T h e o f f i c i a l n e w s l e t t e r o f t h e A s i a n A m e r i c a nP s y c h o l o g i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n

AS IANAMER ICANPSYCHOLOGIST

Summer 2020

August 2020

President's MessageFinance Report

MATT LEE & JAN ESTRADELLO

Membership ReportKAVITA ATWAL

Statements in Solidaritywith BLM

Dialogic ReflectionsEducating youth during times ofCOVID-19MAICA PORCADAS

Sticks and StonesParenting while Asian during COVID-19PORTIA CHAN

"I Am Not a Virus"From bullying to bravery--caring with courageMELE KRAMER

Meaning in the Time ofCoronavirus

DARCY S. F. ING

Fighting Stigma in theWorld of an "Infodemic"

SOYONG KIM & ANNIE RESNIKOFF

What is Love? COVID, Don'tHurt Me

MICHAEL HUYNH

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

August 2020page 2

Empowering ProfessionalExperiences

CAITI BRADBURY, JOCELYN BUHAIN,MUHAMMAD BILAL & MIN-JEONG YANG

Embracing racism, not expertise,is leading to a new wave of trauma

SHIRLEY ANN HIGUCHI

Remembering a Hero AlwaysWithin Us

MATTHEW MOCK

In MemoryA dedication to Dr. Jean Lau Chin, Ed.D.

AnnouncementsAAPA Newsletter TeamAAPA Executive Council

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31REMEMBERINGDR. JEAN LAUCHIN

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PRESIDENT'SMESSAGE

RICHELLE CONCEPCION PSY.D., MPH.PRESIDENT

I was on an airplane, on my way back fromsome training in Washington D.C. when I washearing the news about this mysteriousrespiratory virus that was infecting thousandsby the day. I remember watching the variousnews shows where numerous reportersdescribed the potential origins of the diseasefrom a large open market in Wuhan, China. As a public health professional trained in epidemiology and disease pathology, Iunderstood the science behind the virus’ development and spread via airbornetransmission.  What I didn’t expect was the development of a racism pandemic spewedout of misinformation from various media sources.  The thousands of racist acts thathave been documented since March 2020 are reminiscent of the incidents thatoccurred as a consequence of other epidemics.  They also spawned flashbacks ofhatred and misunderstanding can lead to tragedies such as the death of Vincent Chin. What has given me hope in light of everything COVID-related is the plethora ofresources that were developed for support and to foster much-needed healing in ourcommunities. Though I’m saddened to think that the instances of racism may not goaway anytime soon, I try to focus on the impact that our communities have as we cometogether in solidarity. My husband and I were talking recently about our own experiences with racism.  Hetold me that a few years ago while out of state for military training, he and a co-workerwho identified as Haitian American were walking in the local downtown area after havingdinner.  They were stopped by law enforcement officers who questioned their activitiesin the middle of the night and were subsequently patted down. While my husband wascleared immediately after showing the officers his military ID, his friend was not sofortunate as he was forced to remove several articles of clothing to prove to the officersthat he was not an imminent threat.  My husband told me that he stood by in shock andtried to intervene but was told to remain quiet and remain where he was. After theexperience, my husband asked his friend how he felt about being violated by the police.

August 2020page 3

His friend shrugged and said, "It'ssomething I've been used to as a Blackman living in the US".  When he said that,my heart broke. Though I already knew the answer, Ikept asking myself, "why does this keephappening," especially when recalling therecent deaths of Mr. Arbery and BreonnaTaylor, and the countless others whosedeaths weren't reported in the news. When I learned that the other officersinvolved didn't get charged with murderuntil now, my immediate thought was,"Why TF did it take so long?"    I can't necessarily say that the thoughtsabove were recent revelations asopposed to ongoing inner dialogues thatI'm still processing about the otherinjustices before this one.  What I do knowwas that my anger incited me enough towant to take action.  While I consideredthe various courses of action I couldchoose from, I had to determine what wasmost appropriate for me as an AsianAmerican woman who identified as anally. Truthfully, I didn't think I had any rightto call myself an ally of the Blackcommunity or to support the Black LivesMatter movement because I grew up withanti-Black values. I had a colonialmentality of valuing "whiteness," and I'vehad to do work for the past several yearsto reject those values. The reality is thatmy anti-Black views have been sointernalized at such a deep level, to thepoint that these values are traced back tomy ancestors, that I still have much workto do-- and a long way to go. I reflect on the times in history when

