Dear NCFR Members,

As we grapple with our nation’s new political reality (see the Board’s statement on Project 2025 here), many of us may fear what is to come next and what this election means for ourselves, the people we love, the communities we serve, the scholarship we produce, the academy and our disciplines, and the institutions, programs, and services people rely upon for their very survival. For many, there is great uncertainty and unease; some are already experiencing increased threats, harassment, and a lack of personal or familial safety.

As a community of researchers, educators, and practitioners, we must remain steadfast and courageous in our commitments to supporting each other, our students, and the families we serve. We must continue to advance our understanding of families and translate our research to practices and policies that promote individual, relational, and family well-being for all families. We can also use our training and skills to support and help organize individuals and families under threat who may be seeking protection, care, and mutual aid, and strategies of resistance and overcoming.

Family Science can and should serve as a beacon, an exemplar of how to translate our knowledge into action and how to work alongside individuals and families to ameliorate societal abuses, maltreatment, and marginalization. In dark and challenging times, we can, and should, shine a light on how families have endured and will continue to endure; how families have resisted oppression, provided for, and protected one another; and what families need to thrive. We can use our knowledge to counter misinformation and fight against misogyny, racism, homophobia, transphobia, anti-immigrant nativism, and other forms of hate.

In the days and months ahead, it will be important to be there for one another, to document and share what is happening across family-serving and higher education institutions, and to use our varied positions of power and privilege to curtail misinformation, share what we know to be true based on our science, and take actions whenever feasible to thwart familial harms and better society.

We know the NCFR Annual Conference is just days away, as is our virtual business meeting (November 15, 4-5:30pm EST). We believe it is important to come together, and we hope that being together might provide comfort and community while we share our work and plan strategically for the future of NCFR and families in our new reality.

In our research, in our classrooms, in our communities, as practitioners and policymakers, may we do what we do best: share our knowledge about families, promote family well-being, and advance justice. And in times of uncertainty, may we have the courage to take action and uphold our commitments to those most vulnerable.

In solidarity and strength,

NCFR Board of Directors

Bethany L. Letiecq, President
Debra L. Berke, President-elect
Veronica R. Barrios
Kari Adamsons
Ted G. Futris
Alisha Hardman
Christi R. McGeorge
Kevin Roy
Yan Ruth Xia
Janeal M. White (ex-officio)