Dispelling the Model Minority Myth for Asian Liberation
In this heightened moment of Anti-Asian racism with thousands of hate crimes mounting since COVID began, mental health spaces become ever more important. Considering Asians are less likely to seek out mental healthcare than the general US population due to systemic oppression, how can a new story emerge where Asians feel safe and supported in breaking out of the model minority myth to reclaim who they are?
Carrie Zhang, Founder of Asian Mental Health Project
In episode 28, we dive into the intersection of mental health and social justice with Carrie Zhang, founder of Asian Mental Health Project. This initiative aims to educate and empower Pan-Asian communities in making mental healthcare more accessible using content creation and community events to de-stigmatize topics of mental health and critical social issues. CNN featured her project in their roundup, “People of Color Create Their Own Mental Services Online.”
The work of Asian Mental Health Project couldn’t be more relevant than it is today, especially in the aftermath of a President who stoked public hysteria by coining COVID the “Chinese virus.” In a worldwide moment of heightened anti-Asian sentiment and hate violence with historical roots dating back to the 1800s, the numbers paint a sobering picture of how COVID has accelerated this racial injustice -- more than 2800 incidents of Anti-Asian discrimination have been reported since the pandemic began (according to NowSimplified). Thanks to Carrie’s project, the Pan-Asian community is coming together to share their lived experiences and connect with mental health experts around a range of topics -- releasing perfectionism, unpacking people pleasing as a trauma response, and understanding intergenerational trauma are just a few.
As a daughter to Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants, Carrie is no stranger to the barriers that keep the Pan-Asian community from seeking out mental healthcare (8.6% of Asians seek this out compared to 18% of the general US population). The new story around Asian mental health care is about the capacity to “tell our story without feeling like we have to be adjacent to whiteness or another group. We can be who we are without being a model minority -- caring for and understanding ourselves in the way we haven’t before.”
“My father said, ‘If anyone asks, don’t tell people you’re Chinese. Tell them you’re Taiwanese’ It’s heartbreaking to hide or deny your identity because of a fear going on. It was really hard to process. I wanted to rebel against that.”
This and other illuminating topics, include:
The impact of the project’s weekly wellness events “stay in, check in”
How AMHP practices allyship with Black Lives Matter and the intersecting movement towards BIPOC liberation
What is the model minority myth vs. new story emerging around Asian mental health
Unpacking the Western European origins of mainstream psychotherapy to make sense of why we need alternative inclusive modalities for the Pan-Asian community
What’s next for AMHP (show your solidarity and support by donating through the link below!)
Asian Mental Health Project: https://asianmentalhealthproject.com
