Bringing Antiracism into Focus

This guide introduces applied antiracist developmental science and developmental frameworks that have been comprehensively integrated with antiracist principles. It underscores the importance of viewing child and adolescent development‑related work through an antiracist lens from the outset, examining how systemic racism, implicit bias, and critical consciousness shape human development, and emphasizes the need to cultivate an antiracist developmental perspective to promote equity in professional settings.

Anchored in the foundational bioecological model, this book extends to additional frameworks such as the Racism + Resilience + Resistance Integrative Study of Childhood Ecosystem (R³ISE), the Integrative Model of Ethnic Minority Development, the Multicontextual Model for Diverse Learning Environments, and the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST). These frameworks are adapted to confront racism and support antiracist practices.

Targeted discussions in dedicated chapters cover fields including psychology, PK‑12 education, higher education, and allied health. This book bridges theory and practice through case studies, practical examples, and reflective activities, demonstrating how to incorporate antiracist strategies into daily professional practice. It also delves into how community assets can be protective and mitigate the effects of racism, guiding professionals to recognize and leverage these strengths effectively.

This resource is designed for students, pre‑professionals, and early‑career professionals in child and adolescent development committed to incorporating antiracist practices into their work. It serves as both an introductory overview and a practical manual for applying developmental principles with an emphasis on reflection and praxis.

Alicia Herrera is Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Development in the College of Education at California State University, Sacramento, USA. Her research examines ethnic‑racial identity development within educational contexts, focusing on how educators understand their mediating roles in these Bringing Antiracism into Focus: Using Transformative Lenses to Reframe Professional Practice processes. As a qualitative researcher and teacher educator, she explores positionality, racial literacy, and the development of critical consciousness in professional settings. Her work supports antiracist developmental theory in practice.

Kevin Ferreira van Leer is Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Connecticut. As an action researcher, he examines the sociocultural and policy contexts that promote positive development and liberation for Latine immigrants and their families. He largely utilizes community‑engaged research, collaborating directly with immigrant communities to develop research projects around their concerns, build their capacity to conduct research themselves, and share findings for positive change.

Samantha Blackburn is Director of the Community Engagement Center at California State University, Sacramento. She received her PhD in Nursing Science and Health‑Care Leadership from the University of California, Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. Her current research interests are school health program administration, interdisciplinary education, and experiential learning.