To All of My Supporters
 

The official APA announcement really brought it home for me and sent a sense of warmth through my body, a wave of awe at what it means to be chosen to lead in an incredibly trying time for the world, our respective communities, and the field of psychology. 

 

I am so grateful my colleagues elected me as the 2028 APA President. It means you are ready to work alongside me, collaborating on the Presidential Priorities I’ve laid out and the initiatives many of you have already indicated should be elevated to the level of priority based on your community’s needs. It means that you saw in me, what I see in myself: a hard worker, an action taker, a community builder, a liberation-oriented leader. 

 

You saw my experience and qualifications, but it was more than that. I know, because this was a highly experienced and capable group of candidates. All of us had long resumes. 

 

Perhaps you saw my vision and courage, perhaps you saw my care and intentionality. I showed up authentically as myself throughout this campaign season, so that you would be able to see those attributes clearly. 

 

But what I truly think won it for me was my team. You saw psychologists across career stage, age, sexual and gender identity, race and ethnicity show up with me. You saw the pride in their eyes when they spoke about why they were campaigning for me. You read their text messages, watched their videos, overheard their conversations, and in their endorsement, you trusted that I wasn’t just pretending to be someone who emphasizes togetherness. 

 

My team is absolutely incredible. They have supported me through 9.5 months of campaigning, the loss of my grandmother, seven campaign led webinars (and several additional webinars coordinated by other psychology organizations), the sprint of the APA convention, 26 statements to SPTAs, Divisions, Caucuses, and affiliated psychology groups, over 80 social media posts, weekly and monthly campaign meetings and events, and countless other aspects of this season. I was running with a group of champions, people who can easily lap me, and they kept me running at a healthy pace, in fighting trim, the entire way. I am so well supported, and that makes a President.

 

You see, the TITLE President is for one person, but the ROLE of President is team work. I’ve said throughout the campaign that leadership is a team sport, because I can know every step it takes to win, but no one person can execute that winning strategy alone. 

 

• Mystkue Woods and Alyssa Jones who designed my campaign materials and website 

• Dr. Brianna Baker who led my social media team

• Dr. Shawntell and Dr. Millicent Phinizy who edited the reels and posts

• Dr. Bedford Palmer, Dr. Tiffany O’Shaunnessy, Dr. Melanie Wilcox, Dr. Le Ondra Clark-Harvey, Dr. Evelyn Hunter, and Dr. Jameta Barlow who provided insight on my strategy and statements

• Dr. David Pascale-Hague and Dr. Roberto Abreu who connected me with SPTAs and Divisions

• Dr. Earl Turner and Dr. Chairman Jackman who facilitated my individual endorsements

• Dr. Destin Mizelle and future Dr. Kasey Vigil for coordinating my student strategy

• Jernigan and Association, Innopsych, Turner Psychological & Consulting, Hunter Clinical Consulting, Dr. Hector Adames, Dr. Jennifer Vencill, Dr. Amy Reynolds, and Dr. Joe Hammer for financially supporting the campaign

• Dr. Ed Delgado-Romero, dr. della v. mosley, future Dr. Rayven Peterson, Dr. Charmain Jackman, Dr. Bedford Palmer, Dr. Sophia Aguirre, Dr. Kiara Manosalvas, Dr. Jessica Jackson, Dr. Lauren Fogel Mersy, Dr. Ebony Butler, Dr. Justin Puder, Dr. Earl Turner, Dr. Aeriell Armas, Dr. Helen Neville, and future Dr. Lauryn Hoard for moderating and serving as panelists on our webinars

• Every person who took time out of their incredibly busy APA schedule to work my campaign table: Dr. Amy Reynolds, Dr. Cirleen DeBlaere, Dr. Jessica Boyles, Dr. Blanka Angyal, Dr. Joseph Hammer, Dr. Evelyn Hunter, Dr. Charmain Jackman, Dr. Delishia Pittman, Dr. Pearis Jean, Dr. David Zelaya, Dr. Josh Kellison, Dr. Jessica Jackson, Dr. Kristen Gonzalez, Dr. Tiffany O’Shaunnessy, and future Drs. Valerie Verty, Mahogany Monet, and Chandler Golden

• Kentucky Psychological Association, Division 44, Division 35, the APA COR Women's Caucus, Division 55, Division 39, Division 45, Division 38, Division 17, and Psychologists for Justice in Palestine for your endorsements.

• And everyone who played a part that I haven’t named, please charge it to my head and not my heart. Everyone of you played an essential part in my election. 

 

And most importantly, Dr. Alexis Jones, my Spelman Sister, my Soror, you were the best campaign manager and coach I could have ever had. Incomparable. Thank you for the weekly meetings, agenda setting, redirection, encouragement, co-visioning, coordinating, gentle nudges and reminders, emailing, researching, regrouping, and overall caring so much. I couldn’t have done it without you, and I am so proud and grateful I got to do it with you.

 

Now, as we know, these 9.5 months weren't even the real work. That was the pre-work. I hope I can count on the APA membership to get active, collaborate with me on the return to togetherness, and do everything you voted for me to do in the spirit of excellence. I am excited to work with and for you. I want you to support me and hold me accountable as I step into this three year season of transformation. 

 

Thank you!!! In the meantime, take good care!