Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month | |
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May marks Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a time to immerse ourselves in the rich tapestry of AANHPI cultures. Encompassing diverse heritages from across the Asian continent and Pacific Islands, this month serves as an opportunity to celebrate, learn, and reflect on our shared history. The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center 2024 theme, "Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future," emphasizes the interconnectedness of our past and present.
In this newsletter, we delve into the history of South Asian Americans (SAA) in the US, recognizing that understanding our past is crucial for shaping our future. From the earliest settlers from Punjab and Bengal integrating into communities across cities like New Orleans, Detroit, and New York, to overcoming legal discrimination and violence, SAA have made significant contributions in entrepreneurship, technology, and the arts. Political activism, especially post-9/11, has been instrumental in addressing racial and religious profiling.
As the South Asian American population continues to grow and diversify, it builds upon the legacies of its predecessors. Explore the South Asian American Digital Archive to uncover untold stories and deepen your understanding of SAA history.
Despite these achievements, SAA still faces persistent health inequities often overlooked by healthcare systems. With higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, and suicide compared to other groups, organizations like SAPHA are dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of South Asian communities through advocacy, collaboration, and communication.
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Understanding South Asian American Mental Health Challenges | |
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May marks mental health awareness month. Mental health is a complex issue often shrouded in silence and stigma within the community. Mental health discussions are often considered taboo or dismissed as non-issues. The direct and indirect pressure to maintain a facade of strength and success, along with adherence to traditional gender roles, exacerbates the silent crisis. This cultural norm can result in individuals suppressing emotions, leading to feelings of inadequacy, stress, and anxiety.
In addition to cultural expectations, South Asian Americans grapple with navigating their cultural identity, balancing assimilation and preservation, intergenerational conflicts, and trauma. Life stressors such as puberty, social circles, life transitions, relationships, financial struggles, and education-related stress further compound mental health challenges. Prevalence rates of diagnosed anxiety and mood disorders are higher among South Asian immigrants compared to all Asian Americans individuals, highlighting the magnitude of the issue.
The underutilization of mental health services is a significant barrier, with a considerable portion of the community not accessing necessary support. Religious followers often turn to prayer and counsel from religious leaders to cope with mental distress. While organizations strive to provide holistic mental health services tailored to the community's needs, addressing social interventions alongside traditional therapy is crucial. Destigmatizing mental health within the community is paramount to improving SAA mental health outcomes.
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Research Highlights and Opportunities | |
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Our Board Member , Dr. Mushira Khan, a senior researcher at the Mather Institute, focuses on healthcare access, caregiving dynamics, and health promotion interventions among ethnic minority older adults, particularly within immigrant South Asian families.
Dr. Khan's recent work sheds light on the challenges encountered by limited English-speaking South Asian seniors in accessing adequate healthcare. She examines how linguistic barriers, cognitive impairment, and cultural differences intersect, often resulting in adverse outcomes in their healthcare journey. Through real-life examples, the research underscores the significance of interpreter services, culturally appropriate materials, and healthcare providers' need for additional time and precautions to ensure equitable care for this demographic.Explore her research here!
In addition, Dr. Khan delves into the evolving landscape of aging among Asian Indian immigrants in America. Her research highlights how older adults are redefining aging by integrating traditional values with a more individualistic Western perspective. They engage in physical activities and spiritual pursuits while staying connected to their cultural heritage. Striving for independence from their children, they nevertheless maintain strong intergenerational bonds and pass on cultural wisdom and values. Scholars observe a shift towards a cosmic worldview and a graceful acceptance of death among older South Asian adults, underscoring the importance of leaving behind a legacy of cultural richness. Read more about this important research here.
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The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute is offering a select number of scholarships for patients, caregivers and community-based organizations to attend the 2024 PCORI Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., October. 22-23, 2024.
The PCORI Annual Meeting is an immersive, two-day experience where innovation meets collaboration. Each year, clinicians, patients, caregivers and other members of the healthcare community meet to learn about the latest PCORI-funded research and research-related projects, network with like minded individuals and share in rich discussions to advance patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research.
Scholarship recipients will receive financial support to cover all domestic travel and lodging expenses incurred by attending the 2024 PCORI Annual Meeting. They will also be able to participate in both the full Annual Meeting and the optional programming held on Oct. 21.
Apply Now! The application deadline for the chance to receive complimentary housing and travel is June 17. Questions? Contact ambassadors@pcori.org.
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Books To Educate, Celebrate Asian American And Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: 2024
Read about Chandra Chouhan, a University of Wisconsin–Madison student who founded "Chup! Go Vote," a nonpartisan organization dedicated to mobilizing South Asian voters and fostering community engagement through civic education initiatives.
Indian Americans now largest Asian American group in U.S.
Taz Ahmed explored the radical history and significant contributions of South Asians in Los Angeles, highlighting key historical moments, civic engagement, and resistance, culminating in the creation of an interactive map documenting these impactful narratives. Read the article here.
'Brown Girl Therapy' founder tackles South Asian mental health stigma in her new book, But What Will People Say?
Dr. Latha Palaniappan's Groundbreaking Work on Heart Health Disparities in Asian Americans - Explore how Dr. Palaniappan's personal loss drives her pioneering research at Stanford, uncovering critical differences in cardiovascular disease among underrepresented groups, particularly Asian Americans.
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SAPHA's Statement on Student Encampments in Support of Palestine
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SAPHA has been gravely concerned as we've observed an increase in violence & suppression against students participating in encampments for Palestine over the past few weeks. Our solidarity with those advocating for justice & human rights remains steadfast. Read our full statement on our website. | |
SAPHA's AANHPI Heritage and Mental Health Awareness Month Activities | |
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 the discussion 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) | |
White House Briefing for AANHPI Leaders: Back row starting on left: Bob Sakaniwa (APIAVote), John Yang (AAJC), Sina Uipi (EPIC), Ayesha Azam (SAPHA), David Inoe (JACL), Adam Carbullido (AAPCHO) Front Row from left: TK Tran (BPSOS), Mai-Thy Tyler (NCAPA) Thu Nguyen (OCA), Krystle Canare (NAAPIMHA), Gabby DeBelen (API-GVP) | |
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With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to feature the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA). NAAPIMHA promotes the mental health and well-being of AANHPI communities with a particular focus on youth. NAAPIMHA is involved in suicide prevention, centering individuals with lived experience and improving access to high quality and affordable mental health services that account for both culture and language. NAAPIMHA’s highlights include:
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Nearly 60 organizations trained in its Achieving Whole Health Program
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Presenting the first-ever resolution to congress introducing May 10 as National AANHPI Mental Health Day in 2021 and having 31 new cities and states submit proclamations in 2023.
- Hosting the National AANHPI Providers Directory including more than 150 identified AANHPI-serving behavioral health providers
- Establishing 20 county and region-wide mental health interpreter training sites
You can follow NAAPIMHA and their work on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Series | |
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Our Spotlight Series shines a light on the extraordinary careers and paths of public health trailblazers, with a focus on the South Asian community. In our forthcoming fifth episode, we highlight Kalpana Bhandarkar, an accomplished leader in healthcare and civic engagement.
Check our fourth episode on Spotify or YouTube and don't miss Ms. Bhandarkar’s feature coming up next week!
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Thanks for checking out SAPHA!
Join SAPHA in our mission to promote health equity and well-being in the South Asian community. Your support drives essential research, advocacy, and outreach initiatives addressing urgent public health issues. Together, let's create a significant impact today.
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