Regional Network News

Edited by Scot Evans – Regional Network Coordinator

Do you know what’s going on in your region? It is always a good time check out your SCRA region information on the website and contact the regional coordinators to see what is going on (http://www.scra27.org/who-we-are/regional-activities/). Has your region been too quiet these days? Get involved and shake things up! I’m looking at you students! Check out the latest news from the Southeast and Midwest regions of the U.S.

MIDWEST REGIONAL COORDINATORS (RCS)

Amber Kelly, National Louis University; Melissa Ponce Rodas, Andrews University; Tonya Hall, Chicago State University

On February 6-9, the Executive Committee of the Society for Community Research and Action met for the Annual Midwinter Meeting in Chicago, hosted by National Louis University. On Friday night, Yolanda Suarez Balcazar and Fabricio Balcazar opened their home to over 50 SCRA members for a night of dinner and mingling. Those in attendance included a number of students from National Louis, Roosevelt, DePaul, and UIC. As one of the attendees, Susan Wolfe, TCP co-editor, stated: “This was a wonderful and productive meeting. It was wonderful seeing so many SCRA members and Yolanda and Fabricio are really great hosts.” She is now looking forward to seeing everyone again at the Biennial. 

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL COORDINATORS (RCS):

Greg Townley, Portland State University; Mariah Kornbluh, California State-Chico; Rachel Hershberg, University of Washington Tacoma

The Southeastern Region would like to welcome Dr. Vanessa Volpe. Dr. Volpe will join the Department of Psychology at NC State University as an Assistant Professor in the Applied Social and Community Psychology program in Fall 2019. Dr. Volpe is an applied developmental health psychologist with a focus on the reduction of racial/ethnic health disparities by employing critical psychological and social justice lenses. Her research aims to explicate the processes by which and the contexts in which individuals resist and protect themselves against forms of marginalization (e.g., racism, sexism, heterosexism), with specific attention to the preservation of health in Black and Latinx communities. Dr. Volpe aims to work collaboratively with community members, employing strengths- and community-based contextual approaches to use research as a springboard for healing programming and policy.