Issue: Summer | Date: June 30, 2021
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Hello SBCAMFT Community,

I hope this newsletter finds you all well and looking forward to a brighter summer. The SBCAMFT board has been busy planning events and programming for you and are excited about incorporating some safe, in-person experiences for you. Keep an eye on your inboxes as we set the calendar and share the fun and enrichment with you!

We have received many questions about starting back up with in-person clients. Many members are also trying to figure out what kind of office spaces will fit their needs, and are looking for sub-leases or part-time rentals while they slowly re-integrate. Watch the e-tree to connect with fellow members, ask important questions or offer spaces to rent. Click here to check out these resources to answer your important questions about opening back up to in-person work. The CAMFT website is rich with resources and online learning opportunities as well.

As our world begins to open up, we remain diligent at SBCAMFT to offer education and support to our members as well as our diverse community. Our new Diversity Committee is working hard to support our structure and bring awareness and equity to our programming, Board of Directors and community relationships. 

Read on for more insight into racism and awareness of under-served populations. You will also find invitations to join our board either as a Director or a Committee member. We’d love to hear from you. 

Until next time, stay well and thank you for all that you do.

With Gratitude,

Kristi Miller
President, SBCAMFT
RACISM: LET'S TALK
Summer 2021 NEWSLETTER

Dear SBCAMFT Members,

This pandemic has brought out many things in our lives and in this country as well. Most of us have learned what truly matters and focused our energy on nurturing the values and relationships dearest to us. On the downside, the COVID-19 pandemic has also brought out the racial injustice and horrific hate crimes against the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Anti-Asian violence has surged over the past year but, unfortunately, it did not start there.

In response to the shooting in Atlanta, Georgia on March 16 that resulted in the deaths of eight lives, six of whom were Asian women, along with Chauvin's conviction that was shortly followed by yet a number of shootings of Black lives, we are turning our attention to the systemic racism that has plagued this country since the inception of its history. One of the most important ways to fight racism is to acknowledge it. We recognize that one newsletter simply cannot capture all the injustices that have been inflicted upon the BIPOC community. Thus, we will be dedicating one issue to each BIPOC group over the course of the next year. Our overarching theme for the 2021 Summer Issue and beyond is "Racism: Let's Talk." In the first of this series, we will be focusing on the alarming increase of violence against the AAPI community.

As a result of the conversations the executive board has been having, a Diversity Subcommittee was created to focus on issues pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion, led by our newly elected Diversity Director, Dr. Catherine MacGillvray. The aim of this group is to discuss the ongoing DEI issues within our organization and the counseling field in general, and how we can best provide programming and content that address these concerns. Please see the Diversity Subcommittee team below and the personal reflections provided by each of the subcommittee members on this particular newsletter issue.

If you haven't already, please follow us on our Instagram page @SBCAMFT. We are in search of a Social Media Director among other board vacancies, so please see below on how you can get involved. It's a fun and rewarding experience to be on the board of SBCAMFT!

As always, I am open to receiving feedback, suggestions, and ideas that you may have for future newsletter and Facebook themes so please reach out and share.

Happy summer adventures everyone! Stay safe and healthy!


With gratitude,

Nancy Chen Marden, MFT
Communications Director, SBCAMFT
Santa Barbara’s Asian-American Community Reacts to Atlanta Shootings
This article explores nine lived experiences from nine local residents of Asian Pacific Islander descent in our community. Listening is the first step to stopping hate.
Solidarity & Solutions: Asian American Women on Where to Go From Here
The AAPI community is hurting. Here, six Asian American women who are leaders in their fields share the solutions they believe will help stop Asian hate.
Six Ways to Be an Ally to the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Community
What does being an ally mean? Or look like? This article provides a guidepost on actions you can take on becoming an ally to the AAPI community.
UPCOMING SUMMER 2021 EVENTS
We are working hard at planning some exciting virtual and safe,
in-person events coming up in the Summer.

Please stay tuned for details!
MEET THE BOARD CORNER
After 15 months of meeting virtually, our executive board was finally able to safely return to an in-person get together on June 11, 2021. We are so grateful for all the hard-working and dedicated scientists around the world who made vaccines possible so that we can start returning to some semblance of normalcy. It was truly nourishing for us to get together and, for some, "meet" each other for the first time in person!
From the front, left to right: Kristi Miller (President), Nancy Chen Marden (Communications Director), Ashleigh Lamberti (Secretary), Claire Blakey (Vice President), Lauren Cumberbatch (Prelicensed Director), Jenn Kennedy (Past President), Anne Marsham (Membership Director), Jack May (Sponsorship Director), Jonathan W. Thompson, II (Events Director), Silla Siebert (CEU Events Director). Not pictured: Elizabeth Wolfson (University Liaison), Catherine MacGillivray (Diversity Director), Kathleen Killian (CEU Director), and Lillian Westley (Finance Director).
BOARD VACANCIES
Hello SBCAMFT Community, 

We have a few vacancies on our board and would love to hear from you if you are interested in being a part of the community and of the impact we are making.

Why join the board? Are you wanting to make a difference in the local community? Are you looking for a meaningful way to connect with other therapists? Perhaps you are wanting to grow your connections as you build your private practice? Joining the board is a great way to make an impact, be inspired and find community. 

SBCAMFT is looking for a Director of PreLicensing: The Director of PreLicensing is a one- year term, which is a great role for a current trainee, associate or recently licensed individual. This is a dynamic role that includes networking, hosting events, coordinating opportunities for guest speakers and is also a great way to build visibility and your name in the community. Key responsibilities include: hosting our yearly Road to Licensure event and coordinating quarterly local happy hour or coffee hang-outs for prelicensed individuals. This is a very fun and engaging role!

SBCAMFT is looking for a Director of Social Media: The Director of Social Media is a one- year term and collaborates with the Director of Communication and Director of Sponsorship. This role is perfect for someone who is familiar with Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms. This role oversees our social media outlets and orchestrates the content, posts and collaborations in our social communities. Ideally this role is perfect for someone who is a self-starter, familiar with social media and who enjoys creating content.

SBCAMFT is looking for a Director of Community Engagement: This role is a one-year term that works collaboratively with our Director of PreLicensing, Director of Community Events and other CE events and is key to connecting in the community. Key responsibilities include: attending monthly board meetings, reaching out to local agencies, universities and schools with flyers for upcoming events, cultivating relationships in the community and supporting our membership. 

Interested in applying? Email your resume and cover letter to Claire Blakey [email protected]

We look forward to hearing from you!

DIVERSITY SUBCOMMITTEE REFLECTIONS
Catherine MacGillvray, PhD, AMFT
Let me take this opportunity to introduce myself to our wonderful Santa Barbara CAMFT community. My name is Catherine MacGillvray, and I am a professor of languages, literatures, and gender studies, as well as a recent recipient of my Associate’s number—yay!—as an MFT.

Jonathan W. Thompson, II, AMFT, APCC
Since I am not in the AAPI (Asian-American Pacific Islander) population, I was initially hesitant to write this article. I was unsure if it was my place to do so, which led me to feel a bit uncomfortable. Sitting with this discomfort, I reflected on how society has made discussions about race and culture difficult and taboo.
Anne Marsham, MA, MFT
A few weeks ago, Nancy Chen Marden (our Communications Director) sent out an invitation to the SBCAMFT membership, asking us to share our responses to the violence against the AAPI community. I have been sitting on my response for all of those weeks, aware of an icy block inside that stops my ability to dialogue with others and even myself.  
Nancy Chen Marden, MS, MFT
This newsletter issue is a personal one. I am a 1.5 generation Taiwanese-American, born in Taiwan but raised in the US from the age of six years old. In many ways, I am “American” but not entirely. Growing up, I was keenly aware of the chasm between my Chinese heritage and the American culture in which I was educated and raised.

@SBCAMFT IS NOW ON INSTAGRAM!
Next Quarter's SBCAMFT Newsletter
In the next issue of our newsletter, we will continue with the theme of Racism: Let's Talk and turn our focus to the African-American experience in this country.

Please stay tuned for more details.