The experiences of African American women and Latinas are rich and complex. These women simultaneously bring healing, wholeness, and restoration to themselves and their communities. While they live with risk economically, psychologically, socially, and politically, they have also attained noteworthy ways of coping and thriving. Thus, the growing literature on their experiences highlights narratives of survival, struggle, and soaring. This inspiring book introduces the psychologies of womanists and mujeristas — African American women and Latinas, respectively, who have a broad and inclusive approach to feminism and liberation. Womanist and mujerista values and worldviews emphasize resiliency, strength, activism, self-expression, creativity, spirituality/connection, self-definition, and liberation of all oppressed people. As opposed to much general psychology literature that pathologizes or marginalizes the experiences of African American women and Latinas, this book centralizes their psyches and unpacks the underexplored areas of their historical and contemporary ways of knowing and approaches to living. The value of cultural and gender identity is viewed not from a deficit perspective, but instead as an asset and contributor to meaning, identity, and strengths. The authors of this volume are all womanists and mujeristas who are leading psychologists and scholars. They integrate findings from multiple disciplines to explore psychology, spirituality, creativity, activism, counseling, healing, research, and leadership from a womanist and mujerista perspective. Contributors Series Foreword Linda J. Beckman Introduction: Womanist and Mujerista Psychologies Thema Bryant-Davis and Lillian Comas-Díaz I. Research Womanist Research Karen Fraser WycheMujerista Research: Integrating Body, Emotion, Spirit, and Community Kysa Nygreen, Mariella Saba, and Ana Paulina Moreno II. Clinical Practice Womanist Therapy With Black Women Janis V. Sanchez-HuclesLatinasPoderosas: Shaping Mujerismo to Manifest Sacred Spaces for Healing and Transformation Alberta M. Gloria and Jeanett Castellanos III. Spirituality Womanism and Spirituality/Theology Martha E. Banks and Stephanie LeeMujerista Psychospirituality Lillian Comas-Díaz IV. Creativity Womanism, Creativity, and Resistance: Making A Way Out of "No Way" Danielle Drake-Burnett, BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, and Thema Bryant-DavisMujerista Creativity: Latin@ Sacred Arts as Life-Course Developmental Resources Ester Shapiro and Darcy Alcantara V. Social Justice Action A Psychocultural Exploration of Womanism, Activism, and Social Justice Thema Bryant-Davis and Tyonna AdamsMujeristas and Social Justice: La Lucha es la Vida Carrie L. Castañeda-Sound, Susana Martinez, and Josefina E. Durán VI. Looking Forward The Value of Promoting Womanist and Mujerista Leaders Melba J. T. VasquezConclusion: Toward Global Womanist and Mujerista Psychologies Lillian Comas-Díaz and Thema Bryant-Davis Index About the Editors Editor Bios: Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD, is an associate professor of psychology at Pepperdine University. She was the 2015 recipient of the California Psychological Association Distinguished Scientist Award. She is also a past president of the Society for the Psychology of Women and a former APA representative to the United Nations. She received the Early Career Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Service award. Dr. Bryant-Davis is director of the Culture and Trauma Research Lab at Pepperdine University and a past associate editor of the journal Psychological Trauma. Her work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, and she is the author of the book Thriving in the Wake of Trauma: A Multicultural Guide and coeditor of the books Surviving Sexual Violence: A Handbook of Recovery and Empowerment and Foundations of Resilience: Religion and Spirituality in Diverse Women's Lives. A licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Bryant-Davis earned her doctorate from Duke University and completed her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical Center. Her research focus areas include trauma psychology, ethnic minority women, oppression, coping, and spirituality. She is a contributing author to APA's resolution against racism, xenophobia, and intolerance. ESSENCE magazine named her among women who are shaping the world. Lillian Comas-Díaz, PhD, focuses her academic, professional, and personal work on multiculturalism, feminism, spirituality, and mental health. She developed a Latino community mental health program in Connecticut, was a faculty member at the Yale University Psychiatry Department, became the director of the Yale University Hispanic Clinic, directed APA's Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs, and cofounded the Transcultural Mental Health Institute. Currently, Dr. Comas-Díaz is a psychologist in private practice and clinical professor at George Washington University's Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences. With more than 150 publications, her recent books include Multicultural Care: A Clinician's Guide to Cultural Competence; Psychological Health of Women of Color: Intersections, Challenges and Opportunities (with B. Greene); Women Psychotherapists' Reflections on Female Friendships (with M. Weiner); and Women Psychotherapists: Journeys in Healing (with M. Weiner). |