Not too long ago, psychology was a discipline dominated by white males. Change came slowly in the wake of the Civil Rights and Women’s Movements of the 1960s and ‘70s. But even before then, a few intrepid women of color entered the field of psychology and strove to change it (and the world) for the better. APA and partners will honor such luminaries at the upcoming “I am Psyched” event on Museum Day, March 12, 2016.
Women like Inez Beverly Prosser, Martha Bernal and Mamie Phipps Clark have made lasting contributions that benefit us to this day. Clark and her husband’s famous Doll studies were used in the Brown v. Board Supreme Court case that dismantled school segregation. 2014 MacArthur Fellow Jennifer Eberhardt’s research shows how subliminal images activate racial stereotypes, changing what and how people see. She uses her findings to raise awareness about stereotypes in the criminal justice system and in education.
Diversity doesn’t just mean including people who look different. It means bringing people with a variety of ideas and experiences together to enrich the processes by which we solve problems and make change. No one group has a monopoly on innovation. The achievements of these women of color demonstrate what is lost when psychology or any other field only speaks with one voice. They also show what good can happen when scientists work to give voice to the voiceless. We want these women’s inspiring stories to reach girls of color around the country so that they too can see themselves as forces for change.
The “I am Psyched” event is aimed at girls of color (ages 12-18) and will feature:
- A curated, interactive exhibit
The girls will be able to take a deeper look at the groundbreaking women of color who used psychology to make positive change.
- A live-streamed interactive discussion
Your students can tune in to watch eminent women of color at various stages in their careers from across the spectrum of psychology discuss what inspires them about their field.
- Empowering activities for girls
They can engage in skills-building activities and share what they are passionate about.
Here’s the one thing you can do to help:
Join the conversation
Use any of these hashtags – #IamPsyched, #MuseumDay, and #ImagineHer – to share your comments and photos on social media. Share why you were psyched to go into the field of psychology as a career. And if you are a woman of color, post a selfie and a comment on your area of expertise. It’s important for girls of color to realize that you are what a psychologist looks like and in you they can see themselves.
OK, we lied – there’s a second thing you can do:
Spread the word
It couldn’t be any easier. We are using a platform called Thunderclap to flood Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr with this important message.
“#IamPsyched to watch psychology’s past and present inspire girls of color on #MuseumDay (March 12), 1-4PM ET http://thndr.me/UFRft4”
Thunderclap will automatically post this message to your Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr on March 12. It’s completely safe and only takes 5 seconds to do.
- Visit http://thndr.me/zcgEzL
- Click “Support with Twitter”, “Support with Facebook” or “Support with Tumblr”.
- Once you’ve added your support, please encourage your followers to join the Thunderclap by clicking one of the Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr icons at the bottom right.
We just need 100 supporters to get our message out. With your help, we can use psychology’s past and present to inspire today’s girls of color.