|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, Dr. Melba J. T. Vasquez has been honored by the |
|
American Psychological Association with its 2020 Award for |
|
Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to Psychology; and |
|
WHEREAS, A pioneer for women of color in psychology, |
|
Dr. Vasquez became the first Latina president of APA in 2011; |
|
during her tenure, she targeted issues such as immigration and |
|
educational disparities and focused on eliminating discrimination |
|
and promoting diversity; she has also benefited the association as |
|
a member of the APA Board of Directors and as a multi-term member of |
|
the APA Council of Representatives, in addition to holding dozens |
|
of roles on APA governance boards, committees, and task forces; her |
|
other leadership experience includes serving as president of APA |
|
Divisions 17 and 35 and of the Texas Psychological Association; and |
|
WHEREAS, Dr. Vasquez is a cofounder of both APA Division 45: |
|
the Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity and |
|
Race and the National Multicultural Conference and Summit; through |
|
these endeavors, she has worked to elevate and highlight the |
|
achievements of other psychologists of color, and she has spent her |
|
career mentoring and supporting psychologists from marginalized |
|
communities to take on leadership roles in and outside of APA; and |
|
WHEREAS, Over the years, Dr. Vasquez has published |
|
extensively on professional ethics, social justice, ethnic |
|
minority psychology, women's psychology, and other topics; she is |
|
coauthor of such works as Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling |
|
and How to Survive and Thrive as a Therapist, and she has written |
|
more than 100 journal articles and book chapters; additionally, she |
|
has served on the editorial boards of 10 journals and has been |
|
invited to be the keynote speaker at many events; she holds a |
|
bachelor's degree from Texas State University and a doctorate in |
|
counseling psychology from The University of Texas at Austin; and |
|
WHEREAS, The American Psychological Association and the |
|
wider field of psychology have gained immeasurably from the |
|
leadership, dedication, and vision of Dr. Melba Vasquez, and |
|
through her extraordinary efforts to advance equity and |
|
opportunity, she has exemplified the highest standards of service |
|
to her profession; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
|
Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Melba J. T. Vasquez on her |
|
receipt of the 2020 Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to |
|
Psychology by the American Psychological Association and extend to |
|
her sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
prepared for Dr. Vasquez as an expression of high regard by the |
|
Texas House of Representatives. |