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Join the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) and special guests at Redefining Mental Health: Centering Voices of AANHPI Youth and People with Lived Experience, a two-day convening dedicated to centering the voices of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) youth and people with lived experience and redefining mental health and well-being in the AANHPI community.

The conference will include plenaries, interactive workshops, advocacy, and opportunities for art, wellness, and connection. Insights and learnings will be used to develop national recommendations for supporting AANHPI mental health and amplified on National AANHPI Mental Health Day (May 10, 2023).

PROGRAM AGENDA

Day 1: Friday, April 14, 2023

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Registration

8:00 – 8:30AM | 2nd Floor Lobby

 

Welcome

8:30 – 8:45AM  | Rainbow Room

  DJ Ida, Executive Director, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association

 

Mindfulness Opening

8:45 - 9:00AM | Rainbow Room

Sriya Bhattacharyya, Steering Committee, National Asian American Empowerment Network

 

Opening Remarks

9:00 - 9:30AM  | Rainbow Room

Krystal Ka'ai, Executive Director, White House Initiative on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders (Invited)

 

Centering Voices of those with Lived Experience

9:30 – 11:00AM | Rainbow Room
This panel features individuals who have lived experience with mental health issues, either as individuals and/or as impacted friends or family. Panelists will share their experiences and the impact of their mental health journeys on their personal and professional lives.

 

Facilitated by Pata Suyemoto, Director of National Asian American

Pacific Islander Empowerment Network (NAAPIEN) of NAAPIMHA.

Day 1 Agenda

BREAK

11:00 - 11:15AM 

Next Gen Prevention: AANHPI Youth Mental Health

11:15 – 12:45 | Rainbow Room

From “Generation Mental Health” to “Next Gen Prevention”, today’s youth are our future AND present mental health leaders. This panel will be led by AANHPI youth mental health advocates and young leaders who are modeling the way in supporting the wellbeing and resilience of future generations through their own self care, learning, and leadership.

 

Facilitated by Allyson Goto, Program Director of Friends DO Make A Difference of NAAPIMHA.

LUNCH

12:45 - 1:45PM 

Boxed lunches provided

Breakout Sessions (Concurrent)

1:45 – 3:00PM | See Locations Below

Our stories are powerful because they are uniquely our own and inevitably allow others to relate, resonate, and see themselves (the best moments and even the most challenging) in our shared experiences. During this time, participants are invited to join one of the following sessions:

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  • Wounded Healers: Navigating the Workplace as AANHPI People with Lived Experience | Red Room

  • Courageous Conversations Across Generations | Blue Room

  • How to Share Your Mental Health Story | Teal Room

BREAK

3:00 - 3:15PM 

An Afternoon of Talk Story

3:15 - 4:15PM | Rainbow Room

 

“Talk Story” is a Hawaiian expression that means “to chat informally” or “to shoot the breeze.” During this time, participants are invited to join an afternoon session of sharing stories as a collective group through a “Fishbowl” activity.

 

Healing through the Arts (Concurrent)

4:15– 5:15 | See Locations Below

The power of art —such as visual arts, writing, music, cultural practices — along with spiritual practices and guided imagery, strengthens mental health, reduces stress, improves well-being, and helps us heal – mentally, emotionally, and physically. During this time, we invite participants to join us in one of the following art activities:

 

Visual Art | Red Room      Yoga | Blue Room    Zine-Making | Teal Room   Spoken Word Poetry | Rainbow Room

 

Closing Day 1

5:15 - 5:30PM  | Rainbow Room

 

Adjourn

5:30PM

DINNER (ON YOUR OWN)

5:30 - 7:00PM 

HeArts in Focus: Open Mic Night

7:00 - 9:00PM | Rainbow Room

Join us for an evening of art, AANHPI-owned wellness vendors, and an open mic performance,

emceed by spoken word artist, TJ Simba-Medel. 

 

Open mic sign-up starts at 6:30pm. 

Show starts at 7:00pm.

Day 2: Saturday, April 15, 2023

 

Welcome

8:30 – 9:00 Rainbow Room

  DJ Ida, Executive Director, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association

 

Surfacing the Issues (Concurrent)

9:00 - 10:30AM | 

During this time, participants will join one of the groups below and take part in a facilitated discussion around the current state of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander mental health. 

 

Breakout Groups:

    Individuals with Lived Experience | Red Room          Youth | Blue Room               Community | Rainbow Room

Day 2 Agenda

BREAK

3:00 - 3:15PM 

Redefining Mental Health: Envisioning/Redefining a New Landscape for AANHPI Mental Health (Concurrent)

10:45 – 12:00PM | See Locations Below

 

During this time, participants will return to their same groups and take part in a facilitated discussion to envision/redefine a new landscape for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander mental health. 

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Breakout Groups:

    Individuals with Lived Experience | Red Room          Youth | Blue Room               Community | Rainbow Room

Lunch & Plenary on AANHPI Mental Health Day

12:00 – 1:00PM | Rainbow Room

Boxed Lunches Provided

 

During lunch, listen to stories from NAAPIMHA Executive Director DJ Ida & community partner RAMS Inc about the origins of May 10th as AANHPI Mental Health Day and learn about the exciting progress made thus far for this upcoming National AANHPI Mental Health Day with NAAPIMHA Deputy Director Krystle Canare and artist & mental health advocate Zoe Cain.

Rising Up & Using Our Voices: Harnessing the Collective Wisdom

10:45 – 12:00PM | Rainbow Room

 

During this time, participants will reconvene as one group to share insights from the morning sessions and co-create recommendations for the future. Facilitated by Krystle Canare, Deputy Director of NAAPIMHA.

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AANHPI Mental Health: Growing Stronger, Together

2:00 – 3:30PM | Rainbow Room

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During this time, participants will participate in a group activity to capture insights and reflections on what we can each do individually and together to improve our own mental health and the mental health of our AANHPI communities.

 

Wrap up and Adjourn

3:30 – 3:45 Rainbow Room

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 

This event would not be possible without our wonderful community partners at the National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse (NAPAFASA), RAMS, Inc., Act to Change, Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI) ,

venue hosts at the SF LGBT Center, our staff, speakers, volunteers, & with generous funding and support

from The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and Micron

 

Thank you for your support!

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COMMUNITY PARTNERS

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EVENT SPONSORS

VENUE HOST

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Community Partners
Event Sponsors
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