The Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA) has elected Moshood Olanrewaju, Ph.D., assistant professor of clinical psychology, as its president-elect.
Dr. Olanrewaju, who will begin his term in August, is set to lead SCRA — also known as Division 27 of the American Psychological Association (APA) — into a new era of community psychology. He will serve as president in 2025 for one year and as past president in 2026, guiding the organization in its mission to apply social and behavioral science to address societal changes.
“Since its inception as a division of the APA, SCRA has progressed in developing theory, research, and following through with actions — applying social and behavioral science findings to influence individual-social system-community relationships,” said Dr. Olanrewaju. “These make SCRA an ideal organization, a home for critical minds to express themselves and for radicals to lock arms with others to battle all forms of injustice.”
SCRA members are committed to promoting health and empowerment and preventing community, group, and individual problems. Division 27 promotes the field of community psychology through its values, practice, and research relevant to the reciprocal relationships between individuals and the social system that constitute the community context.
As president-elect, Dr. Olanrewaju said he hopes to serve as the organization as an ambassador and a diplomatist.
“Currently, SCRA is in a challenging position, where members find themselves in conflict based on differences of feelings and opinions,” he said. “But I know our goals remain the same — to identify and call out oppression and injustice in their universal forms, responding with action, and providing guidance without robbing members of their autonomy.”
Dr. Olanrewaju joined SCRA at the end of his first year as a doctoral student, serving as the SCRA Midwestern student representative. He later served as Midwestern network coordinator and SCRA Immigrant Justice Interest Group co-chair. Dr. Olanrewaju earned his Ph.D. in community psychology from National Louis University, and has written and co-authored studies on refugee resettlement, homelessness, and communities on the move.
“Enriched by critical community psychology training, I combine soft-power diplomacy and problematization skills with a deep focus on empathic negotiation,” he said. “I look forward to utilizing my professional experiences, critical socio-consciousness, and my glocal perspective to network, collaborate, and continue building on the legacies of past SCRA presidents.”
SCRA supports regions across the world, promoting collaboration among community psychologists in the Americas — including six U.S. regions and Canada — across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the South Pacific. It hosts a three-day biennial conference and has formed interest groups in the areas of Indigenous, rural, international community psychology, community health, immigration, aging, criminal justice, and applied settings.