September 21, 2024
Growing up, I lived in a suburb of Boston which at the time was predominantly white and
Jewish. Although I had plenty of friends, I never fit in and was teased for being Asian
American. Perhaps this is why community building is so important to me. When you feel
like to are connected and belong you are more likely to thrive and grow up with a sense
of worth that is hard to come by if you always feel like an outsider. This makes AANHPI
specific organizations so important. And given that mental health is still so stigmatized
in our communities, it becomes even more critical to have spaces for people with lived
experience with mental health issues to be able to share our experiences and resilience
with each other and the community at large.
At NAAPIMHA, community building and engagement are at the heart of our mission. We
have established the National Asian American Pacific Islander Empowerment Network
(NAAPIEN) – our community of AANHPI folks with lived experience with mental health
issues. NAAPIEN provides a space where AANHPIs with lived experience can share,
learn, and advocate together. We have over 150 community partners who work with us
to support the mental health and wellness of AANHPI communities and individuals by
realizing that much of our experience affects our mental health and our mental health
influences how we experience our lives.
September is Suicide Prevention and Recovery month. It’s a time to reflect on how we
address suicide prevention and approach recovery in all the work we do. It is a time to
reflect on how we talk about mental health or if we do at all. It’s a time to learn about
how to talk about it. At NAAPIMHA we offer Mental Health First Aid trainings to help our
community learn how to respond mental distress. We have listening circles and
programing that provide venues for discussion and learning. And we invite you to get
involved.
Remember too that elections are coming soon. At NAAPIMHA we are invested in civic
engagement and the critical self-care during this season through our Vote for Wellness Initiative. Please take care this Election season. Please vote. Your voice is important. Vote for the candidate the supports the concerns you find important, including mental health and health equity policies and initiatives. AANHPI concerns have been ignored and silenced long enough. It’s time to gather in solidarity to make our voices heard.
In community,
Pata Suyemoto
NAAPIMHA Executive Director
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