Our Mission
Mental Health Initiative
The Mental Health Branch of APAMSA is devoted to promoting mental health, particularly for AANHPI individuals, through advocacy, improved awareness, storytelling, and resource sharing. What we desire most is for members of AANHPI communities, and all people, to be able to live well.
Questions? Contact the Mental Health Director, Karen Qi, at mentalhealth@apamsa.org.
As a society, we are growing increasingly aware of the importance of mental health and its impact in all aspects of our lives.
As future health care practitioners and Asian-Americans, the members of Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) are acutely aware of the large silence and gap in our API communities when it comes to mental health. The generalized stigma around mental illness and our cultural barriers have prevented many of us from acknowledging the great need for talking about mental health, talking about seeking help and sharing our narratives.
With the increasing stresses and anxieties of life, we acknowledge that life is hard. Despite this, we firmly believe that everyone can lead mentally well and healthy lives. In fact, we believe everyone has the right to do so.
With our APAMSA Mental Health Initiative, we hope to do the following:
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Talk about it…all the time. By talking about it, we break through the silence about mental health acknowledge that our current silent state cannot be an option. By talking about it, we acknowledge that no one is alone in this struggle. By talking about it, we emphasize that this is important. Mental health matters.
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Make it personal. We want to create spaces for people to talk about mental health – to share their own narratives and their own stories. In doing so, we hope to highlight that no one is alone.
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Share resources. While talking about mental health is important, action is equally important. We want to share ways to get the conversation about mental health going and ways to talk about mental health. We also want to share ways everyone can lead mentally and emotional healthier lives.
Ultimately, what we desire most is for members of API communities (and all people) is to be able to LIVE WELL.
Please join us in these efforts and commit to helping others and yourself, live well.