The Inclusion and Diversity Committee (IDC) is a board committee consisting of nationally elected NCFR members. As we discuss our goals for the upcoming year, we will be reflecting on our 2015 activities, including our sessions at the annual conference in Vancouver. We will also be working with the NCFR Board of Directors to reassess our mission and role within the organization to ensure that the IDC is best utilized within the organization. In the following paragraphs we discuss these items in further detail.

Black Lives Matter, Black Families Matter

In a time in which a non-indictment for two police officers who have killed an unarmed black child is business as usual, we mourn for Tamir, and for all of the black people who have been killed by the police without justice. In our view, this process demonstrates that race is still an extremely troubling and serious problem in our country and the criminal-justice system. —The family of Tamir Rice

In late 2014, following several high profile incidents, the IDC decided to write about the contentious relationship between law enforcement professionals and Black American communities; more specifically, we also called for dialogue within NCFR about how such incidents influence members' work as family educators, researchers, and practitioners. An article on this topic was published in the spring 2015 issue of NCFR Report.

After publication of this article, several more fatal incidents involving police officers and Black Americans occurred. Thus, the IDC, in conjunction with the Students and New Professionals, and sponsored by eight other sections, organized a social justice panel at the 2015 NCFR annual conference, titled: "Social Justice Strategies of Family Researchers and Professionals in the Age of Ferguson" (an audio recording of this panel can be found here).

Anthony James served as panel moderator. The panelists—Bill Allen, Curtis Fox, Antoinette Lander, and Bethany Letiecq—spoke to the packed room of almost 100 attendees about how their work—as family educators, researchers, practitioners, and advocates—has been affected by such incidents of institutionalized racism and how they continue to work for social justice in their communities. A goal of the panel was to provide an opportunity for NCFR members to collectively contemplate these critical issues as municipalities across the nation try to develop policies to address issues of systemic racism and social injustice. The very positive feedback from panel attendees included the following quote: "This was a great session that touched on the complexities of being a researcher and/or social justice advocate in the age of Ferguson. The panel did a great job of addressing the issue involving this and what next steps academia can make moving forward."

As the IDC outlines its next steps for the coming year and considers how to continue such conversations, we will be considering NCFR member feedback to our 2015 conference sessions as well as ongoing member feedback. Please share your ideas, concerns, and suggestions via the IDC webform.

At the time this piece is going to press, the IDC is intending to organize another social-justice–oriented session focused on issues raised by the Black Lives Matter movement, delving more deeply into how families and our work as family scholars and professionals are influenced by race and racism. For example, of great interest is how parents talk to their children about issues of race and racism. Our hope is that session attendees will walk away with tangible strategies and resources to implement in their work.

Moving forward: contemplating the role and mission of the IDC

In the midst of this conversation about race and racism, we at NCFR are thinking through our own issues regarding diversity, inclusion, and social justice, and how the IDC can help facilitate this process. In the coming year, the IDC will consider the points raised in the "Call for Action" letter (PDF) signed by several NCFR members. This letter raised concerns about how NCFR and the IDC are defining and acting on the term inclusion and thus about the mission and utilization of the IDC.

The IDC members applaud the NCFR Board of Directors for their initial step of a timely response to letter signers and for their memo to the entire NCFR membership on December 14, 2015. We in the IDC look forward to working with the NCFR board to ensure that the IDC is better—and best—utilized to help move NCFR forward as the premier family organization committed to the strengthening of all families. We hope to move into a more consultative role within the organization. As always, we welcome your input as we discuss the changing nature of our work. Also, be on the lookout for future communications from us as we keep you informed of our activities.

*Additional committee members are Soyoung Lee (chair), Ruben Viramontez Anguiano, Shann Hwa (Abraham) Hwang, Vanja Lazarevic, and Jennifer Kerpelman (board liaison).