On October 27, SAPHA kicked off the APHA Annual Meeting with our annual Chai and Chat event, themed Lighting the Way Forward - SAPHA’s Next 25 Years. This year’s gathering celebrated SAPHA’s 25th anniversary, reflecting on our journey and sharing our vision for the future of South Asian public health. We loved meeting those who attended!
We were honored to welcome Dr. Umair Shah, Secretary of Health for the State of Washington, and Dr. Arnab Mukherjea, Associate Professor of Public Health, and Faculty Director for the Health Professions; Office of the Chancellor, at California State University, East Bay who shared invaluable insights on SAPHA’s growth, the evolution of South Asian health initiatives, and the importance of collaboration to advance health equity. The evening also featured presentations by SAPHA board members:
SAPHA President Samira Khan shared an overview of SAPHA’s impact areas and our vision for the future;
Advocacy Committee Co-Chair Rubana Hossain introduced SAPHA’s new Intimate Partner Violence Toolkit;
Research Committee Co-Chair Aisha Bhimla shared findings from our groundbreaking Health Disparities Report;
Treasurer Malinee Neelamegum highlighted how SAPHA partners with academic researchers to advance South Asian health equity research.
The event concluded with engaging round-table discussions on advocacy, health equity, and professional development. Attendees connected with public health professionals, community advocates, and SAPHA members, exploring how we can work together to address health disparities and support the needs of South Asian communities over the next 25 years.
Thank you to everyone who attended and made this gathering a true celebration of our collective commitment. With your support, we’re lighting the way forward for SAPHA’s future—one rooted in collaboration, resilience, and a shared vision for health equity in South Asian communities. Here’s to the journey ahead!
SAPHA Statement on the 2024 Election Outcome
As a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting health equity and reducing health disparities in South Asian American communities, SAPHA reaffirms its unwavering commitment to creating a healthier, safer and more equitable society for all. We remain steadfast in our mission, which transcends political lines, to advance the health and well-being of South Asians and the communities in which they live through advocacy, collaboration and communication.
In the wake of a global pandemic, increased concerns about the accessibility of healthcare, and the widespread dissemination of misinformation, this election highlights the importance of our work. Regardless of the political landscape, SAPHA will continue advocating for inclusive healthcare and culturally informed public health initiatives. We prioritize key health areas that impact quality of life,including chronic disease prevention, mental health support, and recognition of social determinants of health. Our resolve to pursue equitable policies remains strong, ensuring that South Asians are protected and valued within our society.
In an era where health misinformation has been on the rise and continues to pose serious risks, SAPHA is dedicated to providing accurate, culturally relevant information that empowers our communities to make evidence-based health decisions. We remain vigilant against misinformation, working to uplift health literacy in South Asian communities and striving to foster safer, more informed environments for all.
Times of transition can bring both uncertainty and opportunity. We will continue to work closely with community members, health professionals, and policymakers to champion policies that meet the needs of South Asians. Understanding the unique challenges our communities may face—ranging from discrimination to health access—we are devoted to providing resources, guidance, and culturally relevant information to ensure resilience, inclusivity, and empowerment across our diverse diaspora.
Support and Get Involved:
In our ongoing effort to support our communities with reliable information, SAPHA has developed a growing collection of culturally relevant toolkits and guides, with plans to expand these resources in the future. You can access these resources here.
To get involved with the work we do, please complete an interest form.
Your support is vital to our ongoing work, including our efforts to combat health misinformation in South Asian communities. If you’d like to contribute, please consider making a donation to SAPHA.
During AANHPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, SAPHA was prominently involved in several high-level discussions, reinforcing our commitment to advocating for South Asian health priorities. On April 23, Vice President Ayesha Azam represented SAPHA at the White House for the unveiling of the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. The event featured keynotes from figures like US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and advocates Ashley Judd and Aloe Blacc. Just a week later, Ayesha brought her insights to the “Diabetes & Cardiovascular Health Equity Data Dilemma” panel at the National Minority Quality Forum Leadership Summit, addressing significant data gaps in healthcare affecting our community. On May 6, SAPHA President Samira Khan engaged in a critical roundtable with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, discussing a spectrum of issues from mental health equity to language access and data disaggregation. Ayesha Azam continued our advocacy at a White House briefing for AANHPI leaders on May 10, discussing administrative priorities and community concerns with senior officials. Further emphasizing mental health, Samira participated as a panelist at the APAICS Legislative Leadership Summit, focusing on the need for dismantling linguistic barriers, enhancing cultural competency, and addressing mental health stigmas within the AA & NH/PI community. These engagements underscore SAPHA’s active role in shaping health policy and ensuring our community’s needs are prioritized at the federal level.
HHS Roundtable. Pictured Left to Right: Juliet Choi (APIAHF); Clayton Fong (NAPCA); Krystle Canare (NAAPIMHA); Marielle Reataza (NAPAFASA); Samira Khan (SAPHA); Nia Aitaoto (NAOPO); Sung Yeon Choimorrow (NAPAWF); Secretary Becerra (HHS); Rod Lew (APPEAL); Quyen Dinh (SEARAC); Sheri Daniels (POL); Gloria Lamela Beriones (PNAA) ; Karla Thomas (EPIC); Martina Kamaka (NCAPIP); Jeff Caballero (AAPCHO); Krystal Ka’ai (WHIAANHPI)
SAPHA Statement on Student Encampments in Support of Palestine:
The South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA) stands in solidarity with students, activists, faculty, and communities advocating for justice and human rights in the face of escalating police violence at home and ongoing genocide in Gaza. The recent wave of student encampments, unfolding over the past few weeks, continues to persist despite efforts by administrations to suppress them and the ongoing violence against protesters by the police. As a public health organization, we recognize that violence—whether state-sanctioned or otherwise—poses a grave threat to community health and well-being. The rising tide of student protests highlights the disproportionate and escalating use of police force which amplifies public health risks and undermines public safety.
The genocide and associated violence echos far beyond their immediate environments, leading to widespread trauma, mental health crises, and exacerbating health disparities—both immediate and long-term. The student protests represent a critical response to these human rights abuses, and supporting these movements aligns with our mission to promote a healthier, more just society.
In alignment with our mission to address and eliminate health disparities across our communities, SAPHA calls for immediate and sustained action to protect the health of all individuals, particularly those who are most vulnerable. We urge health professionals everywhere to raise their voices against injustices that compromise health and to support initiatives that foster a healthier, more equitable world.
For more resources and to support the students and community members, please see below:
Mental Health & Legal Resources:
SAPHA Marks Sixth Annual National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate
On May 18, 2024, anti-bullying nonprofit Act To Change is rallying the nation in commemorating the sixth Annual National Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Day Against Bullying and Hate. SAPHA is committed to ending bullying and hate in the AAPI community and is proud to join over 100 organizations and over 40 cities, states and jurisdictions in this movement.
Act To Change’s commemoration on May 18 is part of Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month and marks the birthday of Vincent Chin. In 1982, Chin was falsely blamed for the layoffs in the auto industry, and brutally murdered in a racial hate crime. He lost his life simply because he was Asian. Chin’s death launched the modern Asian American movement, and we’re proud to join Act To Change in continuing this movement.
America has a longstanding history of anti-AANHPI racism and violence, including the Chinese Exclusion Act, Japanese American internment camps, colonization of Hawaiian islands, post 9/11 stereotyping, COVID-19 fueled hate crimes, and the use of the harmful “model minority” myth. Additionally, the "Communities on Fire" report by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) documented a significant rise in hate violence, with 302 incidents targeting South Asian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Middle Eastern, and Arab communities from 2016 to 2017—a 45% increase from the previous year, predominantly fueled by anti-Muslim sentiment. Throughout history, AAPIs are continually portrayed as the “perpetual foreigner” and AAPI youth grow up feeling the need to prove their Americanness. Queer children - especially trans, nonbinary and two-spirit youth - also often feel the need to hide or change their identities for safety and a sense of belonging. In SAPHA's paper, "Health Implications of Racialized State Violence Against South Asians in the USA," we highlighted how factors such as appearance, accent, speech, attire, and behaviors can contribute to perceptions of difference, significantly contributing to discrimination against South Asians. The paper also links bullying among South Asian youth to broader themes of racism and xenophobia, noting that nearly half of South Asians experience microaggressions like stereotypes of terrorism and assumptions of inferiority, significantly more than their white counterparts.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a staggering rise in verbal and physical violence against people of AAPI descent, with nearly 11,500 incidents reported to Stop AAPI Hate. The most vulnerable communities, including youth and elders, bore the brunt of this violence, and AAPI youth continue to become targets of ridicule, social isolation and physical violence in schools. Cyberbullying is another worrying issue, contributing to low self-esteem, social anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. The Trevor Project reports that 40% of AAPI LGBTQ youth have seriously considered suicide.
The National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate is a celebration of AAPI youth. AAPI youth continue to organize within their schools and communities, and fight bullying with awareness, art, creativity and compassion for each other. Act To Change’s Youth Ambassadors and Homeroom Anti-Bullying Workshop participants lead exceptional programming and workshops among their peers. AAPI youth grow up to become exceptional leaders, and inspire the nation.
We stand in solidarity with the AAPI community, and publicly denounce all forms of bullying and hate. We invite you to join us and Act To Change in our collective movement against bullying and hate.
Visit acttochange.org/resources for support.
Statement on SPD-15
The recent update of Statistical Policy Directive No. 15(SPD-15) by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) marks a significant shift in how federal agencies handle race and ethnicity data, the first update since 1997. These revisions include combining race and ethnicity questions, recognizing the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) category, and requiring additional detail in data collection for various Asian communities, such as Chinese, Asian Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, and an option to check off “Another group” like Pakistani, Hmong, Afghan, etc. This approach aims to improve data accuracy and effectiveness by facilitating disaggregation in collection and presentation. However, agencies retain the option to opt out of detailed data collection if they deem the burden outweighs the benefit. While we applaud these advancements, ensuring successful disaggregation requires making detailed data collection mandatory and providing a write-in option for better representation of the growing diverse South Asian groups beyond 'Asian Indian'. SAPHA is committed to continuing to advocate for data disaggregation on a local and national level.
