Asian Mental Health Collective (AMHC) is hosting our 2nd annual virtual TransformAsian conference, and we are excited to connect thousands of individuals around the world on their mental health journeys. The name “TransformAsian” alludes to transformations, and our belief in the power of change and the importance of celebrating recovery. This year, we are excited to share more personal stories and professional experiences focused on Asian mental health.
The TransformAsian 2022 theme – “Breaking the Cycle” – speaks to our commitment to destigmatize mental health issues important to Asian communities. Hear from speakers on topics such as internalized stigma, intergenerational trauma, and the model minority myth, as well as from special guests and performers.
Welcome
1:30 PM EST / 10:30AM PST
Meditation
1:40 PM EST / 10:40AM PST
Self Panel
1:55 PM EST / 10:55AM PST
Performance
2:40PM EST / 11:40AM PST
Community Panel
2:55PM EST / 11:55AM PST
Performance
3:55PM EST / 12:55PM PST
Society Panel
4:10PM EST / 1:10PM PST
Fireside Chat
4:55PM EST / 1:55PM PST
Closing
5:55PM EST / 2:55PM PST
Fireside Chat
In our Fireside chat, speakers will highlight themes from the three pillars of self, community, and society. As they share about their experiences and their work, they will talk about where we go next as a community.
Michelle Zauner
Author, Crying in H Mart
Singer, Japanese Breakfast
Michelle Zauner is best known as a singer and guitarist who creates dreamy, shoegaze-inspired indie pop under the name Japanese Breakfast. She has won acclaim from major music outlets around the world for releases like Psychopomp (2016) and Soft Sounds from Another Planet (2017). Her most recent album, Jubilee (2021), earned two GRAMMY nominations for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album. Her first book, Crying in H Mart, an unflinching, powerful memoir about growing up Korean-American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity, is a New York Times Best Seller. She’s currently adapting the memoir for the screen for MGM’s Orion Pictures.
Cathy Park Hong
Author, Minor Feelings
Cathy Park Hong is an award-winning poet and essayist whose book, Minor Feelings, is a searching work that ruthlessly reckons with the American racial consciousness. Hong weaves together personal stories, historical context, and cultural criticism to ultimately create an emotional and impactful exploration of Asian American personhood. Minor Feelings is the 2020 recipient of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography. Hong is the author of several books of poetry, and is the recipient of notable awards such as the Windham-Campbell Prize. In her moving talks, she offers a fresh and honest perspective on race and Asian American identity, discusses how poetry and writing can be a means for understanding ourselves and our world, and comments on the ways politics and culture are influenced by art—and vice versa.
Facilitator
Jeanie Chang
LMFT and Founder of Your Change Provider
Fireside Chat
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Penguin Random House
Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong:
Amazon, Bookshop, Penguin Random House
Jeanie Chang is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Founder of Your Change Provider, PLLC®, an interdisciplinary practice founded on solutions and her unique framework Cultural Confidence®. Jeanie is a bestselling author and an accomplished international speaker for corporations, community organizations, and colleges on topics such as burnout, resilience, mindfulness, stress, and mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Jeanie is also a McKinsey & Company external faculty and executive coach, corporate wellness and DEI consultant, and clinical expert for college student organizations.
In addition, she is a teacher on Headspace, and provides support groups around the country for DEI and AAPI leaders as well as journalists.
Self Panel
Understanding what it means to develop a positive self identity as an Asian American is a complex process. In the Self Panel, panelists will share their experiences in overcoming internalized stigma and reconnecting with their culture unapologetically for themselves and others.
Ryan Alexander Holmes
Actor & Content Creator
Sara Stanizai
Therapist & Coach
Linda Thai
Therapist, Coach, Educator & Speaker
Keali’i Kauahi
Doctoral Candidate, Clinical Psychology
Facilitator
Christian De Luna
Asian Mental Health Collective
Self Panel
Ryan Alexander Holmes is an actor and content creator based in Los Angeles. Having garnered a sizable presence on social media (@ryanalexh) by using his platform to embrace his mixed Chinese/African American background through comedic story telling and poignant writings about family’s perseverance, Ryan’s goal is to encourage others who are of mixed ethnic/cultural backgrounds to fully embrace who they are and to show the world there is unimaginable strength in discovering harmony in multiculturalism. He is a proud alumni of both UC Berkeley (undergrad), and USC (masters). His Acting credits include For the People on ABC, Dear White People on Netflix, The Morning Show on AppleTV+ and Back on the Strip (coming to theaters in June 2022).
Sara is a licensed therapist, clinical supervisor, and owner of Prospect Therapy, a queer and trans affirming therapy practice with a focus on first-gen and immigrant mental health. She also facilitates coaching groups and retreats exclusively for the Afghan diaspora.
Additional resources:
Prospect Therapy: Afghan Women’s Group, Instagram and Therapy Practice
Linda is a former child refugee who fled Vietnam with her parents as part of the Vietnamese Boat People exodus. She was raised in Australia and now lives in interior Alaska where she specializes in the healing of developmental and intergenerational aftermath of the historical trauma of forced displacement.
