A: The first thing that I would say is, it's very important that you find some way to block out time to do nothing more than think. Too often we get caught up in doing things by rote, whether it's writing articles or even getting to the point of writing grants, and we don't really get the opportunity to think. That's what we're really here about. That's the joy that we have. That's the reward for what it is that we do. That's also what we can contribute to society. We have to find ways in time to think, but it becomes more and more difficult as you move up the ladder. Not only think for yourself, but also find other people with whom you can talk about the issues. Don't be afraid to be critical of what has already been out there and think about what can be done. Even if it's something that seems overwhelming and huge, figure out what small piece you can bite off, what you can do right now, and build up. You have to have both a long-term vision of where you wants to go as well as a very short and specific set of steps that will get you through the today, this week, this month, this year. As you're going through this process, don't forget to think. Don't just build your vitae. You want to build a body of research, a body of knowledge that can be helpful to the people that you hope will use it, but as also a representative of the experiences of the people that you're studying.

To advance in your career, you have to have a commitment to achieving and answering the questions that you want, and you have to be practical. Focus on developing products along the way that will advance both your career and the field. The reality is, when I started out, racial identity was not the end point. And it's still not the end point for what I want to do. In fact, I really am more interested in racial discrimination and its impact on the mental and physical health of African Americans. Racial identity is an essential factor, and it's taken me 10 years to get to a point where I feel like we now have that box measured. And finally, we can move on to look at how racial identity, discrimination, and cultural protective factors impact on the well-being of African Americans.