Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Dr Anjali Ferguson of Parenting Culture Is Helping To Change Our World

It is necessary and OK to set boundaries. Life is for living, not working. Also with boundaries, it is OK to distance yourself from relationships that are harmful.

As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Anjali Ferguson | of Parenting Culture.

Dr. Anjali Ferguson is a culturally responsive psychologist and global resource on treating racial trauma and its mental health effects on children and families. Her commitment to social equity is experienced through her online community Parenting Culture– a research-informed, inclusive space for open conversations around parenting and her landmark contributions to Blindian (Black + Indian) literature. To learn how providers, organizations, and communities can benefit from Dr. Ferguson’s racial socialization and equity training, visit the tabs above or join the conversation at www.parentingculture.org.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I became interested in parenting and human behavior at a young age. Growing up in the United States as a minoritized child, I was often struck by the differences in my experiences relative to nonimmigrant peers. This interest was later peaked when my family moved back to India for a few years and I was confronted with childhood experiences much different from those in the United States. Here, my commitment to child rights was ignited. My interests in psychology later crystallized through participation in research labs focused on childhood trauma. From here, I pursued a career as an early childhood clinical psychologist with expertise in trauma and culturally responsive care.

As I continued my professional training and career I remained astonished by the lack of resources that represented me and my experiences as a child. Through my experiences in a milti-racial, multi-faith relationship and the process of becoming a new mother to a Blindian (BlackX Indian) child, the gaps in…