ACCTA Diversity Initiatives

ACCTA’s commitment to diversity is multi-faceted and longstanding and has evolved as the organization has evolved. This commitment initially took form at ACCTA’s annual conferences, as the composition of ACCTA membership became increasingly diverse. Members engaged in “difficult dialogues” across identities, challenged majority assumptions and worked to create mechanisms, such as the Standing Committee on Diversity, to ensure greater representation of diverse voices within the organization. ACCTA took on the explicit role of educating its members about the importance of respecting and valuing cultural factors in psychology training as well as in the organization itself. This commitment was officially integrated as a core component of ACCTA’s mission statement in 2001, which stated:

Fundamental to our values is appreciation of and support for diversity and the enrichment an inclusive multicultural community brings to the organization and to training generally. As an organization we dedicate ourselves to attending to the impact of oppression and privilege and are committed to addressing these issues within the organization, the training community and beyond.  

• ACCTA’s Commitment to Diversity