My presidential initiative recognizes the foundations and history of D51 and intends to further this mission through an emphasis on the essential conversations we need to have moving forward: Creating Connection and Community through Courageous Conversations. Since conversations are the artery through which most human interactions occur, the focus is to unearth the most important conversations we need to have—with psychologists, teachers, parents, children, policy makers, and more—along with an exploration of communication methods.

 

My intention is for these courageous conversations to also occur regularly within the division so that psychological shadow issues (unintegrated aspects of the unconscious) in our organization can be surfaced and addressed. By building our own house on stronger foundations, we have greater opportunities to co-create more positive outcomes in the world. The hope is that, as Gandhi reminds us, “we become the change we want to see in the world.”

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Courage itself is not the intended outcome but rather a means or fuel to enact our most important prosocial values—like connection, compassion, love, collaboration, and respect. Oftentimes this includes an awareness that these values are being minimized, marginalized, or downright disregarded. In various committees, conferences, collaborations, and communications, we will explore how to make the greatest positive differences as we move forward together as an organization.

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Upcoming Opportunities for Courageous Conversations

 

• There is a D51-D35 panel taking place on February 12th at 1 PM EST. Intersectional Feminisms and Masculinisms: The Role of Intersectionality on the Gender Continuum. An official announcement will be coming out soon.

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• The D51 mid-winter conference and retreat (Creating Connection and Community through Courageous Conversations) is taking place March 12-14 (more information to follow)

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• There will be an ongoing group (every other week) at 11 AM on Thursdays where we will explore the courageous conversations that members are already engaged in or are considering

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• There is a D51 Zoom general meeting that meets every Monday at noon EST.

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• There will be a monthly Zoom interview series focusing on courageous conversations. The interviewees will be D51 members as well as other experts outside of our division that focus on courageous actions related to transforming/ending many of the isms we face as a society as well as building stronger relationships within our division.

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Stay tuned for updates.

 

I look forward to a great year with you,

Daniel Ellenberg, Ph.D.