Regional Update Spring 2016 

Edited by Regina Langhout
Regional Network Coordinator
University of California at Santa Cruz
(langhout@ucsc.edu)

Happy spring! With this column, I would like to thank the following Midwest Student Regional Coordinators, who have finished their terms: Jaclyn Houston, and Abigail Brown, both from DePaul University. Also, welcome to two new Midwest folks: Regional Coordinator Amber Williams, from National Louis University, and Student Regional Coordinator Taylor Thorpe, from DePaul University. In this issue, I want to draw your attention especially to the work happening in the Southeast Region. That region has been doing a really great job of figuring out how to stay connected in between regional meetings.

NORTHEAST REGION, U.S.

Regional Coordinators
Bronwyn Hunter, bronwyn.hunter@yale.edu, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Christopher Beasley, cbeasley2@washcoll.edu, Washington College
Melissa Whitson, mwhitson@newhaven.edu, University of New Haven

Graduate Student Coordinator
Andrew Martinez, andrewmartinez78@yahoo.com, DePaul University

Undergraduate Student Coordinator
Emily Stecker, estecker2@washcoll.edu, Washington College

News from the Northeast
Written by Melissa Whitson

We recently convened at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association in New York on March 3-5. For the SCRA division of this conference, we had a wonderful program, which included two days devoted to Community Psychology presentations. Our “SCRA days” included 15 posters and 8 symposia/roundtables. We had our social event on the Saturday evening and gave out awards to undergraduate and graduate students for poster presentations. SCRA’s representation at EPA is growing, and it was a great time seeing colleagues and networking with folks from across the East Coast!

If you are interested in serving as a student-level coordinator, please email Bronwyn Hunter at bhunter@umbc.edu. Coordinators serve three year terms and provide regional leadership and guidance to the processes of membership development, activities, and communication.

WEST REGION, U.S.

Regional Coordinators
3rd Year: Lauren Lichty, LLichty@uwb.edu; University of Washington at Bothell
3rd Year: Eylin Palamaro Munsell, epalamar@asu.edu; Arizona State University
2nd Year: Emma Ogley-Oliver, eogleyoliver@marymountcalifornia.edu; Marymount California University

Student Regional Coordinators
Graduate: Angela Nguyen, angelanguyen@ucsc.edu; University of California, Santa Cruz
Undergraduate: Brittney Weber, Brittney.Weber@asu.edu; Arizona State University

News from the Bay Area
Written by Angela Nguyen

The network of Bay Area community psychologists and colleagues from other fields will be meeting again this Spring for an informal colloquium. The group generally consists of community and clinical psychologists, public health researchers, community workers, and others with interests in community-based research and intervention. The goal of our network is to provide a forum to informally discuss work in progress, network with other community practitioners, and provide an exchange of ideas related to community intervention work. The larger group generally meets twice a year, once in Fall and once in Spring, alternating between the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Santa Cruz. Our upcoming meeting will be held at the University of California, Santa Cruz. If you are interested in attending and/or presenting at one of our meetings, or if you would like to be on our mailing list to receive more updates, please email Angela Nguyen (angelanguyen@ucsc.edu) and Erin Ellison (eellison@ucsc.edu).

News from the Northwest
Written by Lauren Lichty

The 2015 Community Research and Action in the West (CRA-W) conference was hosted by the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (IAS) at University of Washington Bothell and co-chaired by Assistant Professors Lauren Lichty and Charlie Collins. Over 100 community-engaged social justice scholar-practitioners attended, including undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty members, university staff, and members of community-based organizations. The conference theme, “Breaking Boundaries through Community-engaged Social Justice Work,” was well represented in the more than 30 peer-reviewed conference sessions.  Keynote Brad Olson, PhD, of National Louis University delivered an address titled “Insularity, Injustice, and the Necessity of Interdisciplinarity to Socially-Just ‘Disciplines’: The Case of the APA, Interrogations, Torture, and the Hoffman Report,” sponsored by IAS and the Center for Human Rights at University of Washington. Thank you to all who participated!

SOUTHEAST REGION, U.S.

