The Asian American Literary Review have released a special issue on Asian American mental health.  "Open in Emergency" is a creative and interactive kit that features poetry, prose, artwork and photography from Asian American voices related to mental health. 

"Guest-edited by Mimi Khuc...this special issue works to reimagine what counts as unwellness and wellness in our communities through a dynamic mix of writing, visual art, and interactive mini-projects. It includes:

• a deck of tarot cards— featuring original art and text that work to reveal the hidden contours of our Asian American emotional,
  psychic, and spiritual lives;
• a foldout testimonial tapestry— a collectively woven tapestry of written and visual testimonials, a process-oriented art piece that reimagines community care & healing.
• a “hacked” mock DSM: Asian American Edition— a new catalog of “definitions”/reflections, with alternate understandings of un/wellness and critiques of Psychology as field, discourse, and industry,
  featuring fiction and essays on neuro-diversity and race; a queer mixed race WOC self-care package; a play excerpt examining conceptions of mental illness as demonic possession in Lao communities; and poetry on the lasting psychic rupture of Partition, among many other pieces.
• a “treated” pamphlet on postpartum depression— a redaction/erasure/annotation of existing postpartum depression info-literature that centers lived mother of color experience;
• a stack of daughter-to-mother letters— handwritten letters that rethink intergenerational intimacies
  and violences, Asian American daughterhood and motherhood."

For more information regarding this special issue,
http://aalr.binghamton.edu/special-issue-on-asian-american-mental-health/?mc_cid=b875427629&mc_eid=412ab65802

Wealth Gap Among Asian Americans

A recent report from Center for American Progress (CAP) highlights the economic disparities among groups of Asian Americans. 

When looking at the average for the entire group, it may appear at first glance that this group is indeed the Model Minority. However, this continues to be a myth that is perpetuated if only reviewing aggregated data. While some Asian American groups are catching up to wealth levels of their white counterparts, other groups are struggling with poverty or near-poverty. This points to the continued argument of why disaggregated data offers a more accurate depiction of various Asian American groups.

Please thank our friends at the Huffington Post for their recent article that explores this wealth gap in relation to the recession, home ownership and retirement savings. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cap-asian-americans-wealth-gap_us_586bd460e4b0d9a5945c91a7? 

Why is it that some people don’t receive help that can benefit their mental health?

The National Institute for Mental Health (via Psychology Today) has found that Asian Americans in particular experience barriers preventing them from accessing mental health care. “According to a 2011 study from the National Institute for Mental Health, Asian Americans are less likely to reach out for help with emotional difficulties than white, Latino, and Black ethnic groups. In fact, only 17% of all Asian Americans have sought professional help, and only 6% sought this help from a mental health provider.” (Psychology Today, 2016)

To read more about how stigma affects Asian American males, refer to Erin Chew’s review of a recent Psychology Today publication: http://www.yomyomf.com/the-dark-struggle-of-mental-illness-among-asian-american-men/.

The original Psychology Today article refers to the work of a therapist who specializes in 2nd and 3rd generation Asian Americans in the Bay Area of California. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-pacific-heart/201612/when-asian-american-men-seek-therapy-the-invisible-struggle

Seeking the assistance of a mental health professional early on is an important part of success in treatment. Therefore, encourage yourself or your loved ones to consider speaking with a professional to see what options are available.

The Asian American Voice Podcast

I'd like to thank my new friend, Mr. B. J. Kang, for hosting the Asian American Voice. It was an honor to have such a meaningful conversation with you on your fifteenth episode.

I appreciate you offering your platform as an opportunity to help fight stigma against mental health when it really should be a household name given that 1 out of every 4 suffer from a mental health condition. As a show of thank you, B. J.: If you ever want restaurant suggestions while you're in my neighborhood, I'll do my best to offer recommendations that make the trip worth it.

The Talk

Do you remember your sex talk? You know, the one you're supposed to have before you have sex. Many Asian American families either don't have thorough sex talks, or any at all. This would not make them unusual compared with other families in the United States. Having an accurate and timely sex talk has implications for later sexual behaviors. Although Asian Americans tend to have later sexual debuts, it's still essential to have the talk since rates of STI's and such catch up to those in mainstream culture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQYZkipErYM Have a sex talk. Just talk.

Taiwanese American Citizens League presents "Emerging Voices of Asian American Mental Health" in San Gabriel, CA on 5/29/20016. Join us in recognition of Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month AND Mental Health Awareness Month.

Asian Pacific Heritage Month

Asian Pacific Heritage Month (aka: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month) is celebrated every May in the United States since its roots back in 1977. What are the origins and why do we celebrate this as a month-long event? Check out these additional websites for more detailed information about APHM. http://asianpacificheritage.gov/about.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Pacific_American_Heritage_Month