The Institute was founded in 2000 at Boston College, under the direction of Dr. Janet E. Helms, to promote the assets and address the societal conflicts associated with race and culture in theory and research, mental health practice, education, business, and society at large. The Institute solicits, designs, and distributes effective interventions with a proactive, practical focus. Each year the Institute addresses a racial or cultural issue that could benefit from a pragmatic, scholarly, or grassroots focus through its Diversity Challenge conference. The theme of Diversity Challenge 2009 is the integration of racial identity and cultural theories in treatment, research, and policy. The two-day conference includes panel discussion/symposia, workshops, structured discussions, a poster session, and individual presentations by invited experts and selected guests including educators, administrators, researchers, mental health professionals, and community organizations. Areas of emphasis include: community activities and activism, developments in research, professional practice, education, and/or social justice initiatives as they pertain to race, culture, and racial identity.
