2023 VP for International Affairs Candidates Statements

Bongjoo Hwang, Ph.D.
Pronouns: He/Him/His

Q: How would your skills and vision help you to contribute to and lead SCP’s efforts to uproot anti-Black racism in SCP and beyond? 

A: It is an honor to run for the Vice President for International Affairs. If elected, I would like to contribute to the Division’s ongoing efforts to uproot anti-Black racism. We cannot uproot anti-Black racism or any kind of racism unless we continuously work together. Increased Asian hate incidents and police brutality of Black people are examples of how White supremist beliefs and structural racism are deeply rooted in the American society. My vision as the VP for International Affairs is to create a welcoming environment and sense of belonging for our international members. I believe my multicultural competence based on cultural humility helps me listen effectively to different perspectives and work on solutions with others. This capability comes from not only my academic and professional experiences but also my personal life experiences as a former international student and now an Asian immigrant in the U.S. I believe a key solution for uprooting anti-Black racism within our division is to make our division more welcoming to Black members so that our Black colleagues will find sense of belonging, which is the same for our international community or other minoritized communities. Thus, having the representation of Black and different communities within the leadership team and developing connection across different groups will be very important in our efforts of uprooting anti-Black racism or any other racism within our organization and beyond. I am interested in contributing to a systematic solution by exploring the following ideas: 1) equalize and improve the opportunities for representation and voices (e.g., multicultural slates for leadership positions), 2) work with the International Section to address anti-Black racism within the international community through education and activism (e.g. Creating Diversity & Social Justice Committee), and 3) help build connection and allyship between international community and Black and other communities of color.

Click HERE to Watch Bongjoo's Video!

Pius N. Nyutu, Ph.D.
Pronouns: He/Him/His

Q: How would your skills and vision help you to contribute to and lead SCP’s efforts to uproot anti-Black racism in SCP and beyond? 

A: I would like to share how pleased I am to see the increased focus within SCP to uproot anti-Black racism. I believe that for any meaningful change to happen, we must start by examining ourselves and own up to the part we have played in propagating anti-Black racism whether overtly or subtly. As a Black diaspora male, I have not only been impacted by racism, but also have seen the unique experiences of Blacks who are African Americans, and those who are immigrants. Growing up in a country as it was rising out of the grip of the British colonial government, I experienced firsthand the impact of systemic racism and how it may continue to be propagated even when people think that they are liberated from that mentality. I have also seen others in Africa being tragically impacted by racism, such as apartheid in South Africa and tribalism-based genocide in Rwanda, and then saw them engage in difficult dialogues and healing through truth and reconciliation efforts. I believe that we in SCP will only truly uproot anti-Black racism within our organization and beyond, by engaging in difficult dialogues that own up to our part in racism, and then work together to identify ways to move forward. SCP has already started making steps in the right direction towards addressing racism, especially through leadership making it a priority. There is increased discussion through conversations, presentations, and webinars. The face of leadership is now becoming more diverse. It is, however, easy to assume we have reached our goals when we elect Black leaders, but the question is, have we truly changed? These are the type of discussions we need to continue having. It is time to design and take corrective actions, and you can count me in on engaging in these challenging conversations. 

Click HERE to Watch Pius's Video!