Asian & Pacific Islander Diaspora

PURPOSE

The overarching spirit of the API SIG is to recognize, promote, and celebrate the cultural diversity of Division 22 and beyond, specifically from the API community. We aspire to carry this forward through two aims:

  • The primary aim of the API SIG is to cultivate space and community for Division 22 members of API descent.

  • Secondly, the API SIG aims to identify and advance clinical, research, and advocacy efforts for people with disability who are of API descent.

GOALS

  • Cultivating community (aim 1):

    • To identify needs and challenges of rehabilitation psychologists and trainees within the API diaspora, and to develop and provide resources and support to address these concerns

    • Create and expand professional networking, mentoring, and career development opportunities for API rehabilitation psychologists and trainees.

    • Increase retainment and representation of API division 22 members and promote belonging within the larger Division 22 network.

  • Advancing API disability action (aim 2):

    • Promote work (clinical, research, advocacy) that impacts API individuals with disability. In doing so, collaborate with and join in community with non-API identifying division members who are engaged in this work.

    • Address matters concerning the intersection of API issues, disability and social justice via collaboration with other division 22 committees (e.g., Diversity Committee, Disability Identity Committee, Mentorship Committee) and organizations (e.g., African Diaspora SIG) and APA divisions and organizations on projects for which we have shared interests.

HOW TO JOIN

Send an email to either co-Chair requesting to join. You will be put on the group email list.

CO-Chairs

Erica J. Ho, PhD, LP
Email: erica.ho@aya.yale.edu

Jonathan Y. Tsen, PhD, LP
Email: jontsenphd@gmail.com

*A Note on Terminology: On this page, we use the label ”Asian American and Pacific Islander” (API, or more commonly AAPI), which has grown prominent in recent public discourse. This choice of label also follows the general principles for reducing bias surrounding language on racial and ethnic identities according to the American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual (7th ed). However, it is critical to acknowledge that “API” and “AAPI” are terms of convenience, representing a broad and highly heterogeneous group; these aggregate labels were created throughout the 1960s and 1980s, with the intention of creating a shared political identity for people of Asian and Pacific Islands descent, for purposes of consolidating civil rights efforts (Chang, 2013; Lee, 2015). We also recognize that there are other labels, and that labels are constantly changing. We strive for our SIG, and its name, to be as inclusive as possible of differing Asian and Pacific Islander heritages. As such, we both currently utilize the term “API SIG” and aim to maintain an open spirit of collaboration to meet the needs of this important group of stakeholders as terminology shifts with cultural growth.

References:

Chang, R. S. (2013). The Invention of Asian Americans. UC Irvine L. Rev., 3, 947.

Lee, E. (2015). The making of Asian America: A history. Simon and Schuster.