For the first time, an Indian American was crowned Miss America.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/showbiz/miss-america-racist-reactions/index.html
Social media immediately praised and criticized her, creating a backlash.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/16/miss-america-2014-win-racist_n_3935800.html
Ms. Davuluri, a future doctor, chose to rise above the negative sentiments.
http://www.eonline.com/news/459339/miss-america-nina-davuluri-responds-to-racist-backlash-takes-a-dip-in-atlantic-ocean
Is the United States ready to accept the new face of Miss America?
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Anthology of Asian Pacific Islander American Women's Experiences with Mental Illness
Anthology of Asian Pacific Islander American Women's Experiences with Mental Illness
Our untold stories will be told.
A CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Deadline September 30, 2013
PLEASE WIDELY DISTRIBUTE
What are Asian and Pacific Islander women's experiences with mental illness and mental health?
How do Asian and Pacific Islander women's multiple identities intersect, shape and influence unique experiences of mental illness?
How can we seek a deeper connection with our Asian and Pacific Islander American communities around issues and experiences of mental illness?
What does the journey to mental health look like for Asian and Pacific Islander American women experiencing mental illness?
Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) women experience mental illness at higher levels than that of the general population, yet such experiences have been marginalized and have largely gone untold. These experiences, ranging from experiences of depression and anxiety, to suicidal ideation and attempts, are complex and nuanced, fitting into and not into expressions of Western medical models. While numbers and quantitative studies have sought to capture the experiences of APIA women and mental illness, the narratives underlying such studies need to be voiced. These experiences have also been undeservedly shrouded in shame and embodied in cultural taboos.
This anthology ("No Greater Agony") seeks to give voice to those untold stories and to begin the long process of addressing shame and reflecting health and healing. It engages the power of story in bringing our disparate communities together and in solidarity of APIA women who have experienced pain and long sought wellness. The nature of this project is deeply personal, grounded in the lived experiences of these women, offering space for the (re)telling and (re)claiming of diagnoses, illness and recovery.
Submissions will be kept confidentially and can be offered anonymously or under a pseudonym.
I welcome personal essays and reflections, critical essays, letters, interviews, poems, printable images and other reflections of mental illness and mental health. I encourage contributors to dig deep and find and share their authentic, courageous voice. The anthology will be self-published, with a hard or electronic copy given for free to authors whose pieces have been chosen for the anthology. In addition to self-publishing, other venues for publishing will be explored.
Submit pieces to: dakilangpilipina@gmail.com
Up to 3 single-spaced pages for written work. Please also include a brief bio of yourself.
Deadline: September 30, 2013
Please contact me with any questions or concerns, or if you would like to contribute a longer piece.
About the editor, Aileen Alfonso Duldulao:
I am a second-generation Pilipina American social worker and writer. I have been l living with mental illness for over 15 years and have received diagnoses ranging from major depressive disorder, to PTSD, to bipolar disorder. I have extensive experience with institutions that treat mental illness, and with the shame and stigma that often accompanies the seeking of treatment and understanding of my illnesses. I believe that the voices of Asian Pacific Islander American women are critical to the discourse of mental illness and are essential to the pursuit of well-being in our communities. We have invaluable stories that deserve to be told, to be heard, to be acted on, to be nurtured, and to be cherished.
Aileen can also be found blogging here: http://nogreateragony.
Our untold stories will be told.
A CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Deadline September 30, 2013
PLEASE WIDELY DISTRIBUTE
What are Asian and Pacific Islander women's experiences with mental illness and mental health?
How do Asian and Pacific Islander women's multiple identities intersect, shape and influence unique experiences of mental illness?
How can we seek a deeper connection with our Asian and Pacific Islander American communities around issues and experiences of mental illness?
What does the journey to mental health look like for Asian and Pacific Islander American women experiencing mental illness?
Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) women experience mental illness at higher levels than that of the general population, yet such experiences have been marginalized and have largely gone untold. These experiences, ranging from experiences of depression and anxiety, to suicidal ideation and attempts, are complex and nuanced, fitting into and not into expressions of Western medical models. While numbers and quantitative studies have sought to capture the experiences of APIA women and mental illness, the narratives underlying such studies need to be voiced. These experiences have also been undeservedly shrouded in shame and embodied in cultural taboos.
This anthology ("No Greater Agony") seeks to give voice to those untold stories and to begin the long process of addressing shame and reflecting health and healing. It engages the power of story in bringing our disparate communities together and in solidarity of APIA women who have experienced pain and long sought wellness. The nature of this project is deeply personal, grounded in the lived experiences of these women, offering space for the (re)telling and (re)claiming of diagnoses, illness and recovery.
Submissions will be kept confidentially and can be offered anonymously or under a pseudonym.
I welcome personal essays and reflections, critical essays, letters, interviews, poems, printable images and other reflections of mental illness and mental health. I encourage contributors to dig deep and find and share their authentic, courageous voice. The anthology will be self-published, with a hard or electronic copy given for free to authors whose pieces have been chosen for the anthology. In addition to self-publishing, other venues for publishing will be explored.
Submit pieces to: dakilangpilipina@gmail.com
Up to 3 single-spaced pages for written work. Please also include a brief bio of yourself.
Deadline: September 30, 2013
Please contact me with any questions or concerns, or if you would like to contribute a longer piece.
