Anti-Racism Committee

The Anti-Racism Committee (ARC) of the school psychology doctoral program at Minnesota State University, Mankato was convened to coordinate action related to the program’s official endorsement of the School Psychology Unified Anti-Racism Statement and Call to Action (García-Vázquez et al., 2020).

ARC Mission Statement and Tenets

The Mission of the Anti-Racism Committee is to plan, coordinate, and implement action to advance research, practice, policy, and education that will reduce racism. We focus on collaborating, teaching, and participating in service and scholarship that will engage in social justice and anti-racist action. We are committed to actively dismantling systems of oppression and supporting students and faculty from diverse backgrounds. We strive to reduce racial injustices within not only our program but also the university and broader community.

The Anti-Racism Committee is committed to the following tenets:

The Anti-Racism Committee acknowledges the need for meaningful conversations related to racial injustice that is systemically embedded within and throughout our country and communities. The committee commits to taking an anti-racist stand and strives to hold each other and others accountable for working to change the systems that impact diverse cultures in oppressive ways.

The Anti-Racism Committee advocates for graduate students, youth, families, and communities with diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences. The Committee actively stands against any discrimination and marginalization of graduate students, faculty, and the greater community.

The Anti-Racism Committee acknowledges that one must be aware of their own culture and acknowledge biases and recognize aspects of privilege that may lend to systemic oppression of non-dominant ethnicities and cultures. The Committee supports the idea that individuals should be active learners and strive to increase their cultural competency, which benefits not only the individual but also the greater community.

The Anti-Racism Committee supports a culture of inclusion by: 1) creating a safe space for individuals of all cultures to communicate ideas and issues; 2) including diverse communities/representatives in the conversations of actions that will impact their lives through literature and collaboration; and 3) recognizing intersectional identities and how they impact oppression.

The Anti-Racism Committee supports efforts to: 1) recruit, retain, and provide support to graduate students with diverse backgrounds; and 2) increase representation of diverse communities within the program, university, and greater Mankato and Minnesota communities.

The Anti-Racism Committee acknowledges that the movement toward anti-racism is a process for the individual and for society. As part of that process, we meaningfully plan our thoughts and actions, implement and act upon our ideas, and reflect upon the outcomes to determine the impact and effectiveness

Past ARC Activities  

• Hosted an Anti-Racism Workshop (Spring, 2021)
• Hosted an Anti-Racism Workshop (Fall, 2022)
• Published Annual Newsletters
• Conducted a Curriculum Review of Core Program Classes (Spring, 2023)

ARC Members

Contact Information:

Students and faculty who are interested in joining ARC or who have questions about ARC are encouraged to contact Kevin Filter, ARC Committee Chair, at kevin.filter@mnsu.edu