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Professional portrait of S. Kent Butler, the 70th President of the ACA
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S. Kent Butler, 70th President of the ACA
Hotep! I am excited to begin my tenure as the 70th President of this amazing organization. My very personal topic for this year is “Decades of My Life”. The meaning of "decades" lies in the various milestones I have reached in my life. Speaking of which, it is an honorable honor to serve as President of the ACA for the next 12 months. This year ACA marks the 70th and 50th anniversary of the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD). I was 10 when AMCD was founded; life flew by magically and blessed me to see 60 last May.
By and large, life has done me good, which is why the previous year presented itself as such an anomaly. 2020 should have promised spectacular visions for our future. Instead, it has brought much drama to the world and the advisory community, opening our eyes to the myriad inequalities that plague our nation. Each day seemingly surpassed the next with unprecedented devastation and traumatic experiences. Unfortunately, these experiences came from human interactions – from people who treated other people poorly.
But enough about doom and darkness, because I don't think we have to stay where we are today. We are on the cusp of change and we have about nine years to make dramatic improvements in this decade. Given where we have been, I know without a doubt that we are on an upward trend and destined for transformative justice. Consultants united! Ready for #ShakeItUp? Well, join me in making a difference because I knock on you. We are the game changers, so knock someone else and begin the metamorphosis.
#ShakeItUp and #TapSomeoneIn are essential parts of my vision for the year. Each hashtag revolves around aspects of diversity and inclusion. It is time we, as counselors, sincerely embrace a social justice mindset that promotes community and creates equal access for all. On my journey to multiculturalism and social justice, I have found that the narrative is often taken over by fear and trepidation and that these factors often negatively affect meaningful communication and systemic change. I want counselors to provide the impetus to create safe spaces where people can openly and honestly communicate about diversity and inclusion initiatives related to justice and fairness. I hope that ACA, along with our divisions, regions, offices, and other stakeholders, will attempt to diversify leadership, shake it up a bit, and purposely get someone into the governance pipeline through serious leadership development and authentic mentorship.
I intend to create countless opportunities this year for frank and honest conversations that are not threatening. To this end, I plan to host a weekly podcast that covers all topics of the consultation, as well as (together with ACA CEO Rich Yep) to moderate a monthly Virtual Town Hall series that gives ACA members the opportunity to Get real-time updates on the current status of the consulting profession and a space to constructively express your opinions, concerns and ideas. I also have several task forces to announce (more on this in a future column).
Finally, I would like to discard the idea that ACA is sponsoring an "International Day" at the 2022 conference in Atlanta. I envision a one day experience dedicated to the participants simply wearing an outfit that is rooted in their ethnicity / culture. Throughout the day, the participants had targeted conversations that focused on their various intersectionalities. In fact, it would be cool to see this become a year-long endeavor sponsored at all ACA sponsored events. It would be phenomenal if the heads of state and government took advantage of this opportunity at ECB council meetings, regional and country conferences and other procedures.
The fact is that we learn and grow most when we are open to our diverse intersectionalities that affect us, intervene and inform us about the worldviews and life experiences of the other. If we touch each other's lives, let our imaginations run wild, wonder what we can do, and then take action, we can achieve anything. It just takes determination.
I believe that the journey outlined above can lead us to transformative change. As a consulting community, we must allow ourselves to seriously get to the bottom of the problems. I stand by you. As your President, I will open doors to important dialogues and provide ACA members with the tools they need to bring about systemic change. Together we will move beyond diversity and inclusion and actually create and implement a sustainable path to their achievement – a masterful plan that creates a beautifully woven cultural fabric that is truly representative of our communities.
#ShakeItUp and #TapSomeoneIn.