About the editor, Aileen Alfonso Duldulao:
I am a second-generation Pilipina American social worker and writer. I have been l living with mental illness for over 15 years and have received diagnoses ranging from major depressive disorder, to PTSD, to bipolar disorder. I have extensive experience with institutions that treat mental illness, and with the shame and stigma that often accompanies the seeking of treatment and understanding of my illnesses. I believe that the voices of Asian Pacific Islander American women are critical to the discourse of mental illness and are essential to the pursuit of well-being in our communities. We have invaluable stories that deserve to be told, to be heard, to be acted on, to be nurtured, and to be cherished.
Aileen can also be found blogging here: http://nogreateragony.
What kind of Asian are you?
Feel like a something humorous?
Enjoy!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Enjoy!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Monday, July 22, 2013
Racism in the media
Freedom of speech allows people to take liberties with mocking Asian Americans. Would the examples below be tolerated for other racial groups?
Here are examples of everyday folks with their tweets: http://publicshaming.tumblr.com/post/54791337536/idiots-use-plane-crash-in-san-francisco-to-mock-asians
What is the role of the media in modern-day racism? http://criticalspontaneity.com/2013/07/07/asiana-crash-the-role-of-media-in-modern-day-racism/
Sometimes there is a fine line between distasteful and blatant racism. Check out this Chicago Sun Times headliner: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/08/chicago-sun-times-san-francisco-headline_n_3562177.html
Racism towards Asians among the media is not limited to this latest incident of the Asiana crash. The so called “progressive” radio talk show host, Stephanie Miller and her sidekick, Jim Ward, made fun of Asians when they mimicked Kim Jong Il's accent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Everyone is encouraged to speak out against such behaviors. Call in to radio stations. Write op-eds. Comment on tweets, etc. Any other suggestions for how to deal with such behaviors?
Here are examples of everyday folks with their tweets: http://publicshaming.tumblr.com/post/54791337536/idiots-use-plane-crash-in-san-francisco-to-mock-asians
What is the role of the media in modern-day racism? http://criticalspontaneity.com/2013/07/07/asiana-crash-the-role-of-media-in-modern-day-racism/
Sometimes there is a fine line between distasteful and blatant racism. Check out this Chicago Sun Times headliner: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/08/chicago-sun-times-san-francisco-headline_n_3562177.html
Racism towards Asians among the media is not limited to this latest incident of the Asiana crash. The so called “progressive” radio talk show host, Stephanie Miller and her sidekick, Jim Ward, made fun of Asians when they mimicked Kim Jong Il's accent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Everyone is encouraged to speak out against such behaviors. Call in to radio stations. Write op-eds. Comment on tweets, etc. Any other suggestions for how to deal with such behaviors?
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Parenting Styles and Shame vs. Guilt
The Asian American Psychological Association listserv occassionally discusses the differences between shame vs. guilt. One tends to be considered a more Eastern concept while the other is more often associated with the Western world.
Novelist Kim Wong Keltner, author of Tiger Babies Strike Back, talks about the impact of growing up with shame as a primary parenting tool.
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/05/14/tiger-babies-bite-back/
While it may not be productive to conclude whether one style of parenting is "good" or "bad," it may be more useful to look at parenting styles as how effective they are in producing the kinds of results that one is hoping for. What does the literature say about "tiger" parenting?
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2013/05/_tiger_mom_study_shows_the_parenting_method_doesn_t_work.single.html
Take a look for yourself.
Novelist Kim Wong Keltner, author of Tiger Babies Strike Back, talks about the impact of growing up with shame as a primary parenting tool.
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/05/14/tiger-babies-bite-back/
While it may not be productive to conclude whether one style of parenting is "good" or "bad," it may be more useful to look at parenting styles as how effective they are in producing the kinds of results that one is hoping for. What does the literature say about "tiger" parenting?
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2013/05/_tiger_mom_study_shows_the_parenting_method_doesn_t_work.single.html
Take a look for yourself.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Lela Lee's "Angry Little Asian Girl" describes an Asian American females' bicultural conflicts. Margaret Cho offers a voice to the mother that enforces traditional Asian values.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4wzB04BExo
In the first episode, the protagonist expresses frustration at others comments differentiating her as the forever foreigner ("For an oriental girl, you speak English very well.") or an objectified sexual object ("I get nervous around exotic women.") This web series offers a humorous way of seeing how one Asian American channels her experiences as someone negotiating two worlds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4wzB04BExo
In the first episode, the protagonist expresses frustration at others comments differentiating her as the forever foreigner ("For an oriental girl, you speak English very well.") or an objectified sexual object ("I get nervous around exotic women.") This web series offers a humorous way of seeing how one Asian American channels her experiences as someone negotiating two worlds.
Friday, May 31, 2013
API Population Report Release
May marks Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month as well as Mental Health Awareness Month. It is only appropriate then that the API Population Report, authored by Dr. C. Rocco Cheng on behalf of
55 community members, be released earlier this month. The report highlights mental health disparities and promising practices, as defined by the Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community within California.
The Asian Pacific Islander Strategic Planning Workgroup (API SPW) of the California Reducing Disparities Project is grateful to Assemblymember Paul Fong's (see photo above) office for having the API Legislative Caucus co-sponsor a legislative briefing on May 21st, 2013 in Sacramento, CA. (see photo of the panel below)
During this time, Assemblymember Ed Chau, Assemblymember Adam Gray, (see photo below) and Senator Jim Beall remarked how this important publication could help to inform the direction of how to reduce mental health disparities among Asian Pacific Islanders in the years to come.
The report can be accessed by following the link below.
http://crdp.pacificclinics.org/resources/crdp/document/crdp-api-population-report-our-own-words. Please feel free to offer your valuable feedback.