In an effort to continue the dialogue on social justice strategies that began at the 2015 NCFR Annual Conference, the Inclusion and Diversity Committee (IDC) sponsored a special session at the 2016 conference titled “Social Justice Strategies to Address the Elephant in the Classroom or the Family Room: Race and Racism in America.” This session utilized ten separate roundtable discussions led by NCFR members with expertise in a particular area regarding race and racism in America. The topics that were addressed included African American families and incarceration; African American families and police brutality; Latino families and immigration; Muslim Families and Islamophobia in North America; Native American/Indigenous families and historical trauma; and White families and White privilege. We encourage members to check out the handouts and resources (ncfr.org/resources-idc-session-2016-ncfr-conference) from the facilitators of this special session, which may be helpful when engaging in dialogue about marginalized populations.

The session was attended by more than 200 people, and several attendees noted that they would like the session to be expanded in future years to accommodate more topics and space for attendees. (Many extra chairs had to be brought into the room, with one group eventually meeting in the hallway outside of the room because of the large turnout.) The attendance at such sessions suggests that the IDC is doing the necessary work to make NCFR, and the discipline of Family Science, more inclusive and willing to discuss social justice issues (racism, in this case) that affect family life in America. The NCFR Board of Directors has agreed to support the IDC in having a special session at each of the following five annual conferences, through 2021. The IDC looks forward to continuing inclusion- and diversity-related discussions, with the goals of transforming practice in teaching, research, practice, and family life, as well as increasing awareness of some of the many individuals and families who are underrepresented and marginalized. 

Through this series of special sessions, the IDC is calling for an inclusive, reflective, and productive dialogue that “provides an educational forum for family researchers, educators, and practitioners to . . . work to promote family well-being,” as stated in NCFR’s Mission Statement. The IDC also calls for action. We urge all NCFR members to strategize our scholarship, classroom activities, and/or professional practices in order to take advantage of “teachable moments” afforded by these frustrating experiences of racism. What role can we, as Family Scientists, play in changing this lived reality for families, for our students, and for ourselves? What can and should we do, both personally and professionally, to make our society more just and safe for all Americans? We welcome all members to join us in sharing their insights and ideas for future special sessions and to be part of continuing dialogue on inclusion, diversity, and social justice at NCFR. If you have suggestions for future topics that should be addressed in the IDC special sessions, please submit them to the IDC through our web form at ncfr.org/idc-webform. We appreciate your suggestions and look forward to continuing our dialogue about future plans for these special sessions.

The IDC also continued its tradition of hosting the Breakfast Meeting, a more casual venue for various discussions pertaining to the issues of inclusion, diversity, and social justice within NCFR. The breakfast was well attended by our members, as well as several members of the Board. The discussion centered on three topics: reflections on the special session, concerns about inclusion and diversity at NCFR, and ideas and suggestions from members about diversity. People who provided feedback reported being, by and large, very happy with the IDC’s Special Session. Members mostly expressed the desire for the session to be longer and to include even more topics on diversity and social justice. There were also several comments on providing concrete resources and materials for everyone to be able to use in their classrooms, in communities, and in work with diverse families. Many resources from the breakfast sessions have been compiled and distributed among members and posted on the NCFR website (ncfr.org/resources-idc-session-2016-ncfr-conference). In looking forward to next year’s conference, the IDC will continue to speak about issues of diversity and inclusion. We will continue to gather feedback from members and work with the Board to move the organization forward.

Additional members of the IDC include Thomas Blume, Miriam Muslow, Shann Hwa (Abraham) Hwang, Sandy Bailey, and Jennifer Kerpelman (Board Liaison)

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