Keali’i Kauahi (he/him/his) is a Kanaka Maoli in his mid-twenties. He identifies as a heterosexual, cisgender male, who is able bodied and of lower middle-class privilege. He is a Third-Year student obtaining his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology/ Alliant International University – San Diego. He was born on Oʻahu and his hometown is Makakilo City. He is a loving boyfriend, a dog father, and the eldest of eight siblings. Keali’i is dedicated to serving the Kanaka Maoli community via providing therapy and Ho’oponopono in his ancestral homeland of Hawai’i upon graduation. His work aims to contribute towards the life of Hawaiian Culture and Traditions today.
Christian is a producer at Apple living in the Bay Area. A 15-year survivor of Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Christian advocates for mental health de-stigmatization and normalization as the Chief Marketing Officer for the Asian Mental Health Collective and co-founder of the in-person mental health meetup group WAVES. He has a particular interest in the intersection of digital and mental health awareness and looks to create game-based experienced exploring mental health. He received his B.A. in Science, Technology & Society at the University of Pennsylvania and his M.A. in Educational Technology at Columbia University.
Additional Resources:
A Games-Based Perspective on Depression: Relating Affective Experiences Through Digital Games
Community Panel
Although many Asian American communities carry generations of trauma, our stories are seldomly shared. In this panel, we will highlight those narratives and begin breaking down the barriers that prevent us from having open conversation between generations.
Diana Chao
Executive Director, Letters to Strangers
Monica Modi Khant
Executive Director, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender Based Violence (API-GBV)
MeeWha Alana Lee
Actor & Painter
Valerie Uy
LMFT & Social Justice Advocate
Facilitator
Dr. Mengchun Chiang
Clinical Psychologist
Community Panel
Diana Chao is a first-generation Chinese-American immigrant from Southern California. Diana founded Letters to Strangers (L2S) when she was a sophomore in high school after bipolar disorder nearly ended her life. By beginning to heal through letters, she discovered that writing is humanity distilled into ink. Today, L2S is the largest global youth-for-youth mental health nonprofit, impacting over 35,000 people on six continents every year and publishing the world’s first youth-for-youth mental health guidebook for free. For this effort, Diana has been named a 2021 Princess Diana Legacy Award Winner, 2020 L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth, and Oprah Magazine's 2019 Health Hero. As part of Adobe's inaugural class of global Top Talents, Diana also seeks to further the intersection of creativity and social impact through conceptual photography. Her “Minority Mental Health Month” self-portrait series went viral with 2+ million views, and she teaches and speaks on youth mental health. But most of the time, she is just a 2021 graduate of Princeton University trying to navigate this complicated journey we call life.
Additional resources:
- Youth-for-Youth Mental Health Guidebook: link
- Teachers' Handbook: Mental Health Curriculum Guide: link
- Public letter exchange platform should anyone want to participate is here
Monica Modi Khant is the Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender Based Violence (API-GBV). Ms. Khant received her BA from Rutgers University in and her J.D. from New England School of Law. Upon graduation, she was the Detention Attorney at the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) where she represented detained asylum seekers. In 2000, Ms. Khant continued practicing immigration law with private immigration firms in Boston, MA. In 2005, she was appointed as the Director of Legal Services at the International Institute of Boston (IIB) and joined Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network (GAIN) as their first Executive Director from 2006-2020.
MeeWha Alana Lee became an actor after her son, Alan, a film student and classically trained pianist, lost his battle with depression. She previously was a college professor and then a brand design strategy executive. Since she began this journey, it is her mission to tell the stories of immigrants, women, racism, and mental illness.
Lee is a member of AEA and SAG AFTRA, appearing in Off-Broadway plays and short films including NETTLES and FIVE STARS, and plays the title role in Sony Studios’ current feature film, UMMA. TV credits include AWKWAFINA IS NORA FROM QUEENS and THE CHAIR.
Valerie Uy is a Chinese American LMFT and social justice advocate who is passionate about creating spaces of healing, connection and safety. Valerie specializes in working with couples and individuals, specifically interracial couples, racial trauma, infidelity/betrayal trauma, and substance use. She works through an attachment-based and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) lens to identify deep-rooted hurt that impacts her clients’ relationships.
Additional resources:
- The Try Guys: “We Need to Talk about Anti-Asian Hate”: link
- Bystander Intervention Training: link
- “Permission to Come Home” by Dr. Jenny Wang: link
- Nationwide APIDA Peer Support Group for General Professions & Mental Health Professionals & Trainees (free, 1x monthly, every 3rd Thurs): link
Dr. Mengchun (Meng) Chiang (she/her/hers) is a Taiwanese American psychologist, currently serving as the Assistant Director of Training at the Counseling and Psychological Services at Carnegie Mellon University. Meng is the founder of CHI Psychological Services. Meng’s professional interests include trauma-informed and social justice oriented psychodynamic psychotherapy, and community organizing to address mental health disparity for BIPOC. Meng is passionate about training the next generation of clinicians. In her free time, Meng enjoys traveling, grocery shopping, loving-kindness meditation, and (playing and listening to) music.
