Message from the President

“Don’t forget where you come from.” These were words I often heard from my family in my childhood and adolescence. When I became President of Section III Concerns of Hispanic Women/Latinas, I immediately was curious about its history. I learned that Section III dates back to the late 1970s. It began as a Task Force within Division 35 in 1977, and was led by Dr. Martha Bernal. In 1986 it became a committee within Division 35 and then in 2003 was named a Section. This section has benefitted from the leadership and participation of inspiring Latinas such as Drs. Oliva Espin, Hortensia Amaro, Maryann Santos de Barona, Cynthia de las Fuentes, Alberta M. Gloria, and Rachel Navarro. I hold deep admiration for the work of these women and their dedication to developing and advancing feminist approaches to Hispanic/Latina women and psychology. They are an inspiration to all.

It has been such an honor to lead Section III this year and to work with such innovative women on the executive committee of Division 35. We are excited about the potential of our section and have expanded the leadership to include a Membership Chair and Student Co-representatives. These three women are working hard to get the word out about Section III and to develop more opportunities for networking at the APA convention and on our Section III Listserv^®.