The Governing Council of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) announced the ongoing work of an Anti-Racism Task Force, charged with identifying ways in which Society leadership, organizational structure, policies, practices, programs, members, and outreach efforts, can dismantle systemic inequities within the organization.
SRCD Anti-Racism Task Force
| Sarah DeMartini | California State University, Chico |
| Rashmita Mistry | UCLA |
| Stephanie Rowley | Columbia University |
| Stephen Russell | University of Texas at Austin |
| Saima K. Hedrick, staff | SRCD |
| Suzanne Le Menestrel, staff | SRCD |
The task force will carry out their charge in three main segments:
- Evaluating policies and procedures: Taking a critical look at SRCD's existing policies and operations to identify ways to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is deeply embedded in our work as an organization moving forward.
- Developing systems to track our progress: Ensuring that the improvements and progress made are measurable and endure into the future.
- Addressing the role of power dynamics: Identifying how prestige and influence affect decision-making in ways that promote the status quo and marginalize and privilege people based on their racial background, and creating solutions to foster equity and inclusion.
"SRCD’s members, along with the caucuses and committees, have a long history of advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organization,” said Nancy E. Hill, President of the Society and Charles Bigelow Professor of Education at Harvard University, “The work of the Anti-Racism Task Force will supplement these efforts and guide us in developing a roadmap for fostering improvements at a systemic level within SRCD. I am grateful that the members of the task force have agreed to take on this complex but essential challenge.”
Read the letter from Nancy Hill, SRCD President and Saima K. Hedrick, SRCD Executive Director.