This year, the Division 37 Child and Family Citizen Psychologist Award was awarded to Anjali Ferguson, PhD. Ferguson received her doctorate in Medical-Clinical Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2016. Within the last several years, Ferguson has created numerous culturally responsive interventions and community outreach programs for marginalized communities, such as the creation of trauma-informed resources and psychoeducational support for Blindian (Black x Indian) communities and psychoeducation materials that address South Asian mental health, anti-racism, and children’s mental health. In 2021, Ferguson launched Parenting Cultureopens in new window, a free research-informed, inclusive parenting resource intended to support parents, educators, and practitioners. The resources are curated by a team of early career psychologists of color with professional expertise in children’s mental health and lived experiences as parents. The platform has developed several products, including a culturally-responsive values assessment to assist practitioners/educators in family-centered care and a podcast series to disseminate information to families. In addition, Ferguson recently co-authored a children’s book, “An Ordinary Day” which introduces microaggressions to young children.
Ferguson will be presenting a webinar related to emerging literature on the impact o1f microaggressions on child development later this year. Stay tuned for more details!