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our Black siblings stood in solidarity withus in our fight for justice, and it made methink about how we can stand by ourBlack siblings.  Such is the case ofCorporal David Fagen, who would laterbecome Captain of the Philippine Army,and other African American soldiers whodefected during the Philippine AmericanWar.  In the 1970s, when the city of SanFrancisco was trying to evict Filipinos fromLittle Manila to build the Financial District,the Black Panthers stood by the FilipinoCommunity.  I also reflect on the work ofYuri Kochiyama and Larry Itliong, AsianAmerican activists who stood withmovements such as the black liberationand the United Farmworkers' movements,respectively. In light of the recent tragic events, Iam grateful to several folks in ourcommunity who've lent their voices touplift our Black siblings while still battlingthe impactof racism and Xenophobia associated withCOVID-19.  Whichever way our folksdecide to fight the good fight, we cancommit to doing so in solidarity. I didn't want to close withoutrecognizing someone whose voice hasbeen instrumental in empoweringnumerous others.  We lost Dr. Jean LauChin in May and truly felt a void in ourcommunity as she left a lasting imprint onthose whose lives she touched as aleader, professor, and mentor. She wasknown to be a selfless individual whoadvocated for inclusion and diversity.  Asan AAPA community, may we continue touphold many of the values sheepitomized.

August 2020

2020 BUDGET  The FOs facilitated the approval of a 2020 budget at the January 2020 ECretreat. The 2020 budget continues addressing the financial growth of the organization,with funds earmarked for the organization’s reincorporation process, and improvements tothe organization’s online presence. The budget includes projected income streams, Divisionbalances, and estimated loss/gain. The organization’s largest expense this first quarter wasthe EC Retreat, whose receipts totaled to $9,201.33.  DIVISION BUDGET REQUESTS  At the retreat, all approved 2019 and 2020 Divisionrequests for funds were disbursed.  In particular, we want to recognize the generosity ofDivisions’ leadership, who scaled back many of their requests in order to prioritize ourreincorporation procedures and online management and keep the overall organizationfinancially healthy.TAXES  The FOs created a tax filing process that will ensure greater annual tax compliance.DIVISION FINANCES The FOs will begin sending division finance officers copies of theirquarterly reports to help track spending and to increase tax compliance.REIMBURSEMENTS The FOs streamlined the reimbursement process to distribute fundsmore quickly.LONG-TERM FINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE The FOs consulted with Joyce Chu, treasurerof Division 45, in preparation for discussions with the EC to develop a long-term financialinfrastructure for AAPA, including a reserve and investment strategy.FINANCE OFFICER BYLAWS In February 2020, the FOs submitted a revised list of bylawsspecific to the FO role.FINANCIAL ASSISTANTS The FOs hired two student financial assistants in the past fewmonths. Katherine Au will work primarily with Matt Lee on reimbursements and banking. Lynette Lively-Cookson will work primarily with Jan Estrellado on tax compliance.BANK ACCOUNT CONSOLIDATION The process to move AAPA’s accounts to a single bankaccount with credit cards and Division treasurer subaccounts is on hold, as past presidentsfrom AAPA continue working on closing the organization’s status in Arizona and starting anew reincorporation process in California.

AAPA’s Co-Finance Officers (FOs) Matt Lee and Jan Estrellado are happy to reportthat AAPA’s bank accounts are in good condition. Our total combined balancefrom ETrade and PayPal is $145,219.87 as of March 23, 2020.  Subtracting fiscalagent accounts and AAPA Division balances, AAPA’s main account has$93,763.32 in working capital.

The FOs are pleased to share the following updates with the AAPA membership:

FINANCE REPORTMATT LEE, PH.D. & JAN ESTRELLADO, PH.D.CO-FINANCE OFFICERS

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Hello AAPA Members, 

The Asian American Psychological Association currently has a total membership countof 1,237 members. Please see the table below for a breakdown of the membershipcategories. 

Thank you for being an AAPA member! AAPA’s membership has been steadily growingand we would like to see this trend continue, so please help us recruit new membersto join our AAPA community!

You can easily edit your AAPA membership through our website atwww.aapaonline.org. We have added an option to add Division membership online aswell! If you are having difficulty logging into your account, there is an option to resetyour password online.

