This is a Special Edition of the MAPACA Newsletter. The next conference is November 5-7, 2020 (Princeton NJ).
The Executive Leadership of MAPACA condemns the pervasive racism and violent acts against communities and persons of color, both the most recent events and those acts which frame our country’s history. MAPACA recognizes and denounces the institutionalized, systemic racism that has existed in America for centuries, and which continues to poison and divide our country and world. In our roles as scholars and practitioners, we are keenly aware of the importance of cultural practices and representations and how they reflect and shape the way we understand ourselves as a community and as a nation.
We call for meaningful change in the way our institutions treat persons of color, we condemn the mistreatment of persons of color, and we strive to be part of a global academic community that uses its collective voice to call for change. As our Code of Conduct affirms, “MAPACA is committed to providing and fostering an inclusive and harassment-free environment for all and does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, gender, sexual orientation, or any other factor.”
As part of our ongoing efforts to prioritize opportunity and equality within our organization, the Board of Directors of MAPACA is currently working to install a Vice President of Diversity. In the past year, we introduced two new areas, African and African-American Studies and Asian and Asian-American Studies, with the goal of creating more spaces for scholarship by and with communities of color. We welcome your reflections and ideas as we promote the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our academic community and beyond.
Mid-Atlantic Popular & American Culture Association (MAPACA)
PO Box 1358, Lansdowne, PA 19050