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The American Psychosomatic Society Antiracism Task Force: Implementation, Activities, and Lessons Learned
Briana Mezuk1, Nancy L Sin, Michael V Stanton
1From the Department of Epidemiology (Mezuk), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Psychology (Sin), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia; Department of Public Health (Stanton), California State University, East Bay, Hayward, California; Department of Psychology (Szabo), California State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Psychology (Tomiyama), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine (White), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The American Psychosomatic Society (APS) formed an Antiracism Task Force to address systemic racism. This initiative aims to foster a more inclusive and equitable professional organization through actionable recommendations and transparent reporting.
Area of Science:
- Psychosomatic Medicine
- Health Equity
- Organizational Antiracism
Background:
- The American Psychosomatic Society (APS) committed to becoming an antiracist organization in 2020.
- Systemic racism impacts professional societies and scientific endeavors.
- There is a need for transparent case studies on organizational antiracism efforts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the inaugural year of the APS Antiracism Task Force's activities.
- To provide transparency to APS members regarding antiracism initiatives.
- To offer a case study for other organizations pursuing antiracism.
Main Methods:
- Formation of an Antiracism Task Force.
- Proposing amendments to society bylaws.
- Collecting data on member attitudes toward diversity.
- Consulting on member-led antiracism initiatives, such as enhancing early career award access.
Main Results:
- The task force initiated structural changes, including bylaw amendments.
- Data collection provided insights into member perspectives on diversity.
- Consultation facilitated the implementation of antiracism activities within the society.
Conclusions:
- The first year of the APS Antiracism Task Force involved significant foundational work.
- Facilitative factors included task force dedication and society support.
- Sustained commitment requires addressing future plans and potential challenges for long-term antiracism efforts.
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