gonzalez, Ph.D.

Committee Membership: The Finance Committee shall consist of five members of the Executive Committee: the Treasurer, President, Past President, President-elect, and the Chair.

Selection of the Chair: The Chair shall be appointed by the President of the Society and shall serve until the successor is appointed and qualify. In the case of a vacancy on the Committee, such vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the President.

Role of the Chair: The Chair receives proposals for funding, calls for meetings of the Finance Committee, and shall preside at such meetings. The Chair shall report to the Executive Committee regarding approved proposals and funds disbursement at the Society’s meetings. The Chair shall also prepare guidelines and policies as needed regarding the disbursement of funds. Recent Funding and Awards:

$1,600.00, submitted by Azenette A. Garza-Caballero, Psi Alpha Omega (PAO) Director, for the development of undergraduate and graduate student awards for best paper/poster presentation at the Second Biennial APA Division 45 Conference to be held on May 24-26, 2012 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

$400.00 submitted by Bertha Holiday and Felicisima Serafica, Division 45 Co-Historians, for enhancing Division 45’s collection of historical and archival materials, including archiving the division’s elder leaders and members, developing a videotape library of the recollections of elders and securing and digitalizing the divisions’ key historical documents.

$1,000.00 submitted by Michael Zarate, Journal Editor to cover increase in journal expenses.

The Finance Committee also approved the following revisions in the Division’s Budget Proposal Submission Policy:
• Budget proposals not exceeding $1,000.00 (changed from $500.00) could be presented on-line between Division meetings and voted on by the members of the Finance Committee.
• Proposals exceeding $1,000.00 (changed from $500.00) can be presented on-line only if the project must commence before the scheduled meeting of the Division and the Finance Committee.