Society Panel
Far too often, the Asian American diaspora is seen as a monolith that is doing “well” across measures of “success” – our challenges are diminished. Our final panel will feature panelists discussing the pressures of existing and persevering in a Eurocentric society, while trying to create space for our communities.
Russell Jeung, PhD
Professor of Asian American Studies and Co-Founder of Stop AAPI Hate
Dr. Helen Hsu
Clinical Psychologist
Emma Broyles
Miss America 2022
Jason Chu
Rapper, Activist, Educator
Facilitator
Dr. Jeannie Celestial
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Author & Consultant
Society Panel
Professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University, Dr. Russell Jeung is an author of books and articles on race and religion. In March 2020, Dr. Jeung co-founded Stop AAPI Hate with Chinese for Affirmative Action and the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council. It tracks incidents of COVID-19 discrimination to develop policy interventions and long-term solutions to racism.
Dr. Hsu is Past President of the Asian American Psychological Association, Director of Outreach at Stanford University Counseling & Psychological Services and Founder of Hella Mental Health. She is President-elect of the American Psychological Association Div. 45- Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race.
Emma Broyles is from Anchorage, Alaska, and currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona to continue her studies in biomedical sciences and vocal performance at Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University. Having dermatillomania and acne herself along with a strong passion for helping others, she chose to study biomedical sciences as a preliminary degree to medical school with the goal of becoming a dermatologist.
Not only is Emma the 100th Anniversary Miss America, she represents the Korean-American community as the first Korean-American to earn the job of Miss America. Emma has earned over $110,000 in scholarships as a local candidate, Miss Alaska's Outstanding Teen, Miss Alaska, and Miss America to further her educational goals.
In addition to her social impact initiative, Building Community through Special Olympics, Emma also speaks of having ADHD, which she calls her "super power."
Growing up as a suburban Chinese American kid, jason chu found a vocabulary for racial identity and liberation in rap music and hip hop culture. As a rapper, educator, and activist, he now tours extensively, bringing a social and historical consciousness to stages and classrooms nationally and globally.
jason is a 2022 Artists at Work Fellow at the Japanese American National Museum. His work has recently been presented on the National Mall in Washington DC, curated by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and heard on Warrior (HBO Max), Tetris Beat (Apple Arcade), and Snowpiercer (TNT).
Jeannie E. Celestial, Ph.D., M.S.W. (she/her) is a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of a psychotherapy and consulting practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. She integrates somatic, brain-based, and culturally-rooted approaches to treat trauma and facilitate radical holistic wellness, specializing in Filipinx and global majority communities. She is one of the authors and editors of “Clinical Interventions for Internalized Oppression,” launching June 6th from Cognella Academic Publishing, co-sponsored by the American Psychological Association Division 45. She can be reached at drcelestial.com.
Additional Resources:
- Embodying Our Truths, Healing from Anti-API Hate: A Virtual Retreat for Asians and Pacific Islanders in the Diaspora
- Limited Scholarships Available
- Free Reflection Sheet on Model Minority Myth: https://forms.gle/KXMcAjHH3Ffw8z1x7
- Clinical Interventions for Internalized Oppression, Edited by Jan E. Estrellado, PhD, Lou S. Felipe, PhD, & Jeannie E. Celestial, PhD, MSW
- Asian American Psychological Association Division on Filipinx Americans Virtual Conference: “Reuniting in Kapwa: Healing in Community, Mind, and Body,” May 21, 2022
Featuring
Linda Thai
Meditation Specialist
John Dorris
Performer
Jason Chu
Performer
Featuring
John Dorris aka "AppleJohn" is a Filipino American, full-time technology consultant in Atlanta, GA, and part-time musician and CTO at AMHC. He has been playing guitar for over 15 years and has more recently made his way into performing more publicly. His band, StillAuthenticallyJustToma was started 3 years ago and has played 5 shows to date. John also has a YouTube channel where he posts covers and performances of his original songs. Professionally, he is looking to make a career change from consulting to mental health by starting a graduate education in clinical mental health counseling this fall. Mental healthcare and music are very important to John and he looks for the intersection of those two in his life and his work.
Growing up as a suburban Chinese American kid, jason chu found a vocabulary for racial identity and liberation in rap music and hip hop culture. As a rapper, educator, and activist, he now tours extensively, bringing a social and historical consciousness to stages and classrooms nationally and globally.
jason is a 2022 Artists at Work Fellow at the Japanese American National Museum. His work has recently been presented on the National Mall in Washington DC, curated by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and heard on Warrior (HBO Max), Tetris Beat (Apple Arcade), and Snowpiercer (TNT).
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About Asian Mental Health Collective
Asian Mental Health Collective (AMHC) is a volunteer-run nonprofit that aims to normalize and destigmatize mental health within Asian communities by making mental health conversations and treatment available, accessible, and approachable. Our services and programs support our mission by providing individuals with opportunities to:
Connect with their inner selves
Create supportive and empathetic communities
Collaborate with mental health professionals and organizations
Celebrate their Asian mental health stories