Your AAPA membership will last for an entire year from the date that you signed upand will be automatically renewed after the year is complete. Please email us if youwould like to opt out of having your membership automatically renewed.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding AAPA membership, please do nothesitate to contact me at kavitaatwal@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continuing support of AAPA!Best, 

Kavita Atwal, Ph.D.

MEMBERSHIP REPORTKAVITA ATWAL, PH.D.MEMBERSHIP OFFICER

S tuden t s

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M E M B E R S H I P C A T E G O R I E S

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The Asian American Psychological Association mourns the loss ofGeorge Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, innocent lives andcountless unnamed others lost to violent murders. We, once again, standstrongly against systemic violence and affirm that Black Lives Matter. Wewish to show our unwavering support and solidarity with our Blacksiblings both within and outside of our AAPA membership. As anorganization and community of immigrants, refugees, and people ofcolor, we unequivocally condemn such acts of hate and violence andcommit to supporting our members, students, victims, families, andcommunities during these difficult times. We, once again, urge ourmembership to continue working on identifying and dismantling theanti-black racism that exists within Asian American communities andbeyond. A system that does not value Black lives will never truly valueAsian lives. As psychologists and mental health professionals, we recognize theracial and physical violence and traumatic grief that is being forced onBlack Americans. We reject the lie of White Supremacy and call upon ourmembership to lead their respective communities in unlearning themyths that divide us from our siblings. We cannot stand idly by and mustrecognize the historical implications of our silence visually re-depicted bythe two Asian American bystander officers in the murder of GeorgeFloyd. The historical stressors of oppression and injustice on BlackAmericans have consistently been linked to reductions in psychologicalwellness (Gee et al., 2019). Indeed, almost all Black Americans reportexperiencing racism, with the majority reporting daily encounters (APA,2016). These constant attacks deplete psychological and physiologicalresources while perpetrating hostile and threatening environments. To help move forward, we strongly advocate for institutional changethrough individual and systemic evaluations to help pinpoint areas ofbias, followed by appropriate programming across workplaces, schools,

The Asian American Psychological AssociationReaffirms Solidarity with Black Lives Matter duringPandemic of Racism

STATEMENT

page 7August 2020

and government systems. We suggest more intensive training andvetting at all stages and levels of the police academy to reduce racial biasand improve de-escalation skills. And most importantly, we ask ourleaders (local to national) to take a strong stance against anti-Blackracism and violence. To our Black members, students, and professionals, we encourageyou to make yourself a priority and create space for your personal self-care and that of your community. We also encourage you to considerreaching out to your family, friends, religious and spiritual institutions,mental health professionals, and local community and support groups. For allies and supporters, we encourage you to reach out to folxwithin your network to allow space for sharing, venting, grieving, fear,and any other emotions that might arise. We encourage you to holdyourself accountable in ways that you can to not be silent-- stand up,speak out, and support our African American and Black siblings. Work toidentify, deconstruct, and remove the Anti-Blackness lurking in your dailyinteractions, on your social media, and in your teaching, research,service, and advocacy work. Make your allyship local and visible. We alsoencourage you to engage in discussions with the children in your livesabout racism especially as they’re watching some of the most recentevents in the media. We demand justice and accountability for George Floyd, AhmaudArbery, and Breonna Taylor. We also send our sincere condolences totheir respective friends, family, and community as they mourn yet morelosses of light and power in the Black community.

Past AAPA Statementshttps://aapaonline.org/?s=statement

ReferencesHope, E. C., Hoggard, L. S., & Thomas, A. (2016). Becoming an adult in the face of racism. Monitor on Psychology, 47(6), 35-38.Gee, G. C., Hing, A., Mohammed, S., Tabor, D. C., & Williams, D. R. (2019). Racism and the life course: taking time seriously. American journal of public health, 109(S1), S43-S47.

