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By Grace A. Chen, B. Andi Lee, Helen A. Neville, Della V. Mosley, Hector Y. Adames, Nayeli Y. Chavez-Duenas, Bryana H. French, & Jioni A. Lewis
Irene (pseudonym), a middle-aged Taiwanese woman, was walking alone on a trail when a white man yelled an anti-Asian slur at her a couple of times from an overpass. She felt scared because she didn’t see anyone else around and wasn’t sure if the man would try to follow her. Once she saw other people and realized he had not followed her, she finally could breathe again.
Different versions of Irene’s story have occurred numerous times over the years. May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, and May also happens to be Mental Health Awareness Month, which means it is a good time to discuss Asian Americans healing from racism.
The current context of ICE raids and polarizing political ideology in the U.S. is impacting people directly and indirectly. Witnessing trauma can be traumatizing as well. The current context we are in can be particularly impactful on Asian Americans’ mental health, whether they are aware of it or not. Some Asian Americans have a tendency to minimize negative situations—this may be due to culture that values stoicism and not expressing emotions or even a survival strategy of not sticking out or “making waves.” When someone feels the impact of racism but has difficulty articulating what they feel and why, it can be difficult to process the experience effectively.
The Psychology of Radical Healing Framework is a useful foundation for cultivating well-being in the face of racial trauma. Based on research in this area, we offer five suggestions:
1. Learn About Your Collective History
Learn something new about and thoughtfully reflect on the social and political realities impacting Asian American communities. As painful as it may be, part of the healing process is understanding how Asian Americans are situated in the racial landscape of the U.S., which is rooted in anti-Black racism. In 1968, the term “Asian American” was created as a collective political identity and reflects the challenge of living within a racist society that does not distinguish among the many Asian ethnicities.
As of 2019, 57% of Asians in the U.S. are foreign-born, so as a group, Asian Americans are less likely to know about the history of U.S. racial dynamics, especially since Asian American history is not covered in most educational settings. As a result, for some Asian Americans, their pain stems from a confusion as to why there has been so much anti-Asian hate in recent years. With a greater knowledge about the history of Asian Americans in the U.S., Asian Americans can increase their self-knowledge within a larger context and start taking action to create change for the better. Unfortunately for Irene, this was not the first time she had experienced racism, and she is quite aware of past and current anti-Asian sentiment and the history of racism in the U.S., so she was not entirely shocked by the incident.
2. Realize the Potential in Your Social Networks
Historically, many Asian ethnic groups socialize and identify culturally with their communities—it’s generally seen as acceptable to come together to share food and celebrate cultural holidays. We encourage Asian Americans to share more stories in these community gatherings and cultivate supportive spaces, as there is a great need for it—especially for experiences with racism and difficult moments so you know you are not alone and can seek support from one another.
In Irene’s case, she immediately called friends for support and talked through her experience. She also wrote about what happened in her journal and posted about it on social media. After her post, a friend reached out and offered to walk with her in the future so she wouldn’t be alone. In giving voice to their stories, Asian Americans can have an opportunity to process their emotions and provide an opportunity for others to share their stories and survival strategies as well.
3. Define and Embrace Your Identities
By embracing and reclaiming their racial, ethnic, and cultural (REC) identities, Asian Americans can reject harmful stereotypes and beliefs like the Model Minority Myth and perpetual foreigner trope. Asian Americans can instead engage in self-definition such as asking their own family members about their stories of strength, celebration, struggle, resistance, and hope. This may also look like engaging in AAPI heritage celebrations throughout the year and not just during the month of May or during holidays; seeking out affinity groups or spaces; and engaging in books, music, and shows that reflect AAPI stories. There is value in looking toward cultural, ancestral, spiritual, and historical wisdom that feels authentic and reflective of their felt sense of REC identity. Irene is comfortable with her cultural identity as a Taiwanese American and said she did not take the incident personally, which helped her recover fairly quickly from it.
4. Resist Old Narratives and Shape Your Stories
With a critical understanding of Asian American history and the systemic and intersectional nature of oppression, Asian Americans can resist the narratives that Asians do not experience systemic racism or that they do not “deserve” racism as the model minority. In fact, the model minority myth is rooted in anti-Black racism and false beliefs that Black people experience racism because they haven’t worked hard to get out of their circumstances.
Asian Americans can consider joining the long history of AAPI involvement in cross-racial solidarity and support for civil rights with Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) folks. In our current times, engaging in collective efforts to resist systems not built for and still actively harming Asian American communities can be a healing process in and of itself, reaffirming values, capacities for change, and reinforcing a sense of community. In engaging in cross-racial solidarity efforts, they can channel anger and energy alongside fellow BIPOC folks to target the roots of oppression. In Irene’s case, she is involved in social justice work and regularly connects with others who work against racism and other forms of oppression, which helps her feel hopeful.
5. Cultivate Hope in the Face of Struggle
Especially in times of witnessing and experiencing struggle through structural and individual challenges, hope can be hard to practice and turn toward. Radical hope encourages Asian Americans to notice the present moment and envision possible futures that not only support survival, but bring flourishing and joy. It can be helpful to look at how ancestors and elders managed to still stand after all their hardest days, and picture what a future for Asian American youth could be based on current choices to act and resist oppression. In addition to looking at Asian American histories and triumphs in fighting for justice amidst oppression, we encourage explorations of other BIPOC movements and organizing efforts that have fostered change for the betterment and liberation of all.
The Psychology of Radical Healing framework is helpful in understanding how Irene dealt with and recovered from her scary encounter. By engaging in radical healing practices, Asian Americans can improve their mental well-being.