Regional Coordinators
Sarah L. Desmarais, sdesmarais@ncsu.edu; North Carolina State University
Winnie Chan, wchan1@gsu.edu; Georgia State University
Pam Imm, pamimm@windstream.net; Community Psychologist, Independent Practice, Lexington SC
Candalyn Rade, cbrade@ncsu.edu; North Carolina State University
Jaimelee Mihalski, jmihalsk@uncc.edu; University of North Carolina-Charlotte
Dominique Thomas, dthomas60@student.gsu.edu; Georgia State University
Susie Paterson, University of Miami

SE Regional Update
Written by Candalyn Rade

We are in our third year of work to build a strong and connected community within and across programs of the Southeast Region (SE) of SCRA. Based in conversations around the campfire during previous SE ECO conferences, we are continuing to focus on ways to build community within and between the wonderful and diverse community psychology programs in our region. As one way to strengthen our community and promote collaboration, the SE SCRA student representatives would like to "map the region" by creating an accessible list of the community psychologists in our region.

We ask that members of the SE region please follow the link below to complete a short survey about you, your work, and your research interests: http://tinyurl.com/SEregionmap. If you would like more information, have ideas on how we can keep the momentum going, or would like to become more involved, please contact Candalyn Rade (cbrade@ncsu.edu).

SE ECO 2016 Announcement

“On the Corner of Peachtree and Action: Empowering Communities for Social Change”
October 21-22, 2016
Atlanta, GA

If a tree falls on the corner of Peachtree Road and Peachtree Avenue (yes, this is a real intersection in Atlanta), does it make a sound? A similar philosophical question was asked over a century ago with the answers varying based on one’s knowledge of the unobserved world.  Too often there are community issues that are unobserved, avoided, or disregarded.  The purpose of the Southeast ECO 2016 Conference is to acknowledge the research and action taken towards social change. From Georgia State’s Sweet Auburn community to international level engagement, we gather to share the strategies, successes, and future directions of the communities we represent. Join us for the Southeast ECO 2016 Conference in the world city of Atlanta, Georgia, home of some of our nation’s greatest civil rights activists. Call for proposals will be sent out later in spring 2016.

SE Featured Student Award

The Southeast region is pleased to announce Tracy Hipp as the winner of the SCRA SE Featured Student Award. Tracy is a graduate student at Georgia State University. Her primary interest, both personally and professionally, is to improve the quality of life for sexual minority women, particularly those impacted by trauma and violence. She works to meet this goal through her research, advocacy, and activism.

Tracy's research is focused on the prevention of sexual assault and centers on the experiences of sexual minority survivors. Bisexual women are grossly and disproportionately impacted by sexual violence, yet little attention has been paid to the needs and experiences of this community. Her work uses an empowerment approach to better understand their needs and experiences, exploring and celebrating resilience within this community in spite of trauma. Tracy has conducted policy and practice-relevant research, making effort to translate findings for social change efforts. For example, findings from her thesis were synthesized into a policy brief and provided to the working-group responsible for the reauthorization of VAWA--resulting in LGBT-inclusive services through federally funded agencies. In addition, she has partnered with small, grass-roots organizations that provide life-sustaining services to marginalized communities, providing evaluation services that would otherwise be beyond the capacity of the organization.

This SE Featured Student Award is in memory of Alex Ojeda. Alex was a student in the Clinical-Community Psychology graduate program at the University of South Carolina. He was an active student member of SCRA and served as a dedicated graduate student representation for SCRA SE, committed to growing the region's membership, diversity, and sense of community. Alex was a valued member of the SCRA SE community and has had a lasting impact on the region's vision and growth. 

MIDWEST REGION, U.S.

Regional Coordinators
Amber Williams, amberewilliams1984@gmail.com; National Louis University
Olya Glantsman, oglantsman@gmail.com; DePaul University
August Hoffman, august.hoffman@metrostate.edu; Metropolitan State University

Student Regional Coordinators
Taylor Thorpe, tthorpe1@depaul.edu; DePaul University

News from the Midwest
Written by Amber Williams and Olya Glantsman

New Team Member

We would like to welcome a new member to our team – Amber Williams. Amber is a graduate of the National Louis University’s doctoral program in community psychology and is now teaching there. Her interests include: community engagement within the nonprofit sector, community-based participatory research, evaluation, education reform, and disability rights. She is excited to take on this new role in support of SCRA. 

ECO Regional Conference

The 2015 Midwest ECO Regional Conference Forwarding Inquiry and Action for Social Change was held October 23–24, 2015 by the University of Wisconsin’s Civil Society and Community Studies Department and the Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies (CommNS). The conference overlapped with a day-long event for UW’s the CommNS, which included a panel discussion on mass incarceration, a methodological workshop, an arts and community change workshop, and the shared Midwest ECO and CommNS keynote with Veronica Terriquez. The conference included formal and informal gatherings, a reception, a campfire, and a myriad of other events and activities.

