Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 10th, 2020, the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) will be joining other academic societies, universities, and organizations in observing the #ShutdownAcademia and #ShutdownSTEM movement. #ShutdownSTEM is a grassroots movement that aims to transition to a lifelong commitment of actions to eradicate anti-Black racism in academia and STEM.
As a scientific society whose mission is rooted in an understanding that child development takes place in complex and interrelated contexts, we have a responsibility to take a step back from business-as-usual to recognize the impact of institutionalized and systemic racism within our scholarly community on our colleagues and on ourselves. #ShutdownSTEM invites us all to take some time to prioritize these concerns, to reflect, to learn, and to act.
We invite you to participate in this movement.
How can you participate? Here are some possibilities:
- Step away from your daily business-as-usual to reflect on society’s racism and your possible role in being part of the solution.
- Explore the #ShutdownSTEM resource materials.
- Join the conversation in a new community on SRCD Commons, Allies Against Racism. You can engage, educate, and share resources on creating a just and inclusive science.
- Consider attending Construction of the ‘Other’: Development, Consequences, and Applied Implications of Prejudice and Discrimination (May 2 - 4, 2022), a special topic meeting focusing on how prejudice and discrimination are developed and the promising policy intervention programs that can help prevent them.
- Attend the workshop Addressing and Reducing Inequality through Developmental Science (November 9-10, 2020), an interdisciplinary event designed to move the field of developmental science forward in understanding the causes of inequality and courses of action to reduce their impact.
- Watch SRCD Governing Council Member Rashmita Mistry (UCLA) share some thoughts on the importance of exposing children to diversity.
- Attend the forthcoming SRCD webinar for developmental scientists (date to be determined) dedicated to setting a research agenda for understanding the development and socialization of racist attitudes among White children and youth. Please watch your inbox or check the SRCD website for participation information.
On Wednesday, SRCD social media accounts will be sharing resources related to and using the hashtags #ShutdownSTEM and #ShutdownAcademia.
We hope you will join SRCD in making a commitment to education and action in the fight against systemic racism.