APS Statement on Confronting Racism and Discrimination
The United States is once again confronting its history of racial discrimination and inequity. As we mourn the brutal killing of George Floyd and countless others whose voices still echo from years and decades past, we must now turn grief into action and loss into calls for reform.
From its inception, the field of psychological science has studied the causes and harmful impacts of stereotypes, prejudice, and disparity. We recognize the critical need to promote evidence-based approaches to address these and other societal ills. To facilitate this outcome, our profession now has a sizable body of research that can be brought to bear to understand the persistent racism and subsequent confrontations we are witnessing in cities and communities across our nation and throughout the world.
As an institution, APS is committed to promoting and embracing diversity and inclusion in all our efforts globally. We stand ready to add our voice and expertise to bring about positive change and to stand against injustice and racism in all forms.
We now must work together to transform this knowledge into actions that can confront racism in the minds of individuals as well as societal institutions. The ultimate goal is to enact needed reforms and break down barriers among peoples and cultures.
As a diverse, international organization of more than 30,000 scientists and researchers around the world working to understand all aspects of mind and behavior, APS profoundly respects the essential worth of all people and cultures, regardless of race, gender, and ethnicity. Inclusion and diversity are founding principles of our organization and core beliefs of our members and our professional staff. At this tragic moment, we must stand united to promote equity and justice in our communities.
