In Psychology of Gender, my students and I discuss the historic “waves” of feminist activism in the United States. One prominent criticism of the wave metaphor is that it glorifies the peak of the wave, when widespread social change occurs, and largely ignores the valleys, when backlash and traditional ideologies take hold again and progress comes to a standstill or backslides. As scholars and activists, we feel the pull and danger of the undertow in our current political climate. How do we stay afloat and claw back our policy progress against the changing tide?

This is the question that guides the current issue of The Forward. SPSSI President Heather Bullock reflects on the destabilizing political climate of early 2025 under the Trump administration and on the work SPSSI has undertaken to raise our collective voice. She includes an emphasis on the social justice issues that will be highlighted at our summer conference (preconference on June 26th; conference June 27th – 29th). Our Policy and Communication Director, Sam Abbott, critiques the erosion of institutional protections and advocates for public psychology as a form of resistance.

Our membership is our greatest strength on the road ahead. SPSSI Membership Committee chairs Leah Warner and Lisa Rosenthal review the mission of the committee and highlight the development of a recruitment and retention plan informed by a comprehensive climate survey. The committee has prioritized goals to reduce barriers to membership and increase engagement, especially among early career, international, and underrepresented scholars. SPSSI-New York representative Harold Takooshian shares the regional chapter’s recent activities including forums on genocide prevention and global psychology events at the United Nations.

Our SPSSI Diversity Committee members (David A. Caicedo, Ahmar Zaman, Veronica M. Acosta, Jessica Cundiff, and Laurence French) outline the committee’s recent efforts to support underrepresented scholars through travel awards, mentoring events, and interactive discussions focused on equity in the current political climate. Our publications committee co-chair Jessica Salvatore shares many important updates, including their upcoming review of submissions for the call for Editor-in-Chief for SPSSI's Journal of Social Issues. SPSSI’s Courtwatch Committee is especially important as executive orders and other actions of the Trump administration are litigated in our court system. Cynthia J. Najdowski highlights the work of the committee, which monitors court decisions to inform psychologists about legal developments and advocate for evidence-based policy, including through the Judicial Notebook column in the APA Monitor. 

Our member columns offer practical ways to push back. SPSSI member Regina Day Langhout recounts her collaborative work on a policy brief addressing the psychosocial impacts of deportation and family separation. Her efforts helped influence local policy in Santa Cruz and continue to shape public discourse through community-based research. SPSSI member Abigail Folberg critiques the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives under the current administration. She calls for continued research into the consequences of dismantling DEI programs and urges scholars to resist pressures that undermine identity-based support systems. SPSSI member Chinchu C discusses how to translate psychological research into accessible, actionable policy briefs, particularly in low-and middle-income countries.

The work of our Leadership, Committees, and Members inspire me to keep swimming. I hope to see you in Portland!