Dear NLPA Familia, 

Our annual meeting is days away, and it is with deep gratitude and honor that I welcome you to this year’s conference of the National Latinx Psychological Association—held, powerfully and purposefully, here in this border community.

In a few days, we will gather on sacred land. Land that carries the stories of movement, of struggle, of hope, and of home. The border is not just a line on a map—it is a lived experience. For many, it is the threshold between trauma and opportunity, between fear and freedom, between displacement and resilience. And so, it is fitting that we will be here—en la frontera—to center our work, our science, and our healing.

Our theme this year—"Psychology at the Border: Mental Health, Resiliency, and the Immigrant Journey"—is not abstract. It is urgent. It is rooted in the realities that so many of our clients, our families, and even we as professionals, carry in our bodies and our histories.

We know that borders shape minds. They impact development, identity, and belonging. The psychological toll of detention, family separation, and chronic uncertainty does not stop at the port of entry. It lives on in the hearts of children trying to sleep at night, in parents bearing impossible burdens, and in communities striving to hold onto culture and dignity in a system not built for them.

But alongside the pain, we also hold a fierce truth: resiliency lives here.

It lives in the abuela who raised three generations across two countries.
It lives in the young DACA recipient pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology.
It lives in the bilingual therapist showing up every day for their clients, even when their own status is uncertain.
It lives in all of us—committed to healing, to justice, and to transformation.

As psychologists, researchers, students, and advocates, we are not just observers of this journey—we are part of it. Our responsibility is to listen deeply, to intervene ethically, to dismantle oppressive systems, and to co-create spaces of safety and empowerment.

During the summit, you’ll hear from scholars and community leaders whose work embodies this mission. You’ll attend sessions that challenge you, inspire you, and equip you. You’ll build connections across disciplines, regions, and experiences. But more than anything, I hope you leave here remembering this:

There is power in our presence.
There is healing in our collective wisdom.
And there is a future worth building—together.

To those who will cross borders to get here, in body or in spirit—we honor you.
To those who hold this land as home—we thank you.
To everyone committed to mental health and health optimization for all—bienvenidxs. This is your space.

Alfonso Mercado, Ph.D.
President, National Latinx Psychological Association