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The Multicultural Counselor Newsletter: Mentorship Edition

Inside this Issue: 2019-2020 Executive Council…………………….................................................................................2-3 President’s Welcome……………………………….................................................................................4 Grad Students’ Corner………………………………………………………………………......5-7 Multicultural Counseling Development: An Ethical Mandate…………………………………...8-9 The Mentoring Relationship: An Inside Look at and Tips for Effective Mentorship…….........10-12 A Mentor Who Radiates Hope……………………………………………………………….......13 Generational Mentorship & Constellation…..………………………………………………...14-15 Women’s Task Force and Action Items…………………………………………………….……16 The Mentoring Relationship: My Personal Reflection…………………………………………....17 Membership Updates and Highlights………………………………………………………...18-19 A Quick Look at Some Differences between Mentoring in China and America……………….....20 Call for ACA Conference Volunteers……………………………………………………….........21 Call for AMCD Mentoring Program Applications…………………………………………....22-23 Call for AMCD Grants and Awards…………………………………………………………….24 Call for Proposals for the 2020 AMCD Virtual Summit……………………………………...25-26

Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development Fall/Winter 2019 Newsletter

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2019-2020 AMCD Executive Committee

President:

President-Elect:

Immediate Past-President:

VP Latinx American Concerns:

P Native American Concerns:

VP African American Concerns:

VP Asian American/Pacific Islander

Concerns:

Regional Rep. Midwestern:

Regional Rep. North Atlantic:

Regional Rep. Southern:

Regional Rep. Western:

Governing Council Rep:

Graduate Student Rep:

Secretary:

Treasurer:

Parliamentarian:

President Emeritus:

Committee Chairs

Membership & Public Relations:

Communication/Media, Public Relations

and Professional Development:

Taunya M. Tinsley

Kim L. Hughes

Shon D. Smith

Margarita Martinez

Isaac Burt

Michelle Mitchell (Appointed)

Jung (June) Hyun

Michelle Kerulis

Delishia Pittman

Asha Dickerson

Sharon Bowles

Carlos P. Hipolito-Delgado

Marianna Oller

Noreal Armstrong

Letitia Browne-James

Kimberly Frazier

Clemmie Soloman

Tianka Pharaoh

Kristy Christopher-Holloway

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Strategic Planning:

Finance:

By-Laws/Governance & Procedures

Manual:

Nomination & Election:

Public Policies & Legislation:

Awards:

Mentoring:

Past-Presidents Council:

Ethics:

Day of Service:

Convention & Program:

Newsletter Editor

JMCD

Christian Chan & Michelle Mitchell, Co-

chairs Shon D. Smith, Kim L. hughes, & Six

Members (TBA)

Taunya Tinsley, Kim L. Hughes, a VP

Council Chair (TBA), the Letitia Brown-

James, Treasurer- in-Training, and one

member at large (TBA)

Kim Frazier, Chair

Shon D. Smith, Clemmie Solomon, &

Tarrell Portman

Shon D. Smith

Audrey Elion

Latinia Shell

Fawn Robinson

Past presidents of AMCD

John J. S. Harrichand

Dr. Juanita Barnett & Charmaine Conner

Kaye Cole

Raven K. Cokley

Cirecie West-Olatunj

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From the Desk of the AMCD President, Taunya Marie Tinsley Greetings! Welcome to the Fall 2019 edition of the AMCD Newsletter! Thank you Raven K. Cokley, AMCD Newsletter Editor, and Ashlei Rabess, AMCD Newsletter Editor Assistant, for putting together this wonderful publication. My goals for 2019-20 include publishing the AMCD Newsletter four times this year. In a recent Gallup article (September 18, 2019), The Board’s Role in Sustaining Company Culture, the following statement resonated: “Boards are responsible for the long-term sustainability and viability of the organization.” The article further provided leaders with insights that contribute to a successful culture that include the following:

• Leadership trust: I trust the leadership of this organization.

• Leadership inspiration: The leadership of my company makes me enthusiastic about the future.

• Disruption: We have the speed and agility to meet customer and marketplace change.

• Sustainability: My organization makes a significant contribution to the world.

• Mission and purpose: The mission and purpose of my organization makes me feel my job is important.

It is my hope that the AMCD Newsletters for 2019-20 contribute to the long-term sustainability and viability of the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, a Division of the American Counseling Association. A goal of the AMCD Newsletter is to communicate and highlight the work of the executive board and leadership team as well as the AMCD membership. Additionally, it is my hope that the AMCD Newsletter will contribute to developing a successful, healthy, and inclusive culture of the organization. We hope that you enjoy this AMCD Newsletter!

Taunya Marie Tinsley, PhD, DMin, NCC, LPC

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The Graduate Students’ Corner When tasked with serving as the AMCD Newsletter Editor, I presented “The Graduate Students’ Corner” to Dr. Tinsley and the AMCD Executive Committee. I envisioned a designated space for AMCD graduate students to be highlighted, celebrated, and share resources (e.g., conferences, networking, employment opportunities, professional accolades, etc.). The students that are highlighted in this edition of the newsletter are all Graduate Liaisons for various AMCD committees. If you are a graduate student who wants to be featured in the next newsletter, please send us a brief biography (approximately 100-200 words) and a headshot to be included with your submission. Submissions are accepted at amcdnewsletter2019@gmail.com. We look forward to featuring you! -The AMCD Newsletter Team (Raven K. Cokley & Ashlei Rabess)