ResourceLive Document of Resources Against Anti-Blackness started by Dr. Jayakar V. Nayakbit.ly/combat-antiblackness

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We are DoSAA - the Asian American Psychological Association'sDivision on South Asian Americans. As an organization composed ofSouth Asian Americans who hold multiple marginalized identities and areimpacted by oppression and the inequality of our society, one of ourgoals is to create safe spaces in which trust and community can be built.Now, we hurt with our people, and we stand in solidarity with our Blackcommunities to call for anti-racism  and to break down the systems ofinequality and oppression we are all mired in. We are together. We areunited. It is important for us to understand the privilege that we, as SouthAsian Americans, hold in this world. We need to address the anti-Blackness in our South Asian American community. We recognize that itcan be uncomfortable, painful, and psychologically taxing to do so, but itis our responsibility to stand in solidarity. As mental health professionals,we understand the profound, widespread, and ingrained impact ofsystems of injustice and oppression on emotional and mental wellbeing,and take seriously our duty to be a part of a society that moves towardsjustice. Let’s start and maintain conversations about anti-Blackness, socialjustice, intersectionality, and advocacy for permanent justice. Let’ssupport each other. Let’s not stay silent. Let us be united, together.

DoSAA Stands in Solidarity With Black Lives Matter STATEMENT

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AAPA Division on Students' Statement ConcerningAnti-Black Racism As an organization committed to challenging systemic racism, theAsian American Psychological Association’s Division on Students (DoS)stands in solidarity with the Black community as we mourn the untimelydeaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and TonyMcDade. DoS unequivocally condemns the disproportionate use ofexcessive force by police in Black communities and supports efforts to holdall officers accountable for their state-sanctioned violence.  It is critical for our Asian American communities to actively work againstanti-Blackness. Officer Tou Thao’s complicity in the murder of George ofFloyd demonstrates our need to address internalized racism and alignmentwith White hegemonic beliefs among Asian American communities and inthe academe. We must not turn another blind eye in this difficult time, andwe must also resolve ourselves to take action. As the demand for justice and reform continues through protestsacross the nation, DoS fully stands with Black communities, including Blackstudents and colleagues in the field of psychology, and we are here toprovide support in whatever ways we can. We also acknowledge that astatement of support in and of itself will not suffice. In order to fully stand insolidarity with Black communities and commit ourselves to challengeanti-Blackness, it is imperative for us to do more, to say more, and to speakout more. Below, we provide links that would allow you to support andcontribute to ongoing efforts to support Black communities:

STATEMENT

Write to your representatives to support reparations for our Blacksiblings:

https://action.aclu.org/send-message/reparations-slavery-now Black Visions Minneapolis (Local MN Chapter of a national organizationworking to dismantle systems of oppression and violence)

https://secure.everyaction.com/4omQDAR0oUiUagTu0EG-Ig2North Star Health Collective (Healthcare initiative that also providestrainings, resources, and street medical support to community organizingefforts)

https://www.northstarhealthcollective.org/donate

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Donate to the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi):https://netforum.avectra.com/eweb/FND/DonateFund.aspx?Site=ABPSI&WebCode=DonateNow&Action=Add&prd_key=a13028b7-1f1b-4957-8e06-ec4c64cf7990&fun_key=667df65f-3c85-4691-a9cd-617d3e7281eb&Name=Association

Donate to ABPsi Trauma Relief Fund:https://www.abpsi.org/culturaltraumarelief.html

Support Black Muslim Psychology:https://www.blackmuslimpsychology.org/

Donate to Black LGBTQIA + Migrant Project (BLMP)https://transgenderlawcenter.org/programs/blmp

Donate to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)Foundation

https://thehbcufoundation.org/donate/Donate to Black Student Fund

https://blackstudentfund.org/donate-v2/Here is a national resource list of organizations that work withBlack communities, legal, community bail, and memorial fundsyou can donate to), political education resources (Credit:@botanicaldyke Twiter/IG)

https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/1CjZMORRVuv-I-qo4B0YfmOTqIOa3GUS207t5iuLZmyA/mobilebasic?usp=gmail

With grief and solidarity,

Asian American Psychological Association’s Division on Students

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It goes without saying that being aneducator is no easy feat. The concept of“classroom management” takes on anentirely new meaning as face-to-faceinteractions transition into a virtualspace. Although we greatly value cautionin order to protect ourselves and ourcommunities, youth and educators mayfind themselves at a standstill.Unpredictability within the classroomand stress related to navigating thedigital landscape becomes a challenge asstudents are pushed to find ways tobalance their academics and everydaylife. However, the impact of COVID-19’scall to shift learning online is short ofbeing an impasse. The opportunity to teach AsianAmerican Studies, with a group of co-educators, to youth in San Francisco hashad many memorable learningmoments. In light of the pandemic, thishas not only been an opportunity tofocus more on student needs, but also torealize that conversations regarding theconnection between classroom contentand student experience are inevitable. Itis during times like this when we are ableto slow down and intentionally prioritizeand assess class material in terms ofwhat has been done, and the work thatstill has to be done.

