The School Psychology Unified Anti-Racism Statement and Call to Action writing team proudly committed to work to be anti-racism agents of change. As our focus was on racism, we did not include the role that intersectionality plays in Black lives and other lives of color. This was a missed opportunity as we named Tony McDade, but did not expand on how intersectional bias contributes to heinous acts. As a community that believes it is important to recognize the role of intersectionality in racism and to support people of color, inclusive of their intersectionality, we acknowledge the following:

  • Acknowledge that persons with intersecting marginalized identities — particularly those who identify as Black and transgender — experience significant discrimination, harassment, violence, and murder. These unspeakable acts often go unreported, resulting in a lack of awareness of injustice among persons with intersecting identities.
  • Seek to understand how individuals with multiple marginalized identities may experience unique challenges and greater disparities in developmental, health, social, psychological, educational, and economic access and outcomes.
  • Promise to support and protect our children of color, especially girls of color, who are often targets of abuse and discipline that go unrecognized, and those who identify as transgender and are disproportionately targeted in our schools and communities.

Our action plan will include those with intersecting identities including those subjected to LGBTQ bias. We commit to using psychological science to combat systemic racism, intersectional bias and implicit bias at all levels to foster change including training and preparing researchers to conduct and consume intersectional, decolonizing, anti-racist applied school psychology research.

We acknowledge that while our original statement will remain, our work will continue to evolve as we move forward with our action plan. We appreciate and welcome comments that help us with our process.

We thank Kelly Edyburn for her guidance on addressing other forms of injustice.

Acknowledging Contributors

Enedina García-Vázquez
Linda Reddy
Prerna Arora
Shane Jimerson
Kisha Radliff
Franci Crepeau-Hobson
Celeste Malone
Tara Raines
Pam Fenning
Tammy Hughes
Sam Song
Clifford Hatt
Kathleen Minke
Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach