Students Mobilizing the Anti-Racism Transformation in Communication Sciences and Disorders (SMART in CSD) originated in the CSD doctoral program at Penn State. We recognize an urgent need to increase racial diversity and equity within our discipline. We are committed to identifying and pursuing actionable goals towards that end. We also seek to expand our membership to master’s and undergraduate students in CSD and invite faculty members to join our anti-racism conversations in order to create sustainable change. Eventually, we hope to collaborate with like-minded groups in other departments within the Penn State College of Human Health and Development as well as in speech-language and hearing departments at other institutions. We also partner with National Black Association of Speech-Language and Hearing to ensure that our actions serve authentic needs of culturally and linguistically diverse researchers and clinicians in speech-language and hearing fields, are in coordination with current anti-racism efforts, and reflect the priorities of communities of color nationwide.
Our purpose is to increase racial diversity and equity within the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders by pursuing specific actions (1) to improve knowledge about racial justice among CSD researchers and clinicians and (2) to create opportunities in CSD for members of historically under-represented racial and ethnic groups.
Current action goals:
- Establish and maintain a public repository of peer-reviewed research and relevant non-academic sources related to communication and swallowing needs in culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
- Expand our membership to ensure continuity in future academic years.