You are meant to live as yourself

MInority Fellowship Program Leader Spotlight

Sherry C. Wang

Associate Dean of DEI in the School of Education and Counseling Psychology, Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology, Santa Clara University

Alumna,  Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (MHSAS) Fellowship, Psychology Summer Institute (PSI)

What was your biggest takeaway from your MFP experience?

My biggest takeaway from the MFP experience was the importance of community and having the support, mentorship, and leadership of those who have the experience as well as the shared values of advocating for minoritized groups and communities.

How did you apply your MFP learnings to your life and your career?

The MFP experience showed me the importance of cultivating a pipeline, and the value of systematizing opportunities and pathways for minoritized scientists and scholars so that when I have the power to build opportunities, that I think in a much bigger way about sustainability and building generational and intergenerational pathways for minoritized groups and communities.

What's the best leadership advice you've ever received?

The best leadership advice I received was from two past APA presidents and LDI alumni, Melba (Vasquez) and Rosie (Phillips Bingham), who looked me in the eye and told me to take care of myself and prioritize self-care in social justice work.

What advice would you give to aspiring psychology leaders from underrepresented communities?

The advice I would give to aspiring psychology leaders from underrepresented communities is to keep doing work that is meaningful to you (and your community) even if it might be discouraged, dismissed, and even shamed by the larger society. Throughout my career, there has been a lot of judgment on what it means for me to focus on qualitative and mixed methods research, as well as questioning about my decision to specifically focus on the mental health experiences and needs of People of Color. These naysayers have not been members of underrepresented groups or communities, did not know how to do qualitative research, and judged my work, not because my focus was inferior, but because of their own ignorance.

What can you share with MFP alumni and prospective MFP participants about what you learned about yourself through the program?

I read an amazing quote the other day, on the front of card, and it said: "You are not meant to live like the others. You are meant to live as yourself." That resonates with me professionally in terms of how I have chosen to pursue my career, from the decisions I have made, to the priorities I have chosen. Stay true to you because you are the culmination of your ancestors and the voice of your community. You will know what's best. This is the confidence I have gained over the years to be unapologetic about the work that I do.