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Jordan Mike My name is Jordan Mike and I currently serve as a Graduate Student Liaison on the Conference Planning Committee and the Communication, Media, Public Relations, and Professional Development Committee of AMCD. I was born in Miami, Florida, but was raised in West End, Grand Bahama in The Bahamas. I moved to the United States in 2014 to attend Mercer University in Macon, Georgia to obtain my undergraduate degree. I earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in psychology with a minor in creative writing; I am currently a second year Clinical Mental Health Counseling Masters student at Georgia State University. I joined AMCD in 2018 and previously served as a Graduate Student Liaison for the Ethics committee. My research interests are related to trauma,

specifically within minority and Caribbean communities. My goal is to become a counselor educator and researcher, examining disparities within Caribbean communities, as well as multicultural competencies within counselors. In my spare time, I really enjoy cooking, writing, and being outdoors. I am really excited to once again be able to serve in this position as a Graduate Student Liaison and I am looking forward to working, learning, and growing alongside so many amazing and inspiring people!

Justina Wong

My name is Justina Wong and I am from Los Angeles, California. I am a third year Master’s level student studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. I am also a Graduate Student Liaison for the AMCD Newsletter Committee. Additionally, I serve as a member of the Asian American Pacific Islanders Concerns Group. Outside of AMCD, I am heavily involved in my graduate program, other ACA divisions, and community organizations. I currently serve as a Graduate Assistant and the Student Residency Chair for the CMHC program at The Chicago School. I am also the Vice-President of Chi Sigma Iota, Theta Chi Sigma chapter. Additionally, I am undergoing training to become the new Editor of the Military and Government Counseling Association’s Quarterly Newsletter. I am very passionate about working with military veterans and I serve as

an advocate for suicide prevention among military veterans and active duty service members. I also serve as a Field Advocate for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In 2013, I founded a non-profit that works with military veterans and their families utilizing harm reduction techniques for substance addictions and recreational therapy for managing reintegration into civilian life; I am currently working on incorporating suicide prevention techniques into the non-profit. My research interests include suicide prevention among military veterans, death competency, early childhood trauma and attachment, cultural humility, grief and loss, best practices for working with military families who have substance addictions, and LGBTQ military veteran issues. In my free time, I enjoy baking, going to the spa, listening to music, and eating dark chocolate Kit Kat bars. I am a self-proclaimed foodie and love going out to try different types of food. I am also a boba connoisseur!

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Olivia Ngadjui My name is Olivia Ngadjui, LPC, and I am a second-year

doctoral student of Counselor Education and Counseling at Idaho State University. I serve as an Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) Graduate Student Liaison for the Strategic Planning Committee. My research interests include cultural inclusion efforts in education for K-12 and counselor education, crisis and trauma interventions, multicultural counseling, and social justice. Among many roles, I highly value my role as an advocate whether in session, the classroom, or in my daily life. I am from southeast Washington, DC, with a Cameroonian background. I received my Bachelors of Science in Biology with a Chemistry minor from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. I held several roles in student organizations and volunteered in the

community while in Richmond that later led to me discovering a passion for the counseling field. As a result, I hold a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The George Washington University. I served as president of the Rho Theta chapter of Chi Sigma Iota and found the clinical experience working in intensive outpatient programs to be highly rewarding. I also have a background in education, teaching K-12 in various subjects and supervising education initiatives. A

Kelsey Wilson Hi, my name is Kelsey Wilson and I currently serve within

AMCD Service Day Committee as Graduate Student Liaison and am inspired to be working with Dr. Taunya Tinsley. I am a second-year doctoral student in the School of Education Counselor Education and Supervision Program at North Dakota State University. My areas of specific research interests focus on African American female colleges students, spirituality, women’s issues, academic achievement and self-confidence, father-child relationships, and multicultural awareness. I have conducted research studies on The Causes of Extramarital Affairs, A Study of the Influence of Father-absenteeism on Stress in African-American Female College Students, and African American Female Counselor Educators Perceptions of Success to PhD Completion. Prior to attending North Dakota State University, I received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Stillman College, and Master of Science in Counseling Psychology respectively from Alabama Agricultural and

Mechanical University. Also, am a Licensed Preacher. I feel connected and motivated to do a passionate area with AMCD Service Day Committee members. I am grateful to have compassionate mentors within the Association and Multicultural Counseling and Development division. I look forward to the relational bonds I will form with AMCD members, and 2019-2020 Graduate Student

Liaisons. supervising education initiatives

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Multicultural Counseling Development: An Ethical Mandate John J. S. Harrichand

The College at Brockport State University of New York

To be published in the Fall 2019 issue of the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) Newsletter

As of July 1, 2018, the United States (US) was said to be home to approximately 327, 167, 434 individuals and approximately 40% are ethnically diverse (i.e., not white alone) (United States Census Bureau, n.d.). For counselors working with members from diverse cultural groups across the US, the current version of American Counseling Association’s (ACA, 2014 Code of Ethics Preamble states that counseling involves “honoring diversity and embracing a multicultural approach in support of the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of people

within their social and cultural contexts … [and] promoting social justice” (p. 3). Unfortunately, culturally diverse populations in the US continue to be underserved within the mental health system (Kress, Dixon, & Shannonhouse, 2018). This article highlights the ethical mandate of counselors and counselors-in-training (CCIT) to be competent in providing culturally and social justice-oriented care, and provide guidelines for meeting this mandate. The ACA (2014) mandates CCIT to obtain “knowledge, personal awareness, sensitivity, dispositions, and skills pertinent to being a culturally competent counselor in working with a diverse client population” (C.2.a, p. 8), along with sections A.2.c; A.4.b; A.11.b; B.1.a; C.2.f; and C.5. The Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC; Ratts, Sing, Nassar-McMillan, Butler, & McCullough, 2015) were developed to provide an informal roadmap integrating multicultural and social justice competencies for CCIT to provide ethically informed care. The MSJCC conceptualize clients using four developmental domains, including: 1) counselor self-awareness, 2) client worldview, 3) counseling relationship, and 4) counseling and advocacy interventions.

Hays and Mcleod (2018) recommend a systems approach in counseling culturally diverse clients, comprising six levels embedded in Ratts et al. (2015) MSJCC. Level one focuses on the individual CCIT and encourages their intrapersonal awareness, knowledge, and skills of self and clients, while seeking to actively facilitate intrapersonal learning. Levels two, three, and four correspond to family, friends, and peers, respectively. Here, the CCIT acknowledges how these groups exert significant influence on the identities of culturally diverse clients, and when appropriate seek to include these groups in counseling interventions in culturally sensitive ways. Level five encompasses community systems including educational institutions, healthcare systems, and financial resources. The CCIT seeks to connect clients and their immediate supports to community systems thereby providing access to resources, changing community practices, and increasing awareness and resources within the community, meeting the needs of diverse clients. Level six focuses on the historical systems, which are events in a community that impact a client and are culturally based. CCIT seek to develop multicultural counseling competence at the historical level by being aware of and seeking to challenge and disrupt norms and regulations that perpetuate inequities for clients who are disenfranchised (Hays & Mcleod, 2018). Multicultural counseling and advocacy are foundational to our work as CCIT; Ahmed, Wilson, Henriksen Jr., and Jones (2011) state that “cultural competence if first and foremost a commitment to take the next step, and the next and the next toward offering accessible and appropriate services for the diverse clients and communities being served” and this takes place when counselors demonstrate cultural sensitivity when asking questions while expressing “respect for different cultural beliefs” (p. 26).

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References Ahmed, S., Wilson, K. B., Henrikson Jr, R. C., & Jones, J. W. (2011). What does it mean to be a

culturally-competent counselor?. Journal for Social Action in Counseling & Psychology, 3(1), 17-28. Retrieved from https://openjournals.bsu.edu/jsacp/article/view/329/311

American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA code of ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author. Hays, D. G., & Mcleod, A. L. (2018). The culturally competent counselor. In D. G. Hays & B. T.

Erford (Eds.), Developing multicultural counseling competence: A systems Approach (3rd ed.; pp. 2-36). New York, NY: Pearson.

Kress, V. E., Dixon, A. L., & Shannonhouse, L. R. (2018). Multicultural diagnosis and conceptualization. In D. G. Hays & B. T. Erford (Eds.), Developing multicultural counseling competence: A systems Approach (3rd ed.; pp. 558–590). New York, NY: Pearson.

Ratts, M. J., Sing, A. A., Nassar-McMillan, S., Butler, S. K., & McCullough, J. R. (2015). Multicultural and social justice counseling competencies. Retrieved from http://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/competencies

United States Census Bureau. (n.d.). Quick facts: Table. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045218

John J. S. Harrichand, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, CCMHC, CCC is an AMCD Member and Ethics Committee Chair (2019-20). He is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at The College at Brockport State University of New York. E-mail: jharrichand@brockport.edu

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The Mentoring Relationship: An Inside Look at and Tips for Effective Mentorship An Interview with Taunya Tinsley, PhD, DMin, LPC, NCC & Michelle D. Mitchell,

PhD, LPC(PA), NCC By Ashlei Rabess, MA, APC, NCC

Introduction: The mentoring relationship between interviewees Drs. Tinsley and Mitchell began when Dr. Mitchell was a master’s student at Duquesne University, where Dr. Tinsley, a Duquesne University alum, was an internship site supervisor. Over the years, their mentoring relationship has developed through mutual experiences and lessons, and continues to grow. As Dr. Mitchell matriculated through her doctoral studies at the University of Central Florida, she began to mentor the interviewer, Ashlei Rabess, who is currently pursuing a PhD at Georgia State University. Please enjoy the following summary of a conversation about the multi-tiered mentoring relationship between three women in counselor education who have held various leadership positions within AMCD (President, Vice President, Graduate Student Representative). Tips for seeking and engaging in effective mentorship are also discussed.

Ashlei (A): What does mentorship mean to you?

Dr. Mitchell (M): Mentorship, to me, can be summed up by an article that Dr. Tinsley wrote in the Spring 2018 AMCD Newsletter. In it, she wrote about mentoring being a “mutually regulated experience where both mentor and mentee learn about themselves and the other person” (Tinsley, 2018, pg. 15). Relationship. Mentoring is all about the relationship. Many times, people don’t know how to seek out mentoring relationships and they end up going about it the wrong way. They might say to a potential mentor, “I would love for you to help me with ABCD….,” instead of expressing a desire to get to know the person and build the relationship. Mentoring is about learning from the person but also being able to offer them something too. It has to be reciprocal.

Dr. Tinsley (T): When I think of mentoring, I often think about the scripture Proverbs 27:17 NIV – “Iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another”. As humans, we are designed to be in relationships. Everyone, regardless of their developmental level, has something to offer another person. The individuals who I mentor help me to grow and it’s my hope that I help them to grow personally and professionally as well. Everyone in the counseling field has relational skills, as they are embedded into our counseling programs. Just like you would a client, take the time to learn about a potential mentor, build the relationship, and see how both parties can benefit from each other. It’s like that quote, “People don’t care what we know

until they know that we care.” It is the same concept with the mentor/mentee relationship.

M: Dr. Tinsley, I remember you once said something to me that stuck with me: “You kept me on my toes!” I honestly thought to myself, “I did!” I challenged her in some way, contributed to something; maybe I didn’t know exactly what it was at the time, but I knew that I was all in. And for those who may not know what they can provide, provide you. Mentorship should not resemble leeching.

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T: I like the word that you used, Michelle: reciprocal. When Michelle kept me on my toes, she was hungry. It’s important for mentees to be hungry, to want to learn, and to increase our knowledge. I’m not a mind reader. You must communicate what you need from your mentor. As a mentee, I’m also recognizing that my mentors are human. I check in on them: “How are you doing?” I am interested in mentoring those who are humble, ready to learn, and willing to develop a relationship. Also, it’s important to know who you’re reaching out to before you reach out to them. For students, you may want to check in with one of your own faculty members by saying, “I’m reaching out to (potential mentor). Is there anything I should consider when I’m reaching out?”

A: Those are great tips! What has mentorship looked like between the two of you?

T: Our relationship has morphed through a lot of different stages. I love group counseling and group theories. I would say that Michelle and I have gone through all the group stages, except for termination of course! We know about each other’s families, and of course each other’s professional lives. We’ve had to go through conflict as well. To expect for relationships to not have conflict is not realistic. But our conflict brought us closer together. There was a time when we had to give each other space to grow and trust that we’d get back together when the timing was right.

M: Ahh yes. I remember there was a time when I was highly dependent on Dr. Tinsley. I had never had a woman mentor who I kinda (sic) wanted to be where she was. There was a season where I needed her more than I felt like she was able to provide. But we made it through that difficult time. Like any other relationship, it’s because we put in the work, time, and effort.

A: Michelle, it’s so interesting hearing about your mentoring relationship with Dr. Tinsley. As a master’s student, I admired you and looked up to you just as you did with Dr. Tinsley. To the both of you, how have your roles as mentees impacted your roles as mentors?

M: My role as a mentee has shaped me as a mentor because it’s helped me to empathize. I think that Dr. Tinsley created a good foundation. I had the benefit of being under Dr. T from when I started my master’s program, so there were a lot of lessons I was able to get from her before I even attempted to mentor someone else. I have utilized in many ways, whether in supervision formally, in conversations, within AMCD, etc. A lot of the things I’ve done with you, Ashlei, were done with me (from Dr. Tinsley).

T: I wrote about this in my book that’s coming out, Four Quarters: A Cultural and Developmental Approach to Transforming Your Spiritual Autobiography. I can even go back to middle school. One of my English teachers was a mentor to me. I can also go back to high school, where two of my basketball coaches were mentors to me as well. Each of those individuals served a purpose. Whether it was for my spiritual identity, my personal identity, and/or my professional identity. One of my mentors always said to me, “Don’t thank me. Pay it forward.” And so, my understanding of my mentees is that each of them has a purpose in working with me. I understand that everyone is not a ‘one size fits all’. Each person has different needs.

A: And Michelle has told me that same thing, “Pay it forward!”

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A: What advice would you have for a graduate student looking for a mentor in the counseling field?

T: Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Being patient is another skill. Be committed to it and understand that sometimes mentoring relationships may have a nontraditional look. For example, it may be worth your while to consider a mentoring relationship that exists solely online, if that person lives far away. We have cell phones, video meeting platforms, etc.

M: I would say to put yourself out there. There’s no point of attending a conference if you’re not going to introduce yourself to that person or have a mutual person introduce you. That brings me to my other point: be honest with yourself and clear about where you are and where you want to go. I remember my first ACA conference, I told Dr. T, “I want to learn how to network. I want to learn how to talk to people.” And I literally said to Dr. T., “You’re gonna have to put me in uncomfortable situations.” I told myself that I wasn’t going to step out of my comfort zone unless someone pushed me to make me uncomfortable. In that moment, I was honest with Dr. T about what I needed in order to grow, and she was able and willing to push me in that direction.

T: Absolutely. I think it’s also important that mentees understand that mentorship is a process and happens in developmental stages.

M: It’s definitely a process to be developed over time and I think the focal point of that has to be the relationship. This isn’t just for graduate students but for new professionals as well. When reaching out, focus on the relationship. Consider the difference between the two phrases, “I want to meet quarterly” versus “I want to connect with you”. Nobody wants to feel like they’re being used. That type of relationship isn’t healthy. We talk about all these things as counselors. All those healthy things have to be present in mentoring relationships too.

---References

Tinsley, T. M. (In press). Four Quarters: A Cultural and Developmental Approach to Transforming Your Spiritual Autobiography.

Tinsley, T. M. (2018). Mentoring. Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development Newsletter Spring 2018, 14-17.

Authors

Ashlei Rabess, M.A., APC, NCC Doctoral Student in Counselor Education and Practice at Georgia State University 2018-2019 AMCD Graduate Student Representative Taunya Tinsley, PhD, DMin, LPC, NCC Owner, Transitions Counseling Services, LLC 2019-2020 AMCD President Michelle D. Mitchell, PhD, LPC(PA), NCC Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling at Wake Forest University 2019-2020 AMCD Vice President of African American Concerns

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A Mentor Who Radiates Hope By: Justina Wong

I am currently a third-year student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Online program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. I took a Leave of Absence from the program in 2018 when my father’s health started deteriorating and he was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. I returned to the program in January 2019, 10 months later. During one of our term Town Hall meetings I had the privilege of meeting Ashlei Rabess, who was the Graduate Student Representative of AMCD at the time. I remember listening to her talk about being more involved as a graduate student and using our voices as counselors-in-training to advocate for underserved populations. Her message stuck with me and I reached out to her immediately after the meeting ended.

Ashlei has been an instrumental mentor to me ever since. I was a bit hesitant to pursue leadership positions after coming back from my Leave of Absence because I did not believe in my leadership abilities with so many changes happening in my life. However, after emailing with her I found the courage to be more involved and use my voice. She was always responsive to every email and inquiry that I sent her which made her stand out as a mentor. I noticed that her messages radiated hope. I have sent many inquiries to different people within different professional affiliations and none of them took an interest about my journey as a counselor-in-training like Ashlei did. She cared about my growth and success. Every interaction with her was uplifting and I vowed to myself that if I was ever given the opportunity to mentor someone I would be their Ashlei. It has been over eight months since I returned to the CMHC program. Since reaching out to Ashlei, I have applied for the NBCC Minority Fellowship award, Emerging Leader awards, and executive board positions within different professional affiliations. I am currently a Graduate Assistant and I created the Student Residency Chair and Alumni Residency Co-Chair positions for the CMHC program. I also serve as the Vice President for Theta Chi Sigma, which is the CMHC Online program’s chapter of Chi Sigma Iota. I do not believe Ashlei knows how much of an impact she has made. Her messages of hope inspired me when I was in a difficult transition period in my life. Slowly, as I got more involved I began to notice that my confidence in my leadership abilities came back. I saw how passionate she was about multiculturalism and diversity issues. Seeing her passion sparked my own interest in understanding my cultural heritage as a Chinese American. I am using my voice to ask questions, learn more about my culture, and advocate for mental health treatment within Asian American communities. I have also taken an interest in researching helping seeking behaviors, mental health stigmas, and suicidality among Asian Americans. I am grateful for having a wonderful mentor like Ashlei.

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Generational Mentorship By: Dr. Asha Dickerson

I feel like it’s only been recently that I have been providing what I consider “Mentorship” to other people. I have been a full-time Counselor Educator for over 5 years and in the field for over a decade. Of course, I’ve given a lot of advice, provided supervision, and/or consultation to multiple counselors, and served in various leadership positions during my career. I was officially a mentor to 2 Counselor Educators in Training last year but still did not think much of it. A few months ago, though, I was tagged in a picture on Facebook where a former student called me her “mentor.” “Strange,” I thought. I talk to her fairly frequently and love to help her and see her grow but I never considered what I did mentoring. A few months later, I met with another

former student to discuss her progress and just make sure that she was well. She also tagged me as her “mentor” and so it was Facebook official!

It made me begin to reflect on how I had gotten to the point where I am now. I remember being a novice Counselor fresh out of school and having Dr. Michael Brooks agree to provide mentorship to me. I was not very familiar with the term. I had gone through both degrees independent and asking for no help, but I was unsure as to what my next steps should be after graduation. Dr. Brooks was my previous professor and he would talk to me about my career goals, work-life balance, and the possibility of going back to school. He helped me get involved with the Alabama Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, took my phone calls when I cried about how much I hated my 1st counseling job, and helped me get into a Ph.D. program. While I was in that program, Dr. Brooks was the President-Elect of AMCD and appointed me as his Secretary.

Fast forward 10 years, I served as the Secretary of AMCD for 3 years, Southern Region Representative of AMCD for 3 years, President of Alabama AMCD, Treasurer of Alabama ACES, Chair of the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program Doctoral Advisory Council and am the current President-Elect of ACA of Georgia. Dr. Brooks really contributed to shaping the leader that I am today by simply accepting my phone calls, supporting my goals, and appointing me to a position. At some point, during a conference, Dr. Brooks introduced me to Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji. He introduced her as his mentor and jokingly said she was my “Grand-mentor.” Dr. West-Olatunji became the person that I felt comfortable talking with about my struggles as a single mother applying for faculty positions and she provided additional help for my faculty search. In a conversation with one of my current mentors, who is increasingly more involved in AMCD, I referred to Dr. West-Olatunji as her “Great-grand-mentor” which made me begin to realize that we are all kind of a big family that got here by virtue of mentorship from someone else. We have some mentors that are life-long and others that we disconnect from for 1 reason or another. Some of us choose to mentor 1 person at a time while other have a family full of mentees. I felt like it would be interesting to look at my mentoring family tree and discover, not only how I grew to be who I am today, but also discover what I may have to offer future leaders. My hope is that my AMCD Mentor Constellation (pictured below) will help you all understand the importance of mentorship in your professional life.

Your ability to provide mentorship to another person has nothing to do with your age, income, or popularity. It is more related to experience, relatability, and commitment. Being a mentor takes more time out of your schedule and comes with no financial increase but can be rewarding in a myriad of other ways. Quality mentorship skills are taught and passed down like customs in a family and one is never too old or established to be mentored by another professional.

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Dr. Dickerson’s AMCD Mentorship Constellation

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Women’s Concern Task Force

The Women’s Concerns Task Force was created to ensure that AMCD is adequately addressing needs and highlighting accomplishments of women in the field. Our task will include assessment, collaboration, and action. The task force hopes to work with regional representatives as well as the vice presidents for ethnic concerns groups to mobilize efforts to advance the experience and contributions of women in counseling and counselor education. We aim to create a safe space for engagement, empowerment, and

Action Items

We want to support you by offering:

• The promotion of research and publications on women’s issues

• Tools to help with navigating legal and ethical issues in academia

• Clinical and classroom strategies for working with women

• Avenues of support and self-care facilitated by AMCD members

Help for the Next Steps

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (https://www.eeoc.gov/employees/charge.cfm) The EEOC describes the process of reporting discrimination. An important note: filing with the state will “dual file” where federal laws apply, so you don’t have to file twice. Their website also provides access to other resources that can help with time limits, lawsuits, and other issues. They also have a page that provides the federal definition of harassment and employer liability. Their website also has pages for national sex discrimination and harassment resources. State Definitions Every state has a definition, policy, and law regarding sexual discrimination, harassment, and assault. Workplace Resources Workplaces will generally have a discrimination and harassment code of conduct or contract. In a workplace, you can go to your human resources office about issues. If you don’t want to or can’t go to your workplace HR, you can go to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). At SHRM, they have people to chat, email, or call about questions or concerns about sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace. Call 1.800.283.SHRM (7476)

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The Mentoring Relationship: My Personal Reflection By: Dr. Glenda Johnson

I define mentoring as a person teaching, training, and guiding a less experienced person in a certain field. Using this definition, I feel that I am a born mentor who fits that mold. In looking back on my life, I have mentored others since I was a young girl. Beginning with my little brother and cousins, I would gather them together, line them up, proceed to do roll call and teach them what I learned in school (My little brother preferred to play, but since I was nine years older, he listened to me as did my two cousins). I took great pride in teaching them how to

recite the alphabet and count from one to ten. Another sense of pride came in hearing my relatives discuss, among themselves, that one day I would become a teacher. This self-appointed teaching/mentoring role has continued throughout both my personal and professional life.

During my professional career, in the K-12 school setting, my attributes and passion for mentoring did not escape my administrators. As a teacher of hard-of-hearing or deaf students, my principal asked me to mentor a new teacher entering the field. As a school counselor, the director of school counseling asked me to mentor four new counselors entering the field. These requests were indeed an honor, and I enthusiastically accepted the opportunities to serve as a mentor in a more formal role.

After completing my PhD and transitioning into the higher education setting, I noticed once again I desired to mentor others. It became very natural for me to engage in conversations and encourage doctoral students - I met at conferences, professional organizations, and church - to work diligently to complete their dissertation. One of those doctoral students, chosen by the National Board for Certified Counselors to participate in The Minority Fellowship Program, she asked me to serve as her mentor. I would like to share a quote from an email I received from her January 2019. “I will be starting as a clinical assistant professor at a university this spring!! I wanted to thank you for your mentorship and I was hoping we could connect again as I would love to gain your support and guidance as I venture into faculty life!”

Lastly, my desire to mentor others has led me to involve students, currently enrolled in our masters’ program, to present at conferences, engage in research studies and coauthor manuscripts with me. I find mentoring students to be exceptionally rewarding.

In closing, as I reflect back on my personal and professional life, mentoring has always come naturally for me. It has been and continues to be a passion of mine, and I look forward to continuing this passion throughout my lifetime.

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Membership Welcome and Highlight Greetings AMCD members! The membership committee is committed to assisting you with; staying connected, volunteering, getting the most out of your membership, reaching your professional development goals and much more! If you have colleagues, cohort-mates, friends or family that would like to join AMCD, please contact the committee at amcdmembershipinfo@gmail.com – We will have a few exciting promotions throughout the year for current members who recruit new members. There are several opportunities to meet your professional goals as an AMCD member so make sure you stay connected, reach out and volunteer. If you would like to share your AMCD experiences, professional goals and projects please contact the membership committee to be part of our monthly membership and branch highlights. We look forward to hearing from you soon! Cheers, Tianka Pharaoh Membership Chair

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Membership Committee Highlights

The Membership Committee is excited to celebrate ALL members! This month we are featuring Sofia Jasani. Hi, my name is Sofia Jasani and I am a Master’s student in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling at Portland State University. I also serve as the Secretary of the Oregon Counseling Association (ORCA) and am the President-Elect of the PSU chapter of Chi Sigma Iota. In the fall, I will begin

dual internships at Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation Services and the Helen Gordon Child Development Center. My research and clinical interests center the lived experiences of womxn and femmes with multiple marginalized identities, in particular womxn of color with disabilities. “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” ~Shirley Chisholm I felt like I found my community when I connected with other members of AMCD at the 2018 Institute for Leadership Training in Washington, D.C. I felt accepted and supported by this special group of students, professional counselors, and association leaders working

tirelessly to increase access to effective, culturally-competent counseling services for underserved minority populations, and I was deeply inspired to bring that energy back with me to Portland. In January I lead the committee to host ORCA’s first ever Counselors of Color Reception. More than 50 counselors, counseling students and counselor educators of color from Oregon and Washington attended. I also developed a scholarship called “A Seat at the Table” to make professional development and leadership accessible to counseling students and emerging professionals of color. As a 2019 NBCC Minority Fellow, my goal for 2020 is to create a state division of AMCD in Oregon.

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A Quick Look at Some Differences between Mentoring in China and America

Yunyun Zhang, Karen D. Cathey-Austin My understanding of mentoring has shifted since I came to

America from China. Recognizing that international students may view mentoring differently is important. Thus, others may learn from my different experiences of mentoring in China and America.

Currently, mentorship in China refers to the relationship between an assigned professional or mentor and a graduate student. Graduate students cannot change their mentor while in a graduate program; it's binding (Chan, 2000). Mentors are responsible for the growth and the development of students’ academics and morality. The role of a student's

mentor in China is as a master, a supervisor, and a patriarch. Thus, mentors play a role in students’ moral development (Zhang, Pei, Fang, & Zhu, 2010). In China we say, “Once a master, forever a master like a father”. Therefore, mentees in China talk to their mentor using deferential language. It is close to awe. Students are limited to making decisions about academics due to this patriarchal aspect. As a result, mentoring can contribute to students feeling a lack of confidence and inadequacy in their academic work. The mentor decides how to distribute research grants, scholarships, and living expenses, decides if a student, gets a job, passes or fails the dissertation defense or can submit a writing for publication. Students are submissive to their mentors, which can significantly benefit the student. So, a smooth relationship with the assigned mentor is especially important because students report directly to their mentor.

In contrast to Chinese mentorship, in America, students can choose their mentor. Here mentorship is flexible. My experience of mentoring in America has fostered independence and self-efficacy. It demonstrates the five positive types of advisors described by Noy and Ray (2012): affective, instrumental, intellectual, available, and respectful. My mentor and I respect each other. She appreciates my passion for my work, and I admire her knowledge and intelligence. She has very high standards for her students. The first class I had with her was tough. During my first presentation, I was expecting more criticism from her, since I had zero experience with the topic and language barriers, having just arrived in the U.S. Yet, my mentor, instead, encouraged and praised me. It also helped that she answered all my questions with endless patience. Even though I was worried about succeeding in the course, I trusted and admired her based on her high standards and dedication. She helped me develop the foundational knowledge for ethical and culturally competent counseling and scholarship. As a mentor, she boosts my confidence and makes me believe I can succeed. It was the first time that I was aware of the difference between American and Chinese mentorship. In the U.S., a mentoring relationship can arise from a shared interest, which can build lasting trust and mutual appreciation. It is the mutual appreciation that makes mentorship so valuable for me now. But what makes mentorship so valuable may differ depending on the culture of the mentor or mentee.

References

Chan, D. W. (2000). The development of mentorship programs at the Chinese university of Hong Kong. Roeper Review, 23, 85-88. doi: 10.1080/02783190009554072

Noy, S., & Ray, R. (2012). Graduate students’ perceptions of their advisors: Is there systematic disadvantage in mentorship? The Journal of Higher Education, 83(6), 876-914.

Zhang, S., Pei, X., Fang, J., & Zhu, Y. (2010). The history and future of mentorship in the graduate program in China. Academic Degrees & Graduate Education, 11, 17-21.

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Help Wanted: ACA Conference Volunteers Needed

The conference chair, Dr. Kaye Cole, is seeking volunteers who enjoy event planning and coordination or who are looking to volunteer with AMCD in some capacity. Volunteers (including point people) are needed in the following areas:

1. "Day of" Coordination or "D-DAY" Team – oversees and executes AMCD events on the day of events

2. Event Planning Team – handles event planning and details with committee chair – (1) AMCD Reception and (2) AMCD Luncheon (Point Person Role – Filled)

3. Sponsorship Team – locates sponsorship opportunities by leveraging current business or personal relationships to secure sponsorships for AMCD events

4. Entertainment Team – responsible for coordinating music/entertainment with chair & executes "day of" plans

5. Promotional Material Development Team – develops AMCD luncheon/reception promotional materials for membership, social media accounts, and AMCD newsletter

If you are interested or know someone who might be, please don't hesitate to contact Dr. Kaye Cole at kaye-cole@uiowa.edu.

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Call for AMCD Mentoring Program Applications The Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) is now accepting applications for the 2020 Mentoring Program. Each year, AMCD Mentoring Program Committee selects 3-5 students/ new professionals to be AMCD mentees. The mentees are matched with a AMCD mentor who will provide mentorship by playing an active role in the mentee's professional development during conferences and throughout their career journey. Also, the mentors will assist in the development and creation of the mentee's Research Poster for the AMCD Mentee Research Symposium at the ACA Conference. Selected mentees will attend the ACA 2020 Conference in San Diego, CA (April 15-19, 2020) and serve as volunteers for the various AMCD sponsored events. Also, the selected mentees will receive full registration reimbursement for the ACA Conference and receive a AMCD Luncheon ticket. Overall, AMCD mentees will participate in the following events: Attend the ACA 2020 Conference in San Diego, CA (April 15-19, 2020)

• Attend the AMCD Past President's Reception • Attend the AMCD Graduate Student Reception • Attend the AMCD Luncheon • Attendance at your choice of AMCD concerns and regional meeting • Volunteer at the AMCD Booth • Volunteer at the AMCD Day of Service • Present at the AMCD Mentee Research Symposium

Two types of applications are being accepted for the mentoring program:

1. Graduate counseling students (e.g., masters or doctoral level) 2. New professional (applicants that have graduated with no more than 3 years of professional

experience) To be eligible for the Mentoring Program, applicants must: (a) Be an AMCD member (must be a member at the time you submit your application packet) (b) Be a graduate student or a new professional (c) Submit an application packet - Due by December 15th

• Application Cover Sheet (see attached) • Letter of Interest

o A 1-page document highlighting the reasons why you are interested in being an AMCD Mentee

• Letter of Support from a current AMCD member o The letter must show knowledge of AMCD and include reference to your proposed

research and your need for mentorship • Graduate Students Only – Letter from your advisor verifying graduate status • Submit a Research Proposal

o The research proposal should mirror a multicultural issue reflected in the mission and goals of AMCD. The proposal should be well-organized and provide a clear rationale, a clear population of interest, an argument for the need of the study, an explanation of methodology, and an idea about how you plan to analyze the data. Lastly, implications for the field of professional counseling and/or counselor education and supervision should be explored. The proposal should adhere to APA 6th edition guidelines, and be no longer than two (2) pages in length, single-spaced.

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Application materials must be received by December 15, 2019 - 11:59pm (EST) Email your application materials (in one document) to the AMCD Mentoring Program Committee Chair - Dr. Fawn Robinson at Ftrobinsonphd@gmail.com All applicants will receive notification of the decisions by January 15, 2020. If you have any questions, please contact the following individuals:

• Application Questions - Masters Level Students & New Professionals - Contact Ashlei Rabess, Graduate Liaison - arabess1@student.gsu.edu

• Application Questions - Doctoral Level Students & New Professionals - Contact Shuhui Fan, Graduate Liaison - sfan04@email.wm.edu

• For general questions regarding the AMCD Mentoring Program, contact Dr. Fawn Robinson - ftrobinsonphd@gmail.com

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APPLY! APPLY! APPLY! The Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) is pleased to announce that the nomination process for a wide variety of awards and grants is open! The recipients of these awards and grants will be recognized during the 2020 ACA Annual Conference held in San Diego. In addition, these recipients and their accomplishments will be featured in the AMCD Newsletter and on the official AMCD website. We encourage you to nominate those you believe to be eligible and to share this call with others. GUIDELINES AND DIRECTIONS Please keep in mind that when making a nomination you will need to submit the following documents in a single PDF file: 1. Complete Awards/Nominee Form Below 2. Narrative (up to 2000 words)

● For awards: please describe why you or the person you are nominating is eligible for this

award

1. Recent professional experience

2. Contribution to multiculturalism

3. Awards and Honors

4. Publications and presentations

5. Leadership and service

● For grants: please describe what this initiative is and how it will further support the mission

of AMCD

3. Curriculum Vitae (2 pages max) 4. Two (2) letters of support (a description of the reasons why you think the nominee is deserving of this recognition.)

All nominations must be submitted electronically by 5pm PST January 20, 2020. All supporting documents are to be scanned and emailed as a single PDF file to the Awards Committee Chair, Dr. Latinia M. Shell at diversityworkscsct@yahoo.com with “AMCD Nomination” in the subject line. Other formats and multiple attachments will not be accepted. All nominations will be reviewed according to the guidelines and requirements as listed for each award. The Awards Committee will notify all nominees and nominators of the outcome by approximately March 1, 2020. For more information, please contact Dr. Latinia M. Shell. Click for a list of AMCD AWARDS AND GRANTS

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SUBMIT! SUBMIT! SUBMIT! The Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) is currently accepting presentation proposals for our virtual summit being held on June 24, 2020. The theme of the summit is Mentorship Through the Lens of Multiculturalism and Social Justice (Advocacy). Proposal submissions should clearly identify how the presentation content will address the theme and the following objectives:

• To empower counseling educators, practitioners, trainees, and related professionals across multiple disciplines with evidence and theoretical based strategies and best practices for mentoring racially/ethnically marginalized populations.

• To engage counseling educators, practitioners, trainees, and related professionals in interdisciplinary dialogue related to mental health disparities experienced by racially/ethically marginalized populations and/or unique cultural groups.

• To disseminate scholarly research on mentoring and leadership in an effort to promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and enhances cross-cultural relationships.

• To disseminate scholarly research focused on racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic concerns. Many of these prolific authors have showcased their works in the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development (JMCD).

• To disseminate scholarly research that embraces the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC; 2015) as a framework for counseling, advocacy interventions, and building strong counseling relationships.

In addition, we are seeking interdisciplinary proposals that focus on the development, human

rights, and psychological health of ethnic/racial populations. Especially as these critical concepts relate to personal, social, educational, political, and professional reforms of individuals within the United States and globally. To this end, we will utilize innovative technology that provides attendees with global perspectives from acclaimed international and domestic scholars. The aim of the AMCD Virtual Summit is to foster engagement among scholars, professionals, and students from a myriad of counseling specialties and other related fields. As the entirety of the Summit will be virtual, presenters and attendees will access the platforms from their own computers and from their chosen location. We are currently seeking the following session formats:

• 60-minute Education Sessions

• 90-minute Education Sessions

• 90-minute Panel Presentation The deadline for submissions is Sunday January 19th, 2020 at 11:59pm. Abstract proposals can be submitted through the following link: https://forms.gle/jbhLnQznQZBj9qRE8 Primary presenters will be notified of proposal results on or before March 1st, 2020. Questions can be directed to committee co-chairs Quiana Golphin (qgolphin@hotmail.com) or Jake Wheatley (jakewheatleylpc@gmail.com).

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