Rachel Tiven Honored by APA

Rachel Tiven Honored by APA

Rachel Tiven, executive director of Immigration Equality, which works to erase barriers to binational same-sex couples’ ability to stay together in the US, received the annual Clarity Award from the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Division 44.

The award was given at the APA’s annual convention in Washington earlier this month.

Division 44 is also known as the Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues, and the honor recognizes leaders “who embody the core standards and ethics of our profession while advancing the rights of LGBT people, engage others within our profession to extend recognition and respect for LGBT people, and advocate for equality for LGBT people through collaboration with professional and civil rights organizations.”

The award was given by Division 44 in conjunction with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Over the past month, Immigration Equality and other advocates for binational same-sex couples welcomed a new policy announced by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano that explicitly formalized procedures for curtailing deportation efforts aimed at immigrants who are not convicted criminals or security threats.

Tiven (second from left) is shown with Dr. Mark Pope, Division 44 president; Laurie Young, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force public policy director; and Dr. Randy Georgemiller, Division 44’s past president.