Collaborative Social Justice Book Club

Psychologists have the opportunity to model the intersection of reflection, difficult conversations, and critical thinking that are needed to address the social inequities and multifaceted challenges that exist in our world today. As psychologists and psychology trainees, we need to be cognizant of the ongoing impact of discrimination on individuals from underrepresented groups as well as the explicit racism and implicit bias many of our providers and patients experience on a regular basis. In order to advocate for others and create an inclusive environment, we have a responsibility to further our own awareness and understanding of social inequity and the need for social justice reform in our systems. While reading independently on issues of social justice and diversity is imperative to increasing awareness, engaging in group discussions offers further opportunities for learning. To further the learning opportunities for psychology interns, two internship programs (LSUHSC and University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center) in different parts of the country joined together in 2021 to create a Collaborative Social Justice Book Club. The intent of the book club is to bring together interns from different life backgrounds who are serving different regional populations to discuss their reflections and responses to a shared book on a social justice related topic. The book club meets for six sessions over the course of the training year. Each session lasts for one and a half hours providing a total of nine hours of training focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in the form of reflection and group discussion. Faculty aid in facilitating conversation and providing a framework for the interns. 

Previous Books have included: