INTRODUCTION: BUILDING, SUSTAINING, AND SUPPORTING THE RACE, ETHNICITY, AND POLITICS COMMUNITY

[...]the same APSA report found that membership of scholars of color is overrepresented in the Race, Ethnicity, and Politics (REP) organized section: 22.2% are Black, Afro-Caribbean, or African American; 8.47% are East Asian or Asian American; 13.7% are Latino or Hispanic American; and only 38.14% are Non-Hispanic White or Euro-American. Comparatively, their membership in the Methodology organized section is staggeringly low: 80.72% of members are Non-Hispanic White but only 4.37% are Latino or Hispanic American, 4.88% are East Asian or Asian American, and 1.29% are Black or African American.2 Given this underrepresentation in the discipline and overrepresentation in the REP section, we sought to systematically provide the perspectives of scholars who are actively challenging the norms of political science and advancing the goals of the section. Because this work often is seen as ancillary and not of general interest, REP scholars have created new outlets and used organic networks to promote their research while building community. The spotlight covers a diverse array of topics, ranging from an editorial from one of the subfield’s premier journals, showcasing how undergraduate research opportunities help to build the pipeline, highlighting the inclusiveness of the subfield’s conferences and workshops, introducing the “People of Color Also Know Stuff” social media presence, discussing the importance of informal mentorship, and demonstrating immense and communal data-collection efforts.