Division 45 election statement

ELECTION STATEMENT

DIVISION 45 – Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues

April 2007

Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D.=

Alliant International University

Contact inform= ation:

Marshall Goldsmith School of Management

Alli= ant International University

6160 Cornerstone Ct. E.

San Diego= , CA 92130

Tel. (858) 623-2777 x362 (office)

E= -mail: bferdman@alliant.edu

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I am humbled and honored by having been nominated for President of th= e Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues. This is a crucial organization in psychology, and I would be delighted to contribute my energ= y, skills, and time to help lead our collective efforts to maintain and enhance its pivotal and unique role. By continually developing the knowledge base of psychology as it relates to people of color and diversity, by applying that knowledge for the benefit of society, and by advocating on behalf of ethnic minority and multicultural perspectives inside and outside of APA, Division= 45 and its members play a critical part in helping to ensure that psychology m= oves toward its promise of being a field that truly applies to and benefits all people. In this sense, the Division represents a specific area—with a focus on particular topics, methods, and populations—and at the same = time advocates for attention to ethnic minority issues and cultural diversity ac= ross all the sub-fields of psychology and within APA. This dual role means that = we must have unity, coherence, and connection at the same time that we embrace variety, dialogue, and difference – we must model and practice in our organization and among ourselves the very principles that we study, apply, = and promote within and outside APA. Our diversity is not only ethnic, racial, a= nd cultural – we encompass multiple sub-disciplines in psychology, diffe= rent sexual orientations and gender identities, a range of geographic and class locations and histories, and a myriad of other differen= ces, and it is the interconnections and interactions among all of these that enr= ich both the Division and our contributions to psychology and to society.

Why do I highlight ideas that perhaps are clear and basic to our memb= ers? I believe that the role of President is two-fold. First, there is the impor= tant job of building on the organizational efforts of prior leaders and effectiv= ely continuing to implement and develop the strategic plan, coordinate the activities of t= he Division, manage and develop resources, and take care of administrative dut= ies in a way that supports accomplishing our goals and advances our mission. In= the last few years, the Division’s leaders have established a solid administrative and financial base, strategic plan, and set of practices to support the Division’s further growth and development. As President, I would build on that excellent work by continuing careful implementation of = the strategic plan and expansion of the broad base of active contributors to the governance and activities of the Division, as well as cultivating the Division’s strong voice and influence within APA. Second, and perhaps more critical, the President must serve as a leading voice – internal= ly and externally – to help connect and give meaning to the multiple and varied activities of the Division and its members. In a sense, the President – working closely with the Executive Committee and the full Division leadership – helps to “connect the dots,” as it were, in = ways that reflect, support, and augment individual efforts and help to inspire synergy, so that the Division continues to be more than the sum of its part= s. It is in this sense that I expect to use my passion and voice to drive our Div= ision’s responsibility as the prime advocate for the critical role of ethnic and cultural perspectives, diversity, inclusion, and multiculturalism in all ar= eas of psychology and in APA governance.

What experience and qualifications do I have for the role? I am a Fel= low of Division 45 and 9, a member of Divisions 14 and 52, and a Charter Fellow= of the International Academy for Intercu= ltural Research. In 1991, I received the Gordon Allport Intergroup Relations Prize from SPSSI (Division 9). I= had the honor and privilege of serving as President and Treasurer of the Interamerican Society of Psychology (www.sipsych.org), and as both Division= Chair and Program Chair of the Gender and Diversity in Organizations Division of = the Academy of Management. I served as a committee chair for SIOP (Division 14), where I have played an active role in promoti= ng ethnic minority issues, both with a regular column on diversity and inclusi= on in The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, and on its Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs. I am also active locally and nationally in intergroup rel= ations – for example, I co-chair the San Diego Latino-Jewish Coalition, and serve on the Board of the American Jewish Committee’s Latino and Latin American Institute. I am Professor at the Marshall Goldsmith School of Management, Alliant International University (previously CSPP), in Californ= ia, where I’ve been for the last 14 years, and also work as an organizati= onal consultant and leadership coach/educator inside and outside the U.S. My foc= al areas are diversity, inclusion, and multiculturalism in organizations, ethn= ic and cultural identity, Latinos/as in the workplace, cross-cultural communication, and organizational behavior and development. (For more infor= mation, see http://faculty.alliant.edu = and http://academic.alliant.edu/b= ferdman.)

Overall, I bring experience in leading professional/academic organizations, grounding in both scholarship and practice, and a broad perspective of psychology – with education in social and developmental psychology and 21 years of teaching, research, and practice in organization= al psychology and cultural diversity. This is combined with an abiding passion for inclusion, diversity, and social justice. I welcome the opportu= nity to put my experience and passion to work for Division 45!