Special Thank You

We would like to extend a special thank you to our student representative, Taylor Thorpe. This year, Taylor took the lead on the organization of the MPA SCRA 2016. Taylor was instrumental in coordinating the submissions, reviewing the proposals, accepting entries, and helping with the program. Taylor played an integral role in helping prepare for the upcoming conference.  

Upcoming Events

The annual MPA conference is just around the corner (May 5-7, 2016). The SCRA meeting at the Midwestern Psychological Association will be held Friday, May 6, 2016 in Chicago. This year we received 65 proposals (40 posters, 16 roundtables, 9 symposiums) 

Total Number of Presentations for the Past Five Years

Year	Posters	Roundtables	Symposiums	Total
2016	40	16	9	65
2015	43	20	12	75
2014	39	14	9	62
2013	25	16	5	46
2012	43	16	2	61

For more information about the MPA conference (e.g., lodging, fees, etc.) please visit the MPA website at: http://midwesternpsych.org. Also, plan to join us for the annual dinner, which will include the poster award ceremony, following the Conference on Friday night (http://exchequerpub.com/menu/), Exchequer Restaurant & Pub located at 226 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60604). See you in Chicago!

Community Psychology in Action

It’s never too early to begin thinking about tree planting and community gardening projects. Last year several Metropolitan State University and Inver Hills Community College students participated in the inaugural Red Lake Fruit Tree orchard. Students, Red Lake community residents and members from the Red Lake Tribal Nation planted over 40 fruit bearing apple trees, a wide range of cultivars from the University of Minnesota (i.e., Honeycrisps, Frost Bite trees). The trees will provide healthy and nutritious foods for many low-income families who are food insecure. The purchase of the trees was made possible through a generous donation from the Society for Community Research and Action and The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. This year we plan to expand our project and our goal is to plant an additional 100 trees with the support of tools and equipment from the Red Lake Dept. of Natural Resources. We need help from volunteers who would like to participate! Please contact the individuals below for more information. Tree Planting Dates: Friday, June 24, 2016 – Saturday, June 25, 2016. Contacts are Renea Charwood (ce7458xv@metrostate.edu); Rich Downs (richdownsjr@gmail.com); and August Hoffman (august.hoffman@metrostate.edu).

Announcements and information for inclusion in future Midwest updates should be sent to Amber Williams (amberewilliams1984@gmail.com).

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND AND THE PACIFIC

International Regional Liaison
Katie Thomas, mothercarematters@gmail.com, Antony Street Specialist Centre

Student Regional Liaison
Rahman Gray, rahman.gray@live.vu.edu.au; Victoria University

News from Australia/New Zealand and the Pacific
Written by Katie Thomas

Australasian SCRA Social Justice Symposium

Community Events:

The 6th International Community Psychology conference is taking place from the 27-30th of May. SCRA ANZP is offering a one-day symposium in Perth on Tuesday May 24th for students and others interested in socially just research approaches. We hope this will facilitate attendance for those wanting to do a stopover on the way to Durban, South Africa. The Symposium is entitled: "Mixed Methods for Socially Just Research." Similar to the concept of community barn raising, the Symposium will provide attendees with a portfolio of tested methods that would take months or years to be achieved alone.  Researchers who have significant experience in the field will present a concise folio of the most powerful techniques or resources for Community Activism/Research or Social Change they have identified over their career and some explanation of their use. By the end of the day attendees will have garnered a "toolkit" of excellent community research tools and good understanding of their utility and value. 

To facilitate inclusion, the cost will be minimal: $40 per participant and $20 for SCRA members. This is a great value for all but particularly for SCRA members. It represents a full return of the $A20 investment of a 2-year student membership and a great return of the $30 "electronic journal" membership for academics. Core components of the day will be the establishment of a network, mentoring and support links for members.  The symposium will be one avenue for providing those who have a passion for social justice with a social and informational support system. Please email Dr. Katie Thomas for further details and to be placed on the Symposium email list.