WHAT WE ARE TEACHINGOUR YOUTHBecoming Critical Media Consumers Being able to talk about the effectsof media on self-perception, as well as

how youth process and analyzeinformation about their communities, areskills we highlight within our onlineclassroom. Not only do we practicecritical media literacy, but we also haveour students reflect on the emotionaleffects and responses they have tospecific types of media. We believe thatthis is an invaluable skill to practice inorder for our youth to be able to deducecredible sources and the impacts it has ontheir well-being.

Self-reflection: connecting resiliency andwellness Self-reflection is another importantskill that our youth practice. Weemphasize the understanding that theirown personal experiences are a form ofknowledge. The affirmation and reminderthat our youth are currently present ashistory unfolds helps provide aconnection of their experiences to theworld around them. The fact that ouryouth are practicing different forms ofwellness in a time of pandemic is anillustration of their growing tenacity andself-awareness.

Empathetic solidarity Whether or not our students identifyas Asian American, we engage in theconcept of empathy. In spite of the rise ofantiAsian violence, we connect historicalnarratives of communities of color tobuild a sense of community solidarity andidentifying parallels of collective struggles.Even if we are not able to experienceexact instances of oppression,

DIALOGICREFLECTIONS:EDUCATING YOUTHDURING TIMES OFCOVID-19MAICA PORCADAS

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we encourage our students to foster asense of unity through the strugglesthat they or their communities mayhave faced in the past or currently.

WHAT OUR YOUTH ARETEACHING US

Emotional Grounding: Family For many, the role of family andbeing able to have more time with themhas played an important role in beingable to navigate emotions and reduceanxieties. This reminds us that familycan be an important proponent withinthe classroom. Our youth cannot bedetached from the concerns that theirfamilies and community may face. Byextending communication andinvolvement of academic matters tothem, our youth are able to bridge thesignificance of familial capital into theiracademic endeavors and beyond.

Challenges in Student-CenteredCurricula Pacing of the class is one of thegreatest challenges we have noticedwithin our virtual classroom. It is easy toprovide work; however, to be able tooffer intentional lesson planning thatdoes not overwhelm students posesdifficulties when there is a lack of face-to-face check-ins. Conversations onassignment forums may sometimes feelmore superficial and transactional,versus the goal of working together tocreate transformational experiences.This brings up the necessity to reviewhow we can make online platformsmore student-centered, but alsoillustrates authenticity in the work beingdone.

Extension of Care Regardless of how well educatorsplan ahead, there are bound to bebarriers that we come across where itwill feel like we can do more than wealready are. To be able to be there forour youth and to be able to cultivate aspace for them where they can shareideas, feelings, and questions withoutfear of being judged is progress, initself. It is essential to be mindful aboutthe capacities that our youth are able toprovide, but it is also essential foreducators to be cognizant of theircapacities, as well. For educators, oranyone who works with youth: authenticcare for our students is alsodemonstrated in how we take care ofourselves.

" The concepts we aspire toteach our middle schoolers arelessons worth teaching youth

beyond the classroom "

regardless of whether or not there is apandemic at hand. Moving forward,there is a large need to focus on havingstudents practice becoming criticaladvocates in their education and well-being. When engaging in student-centered curricula, there must beopportunities to include conversationsabout combating issues of oppression.Along with identifying and naming stepsto move forward, the dialogue mustalways end on a note that presents asense of hope. Often we are figuring outwhat we can teach our youth, and withevery possible chance, we must alsotake the time to reflect on what they areteaching us.

