Across the country, and especially in places like the Twin Cities, we are witnessing intensified attacks on various marginalized communities alongside the expanding presence and occupation of ICE (United States Immigration and Customs Enforcementopens in new window). These realities are not abstract; they live in the bodies, families, and clinical spaces of our members and the communities we serve. We are witnessing and simultaneously holding grief, anger, fear, and fierce love.
Against this backdrop, the Division 44 Executive Board came together for our midwinter meeting. This year’s meeting was not only about the necessary business of the division; it was also about connection, grounding, and support during a time of rebuilding. Coming together felt especially meaningful as we continue to reimagine who we are and how we show up for one another. The intention to lead with compassion and care was not aspirational. It was practiced in real time.
Immediately prior to the midwinter meetings was the National Multicultural Conference and Summit (NMCS). Division 44 was represented at NMCS through the conference planning committee and presenters who shared their expertise, labor, and passion. One particularly powerful and moving moment came during the NMCS town hall. A group of students spoke with remarkable bravery, naming their fear in the current sociopolitical climate and their desire for more support from the larger APA and divisional leadership. Their courage and honesty landed deeply. We want to be explicit: we heard them, we believe them, and we are taking their words to heart.
Notably, Division 44 is the host division for the next NMCS, and we are thrilled that Lauren Chapple-Love, PhD, is leading the planning.
Our midwinter meeting itself was full and productive. We met from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday, engaging in thoughtful, at times difficult, conversations about the present and future of the division. We grounded ourselves in shared values of compassion, accountability, and care. The discussions, although not always easy, were necessary, and they were held with respect and a genuine commitment to one another and the division.
There is real hope for the future of this division. That hope is not passive; it is built through sustained effort, deep reflection, and collective action. Thank you for continuing to show up for our community and for the communities you serve. We move forward together, grounded in justice, care, and the belief that another future is possible.
In solidarity and care,
Nic