Youth Equity Project Researchers Led Society for Research in Child Development Antiracism Summit
June 17, 2024 - Emily Jodway
Researchers from the MSU Youth Equity Project recently traveled to Panama to participate in the Society for Research in Child Development’s inaugural summit. The “SRCD Anti-Racist Developmental Science Summit: Transforming Research, Practices and Policies” brought together expert voices from distinguished universities and research centers around the world to address critical issues related to racial equity and justice in developmental science.
Youth Equity Project Director Dr. Emilie Smith was co-organizer of the event, along with Dr. Velma McBride Murray, a University Distinguished Professor in Health Policy and Human and Organizational Development in Vanderbilt’s School of Medicine and Peabody College, respectively. Dr. Smith is a Professor of Human Development and Family Studies and a College of Social Science Distinguished Scholar.
“I am honored to co-chair this inaugural Society for Research on Child Development Summit on Antiracist Developmental Science,” Smith commented. “Our goal was to advance research, policy and community-engaged practices in interdisciplinary, transformative, systemic, and solution-focused ways.”
Several researchers from the College of Social Science and YEP were invited to present as part of the summit’s programming. Dr. Smith was part of a presentation along with Simone Bibbs and Dr. Deborah Johnson, both fellow faculty in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS), titled “Out of the Mouths of Babes: Centering the Voices of Black Children’s Resistance and Resilience in the Face of Discrimination.”
Also from HDFS, Assistant Professor Yjie Wang participated in a pair of presentations, one with doctoral candidate Youchan Zhang titled, “Ethnic/Racial Discrimination and Substance Use Intention in Early Adolescence: The Buffering Role of Sleep,” and one solo presentation,
“Disentangling Daily, Yearly, and Stable Associations between Cultural Socialization and Youth Outcomes,” in the Everyday Experiences in Asian American Racial-Ethnic Socialization symposium.
Caitlin Cavanaugh and Julie Krupa, both from the School of Criminal Justice, led a discussion on integrating anti-racist work into juvenile justice research. HDFS Associate Professor Linda Halgunseth discussed the future of the publication system and anti-racist editing concepts, and partnered with Yuan Zhang for a presentation titled, “Sport Participation as a Protective Factor: The Moderating Effect Between Perceived Discrimination and Psychological Adjustment in Latinx Adolescents.”
“We are proud that MSU YEP was a co-sponsor, and well-represented in this meeting for advancing work in health equity, child welfare, immigration, maternal and child health, and juvenile justice across family, school and community contexts,” Smith added. “These themes are all central to the mission of YEP, to reduce disparities and increase opportunities for marginalized youth.”
Read more about YEP and its efforts here.
