Aloha Friends:

The group of persons that met in Hawaii during the APA Convention was a diverse group. Despite our unique differences, we are bonded together by a shared value in promoting social justice through our work as psychologists and counselors. We also share the view that our contemporary society is manifesting what Linda Myers and other multicultural-African-centered experts refer to as a state of psychological and spiritual disorder that is pervasive in the contemporary, capitalist, militarist, profit-oriented society in which we live and work.

Our shared beliefs and value in striving to promote the sort of societal-institutional-organization changes that are necessary to create a more peaceful, just, and humane society it yet another aspect of our common bond. With all of this in mind, we are moving ahead to plan and implement concrete strategies that are aimed at achieving these ends.

Among the plans and actions we are moving towards enacting include:

1. contacting key leaders/organizers of the Diversity Challenge Conference, the Multicultural Roundtable, the National Multicultural Summit, and ACA/APA Convention planners to lobby for the inclusion of a multi-year plan in which Town Hall/Plenary meetings will be held at these meetings to discuss how the APA multicultural guidelines and ACA Multicultural/advocacy competencies are being implemented in the field and to solicit increased support for the implementation of these guidelines and competencies by other persons in the field;

2. the development of a state-of-the art website and newsletter that can be used as an organizing and mobilizing mechanism as well as an educational tool for members of this group;

3. Planning for the re-initiation of a National Dialogue on Race (which we hope can be initiated in early 2005); and

4. the continuation of the NIMC's nation tour which is entitled, "Promoting Multicultural Competence and Social Justice."

With all of these plans in motion, it would be useful to have those persons who plan to attend the upcoming "Diversity Challenge" in Boston during October to meet together to discuss these and other actions strategies that can be implemented to help build a healthier and more just society.

If you are planning to attend the Diversity Challenge and would be able to meet during that time, please let me know so I can let you know of the time and place where we will be getting together at that important professional meeting.

Thanks for your attention to this invitation.

In the continuing struggle for justice and peace,

Michael D'Andrea

Professor and Executive Director of the

National Institute for Multicultural Competence (NIMC)