Film Screening Opportunity

SCRA (Australia/New Zealand and the Pacific ANZP) has received permission from Fork Films to present community screenings of Voices from the Frontline of Peacebuilding.  The Film Series focuses on female activists in situations of oppression with a focus on women countering violent extremism (CVE).  The screenings are part of a process to advocate for inclusion of women peace-builders in peace processes.  Each screening will be followed by community discussion and, in NSW, with a question and answer session with a panel of international experts. Tentative ideas for discussion include: global indigenous oppression, the gendered nature of some weapons of war, and so forth. Refreshments will be provided. This will be a Professional Development activity eligible for Community Psychologists to maintain obligations under the new Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the Psychology Board of Australia.  If there are other Regional members who would like to host a film screening or organize a Community Psychology PD activity, please contact Katie Thomas (08) 9339 3333.

Membership Drive

The Membership Drive Competition has now been extended to April 15. All members in the ANZP Region are invited to participate in the annual Member Drive. There are very few professional bodies offering the level of inclusion and resources offered by SCRA and for $A10 a year it is a great investment for students who are seeking career and internship opportunities.  This year there will be an award for the member whose enthusiasm and passion for Community Research and Action generates the most new members! To be in the running for the award (includes a $100 certificate and free registration for the upcoming Barn raising event), and/or if you would like some flyers for colleagues and friends, please email mothercarematters@gmail.com.  Email this address with the name of each new member you enroll to be in the competition. The membership drive will finish on April 15th, 2016 and the winner will be contacted after this date.

EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA

International Regional Liaisons
Serdar Degirmencioglu, serdardegirmencioglu@gmail.com; Cumhuriyet University, Turkey
José Ornelas,  jornelas@ispa.pt; Instituto Universitário, Lisboa, Portugal
Caterina Arcidiacono, caterina.arcidiacono@unina.it; Federico II University, Naples, Italy
Julia Halamova, julia.halamova@gmail.com; Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
Ronni.Greenwood, Ronni.Greenwood@ul.ie; University of Limerick, Ireland
Rachel Manning, rachel.manning@wbs.ac.uk; Warwick Business School, University of Warwick

Student Regional Liaison
Hana Shahin, hshahin@aucegypt.edu; The American University in Cairo, Egypt

News from England
Written by Rachel Manning

The Festival of Community Psychology took place in Manchester, 20-21 November 2015. The theme was 'Creativity, Collaboration and Community', with a focus on social change, wellbeing and community cohesion. Every aspect of the festival embodied the spirit and ethos of community psychology. First, there was an eclectic mix of participants, including professional psychologists, professionals from community and participatory arts, members of the wider community, voluntary sector groups, and the general public. Second, the venue chosen to host the festival, Bridge 5 Mill, is Manchester’s first (and only) Centre for Sustainable Living. As well as providing conference and meeting rooms, the Centre has an exhibition area and a sustainability library. It is also home to a range of social enterprises, charities and campaign groups, all working to create a sustainable world. With the help of volunteers, the Mill was refurbished with reclaimed and recycled materials, eco paints, and low energy fittings. With such diverse participation in such a unique venue, the potential for interesting and innovative workshops, presentations, panel discussions, posters, and performances was realized. Although there were too many to reflect on here, one presentation in particular struck a chord with me–the VoiceBox Inc installation. Voice box is a mobile, multimedia-interviewing aid for co-productive methodological practice. In this case it was used with individuals with histories of substance misuse in the UK. Audio-visual data collected from range of recovery and community-focused events were presented which, in my opinion, facilitated a deeper understanding of the recovery community as well as the realisms of the recovery journey. More details of the event can be found on Twitter (@compsyfest15) and or compsyfest15 YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Dp5XHj9rjA) 

News from Ireland
Written by Ronni Greenwood

Upcoming Events

The University of Limerick will host the Second International Housing First Conference on 7-9 July 2016. This conference is an opportunity for international SCRA members whose research focuses on ending homelessness to come together. The conference will feature a Keynote Address by Dr. Sam Tsemberis, founder of Pathways to Housing, and the winner of both the 2014 SCRA Award for Distinguished Practice in Psychology and the 2016 APA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Independent Practice. Other distinguished SCRA members featured at the conference include Jose Ornelas, Tim Aubry, and Geoff Nelson. The aim of this Conference is to share knowledge about research, practice, policy and activism and promote the international dissemination and sustainment of Housing First Programmes that adhere to the key ingredients of Pathways Housing First Principles and Practice.

Community Psychology Regional Conference

We are planning to host a Community Psychology Regional Conference in Autumn 2016, so watch this space! The theme of the conference will be “Building Social Capital and Capacity in International Community Psychology”. The aim of this two-day event is to build and strengthen networks amongst psychology educators, researchers, and practitioners working within the philosophy, principles, and practice of community psychology.