Join the movement: Spotlight on Valerie Adams-Bass

As we celebrate our 50 years of championing the humanities throughout the state, we’re spotlighting some of the people who’ve joined us along the way and contributed to our work with their donations, time, energy, skills and creativity.

This month we spoke with Valerie Adams-Bass, a developmental psychologist who earned her PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. Her research examines how Black children and youth see themselves by observing and investigating what relationships exist among racial socialization, racial identity, developmental processes, social and academic outcomes. Dr. Adams-Bass has been instrumental over the years in the development, research into and implementation of PA Humanities’ Teen Reading Lounge and Youth-Led Humanities programming.

Can you share the impact PA Humanities has had on you?

Working with PA Humanities has provided me with the opportunity to extend my expertise of working with adolescents and out of school time programs to communities in PA through our public libraries, community centers and public schools. As a researcher I spend much of my time with academic peers. The importance of working in community to translate research into practice has been wonderful.

As we celebrate PA Humanities’ 50th anniversary, what message would you like to share with those who’ve been part of the journey so far and/or those who will be joining the movement in the years to come?

Thank you for caring for the children and youth throughout Pennsylvania. A special thank you to those who choose to work to create space for the diverse and minoritized youth throughout Pennsylvania. 

How do you see the role of PA Humanities and its importance to the future of Pennsylvania?

PA Humanities has the opportunity to connect a variety of stakeholders in communities across our state through the Humanities who can work towards a better PA for everyone.