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When I was a kid in the 1980s, therewas this silly rhyme that said that “sticksand stones may break my bones, butwords can never hurt me.” It was oftenused as a way to silence children when theycomplained about being called a racial slur orother type of insult on the playground. Well,words can hurt, and they can also be used tojustify aggressive acts and violent attacks. When I heard the rhetoric about “KungFlu” or the “Chinese Virus” and about theincrease in racist and violent acts againstAsians and Asian Americans, I froze. The mostchilling report was the one about the familywho was stabbed at a Sam’s Club in Texas,and two of the victims were ages 2 and 6. Then I saw more reports about elderly AsianAmericans being physically assaulted, and Ilearned that Asian American women were themost likely targets of this type of violence.With each report I read, my anxiety levelsrose to the point of panic. Then it became more personal for me. Inone of the online parenting groups onFacebook, the administrator posted a cartoonabout how, years from now, she expected tobe telling her grandchildren about how we allhad to stay home and conserve toilet paperall because someone in China decided to eata bat. I thought this person was my friendlyacquaintance, but, when I asked her aboutthis post, she vehemently denied that it wasracist. I asked her if she would have time totalk about it so that I could explain the

STICKS AND STONES:PARENTING WHILE ASIAN

DURING COVID-19PORTIA CHAN, M.A., CPRS-E

nuances, and she claimed to not have thetime and then proceeded to unfriend me afterI sent her some articles about other, morescientifically-based, theories about thepossible causes of COVID-19. Parenting is complicated, even without thecontext of a global pandemic. Parenting whileone identifies as an ethnic and/or racialminority presents another set of nuances andconsiderations. When these two situationsconverge, then the whole is something otherthan the sum of its parts. While I study and doresearch in educational and developmentalpsychology and have been a middle and highschool teacher, I am no expert.  These days,while I juggle working remotely with myhusband’s now online teaching schedule andour children’s virtual classes, sometimes Ibecome confused, overwhelmed, anxious, andtired. Since we are sheltering in place, theoption of asking my parents, who live lessthan ten minutes away, to look after ourchildren while we work is not available now.The new rhythm requires balancing all partsof me – wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend,and professional – all at once, and it is moreabout grace and flexibility than it is aboutbalance like it used to be. When it comes to my children, I am aprotective mama bear, which is different froma tiger mom and all of its racist caricature andconnotations. As their mother, it is myresponsibility to protect them and to lookafter their education and well-being by

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providing a loving and stable home. I amhelping them to grow into happy, well-adjusted individuals who make meaningfulcontributions to their communities and enjoymutual and fulfilling relationships. Probably,this is what we all do.  But what happenswhen we face microaggressions or overtracism as parents? I have had myexperiences with this, even before COVID-19.When I was pregnant with my son, I workedfor the foundation of a prestigious highschool for gifted students. We had a parentvolunteer, a woman of privilege in race andsocioeconomic status, who often gave me the coldshoulder and refusedto be trained by me ondatabases and otheroffice procedures. Eachweek, she becamemore and moreunfriendly until  sheexploded. She made a

administration at the school called to checkon me and even offered to expel this parentfrom the school grounds for verballyharassing me. I thought about it. It was atempting offer, but, as a mother, I thoughtof this woman’s daughter and said that itwas alright and not to embarrass thestudent for her mother’s ill-manneredbehavior. As painful as it is to remember thisepisode or others like it, I have learned toremember that it can be a matter of focus.While this individual and others on the

The majority of the teachers and staff at theschool have become like family to me, andthese types of meaningful connections arethe protective factors that can ensurepositive growth and development over alifetime. As I reflect upon how I talk to mychildren about racism, discrimination, andCOVID-19, my tactic has changed. Instead offocusing on the cases of violence or hatespeech, I tell them that their family loves,supports, and protects them and that ourcommunity is full of people who will be theirgood friends and that we will take care ofeach other. This is the “blanky” I offer them,and it is also the “blanky” I build each day inour community.

foundation treatedme poorly to thepoint of not evenchecking on me whenI gave birth orsending any type ofwell wishes for myson, they wereactually the minority.It is an interestingplay on words here.

sarcastic comment at me, and I defendedmyself. She stood up and started yelling atme. She probably would have slapped me, ifshe could. The Director of Security walked byto check in on me. She stormed out. When Icaught my breath, I excused myself for theday, and I held in my tears until I got home.This woman knew her White privilege andexpected me to know my place. She clearlydid not see me or the baby growing insideme as human or to her level. As I walked into my home with tears in myeyes, my daughter, then almost three yearsold, gave me a big hug and offered me hermost prized belonging, which was her pinkblanket. She called it "blanky" and put it onmy lap and rubbed my shoulders. The

"This woman knewher White privilegeand expected me to

know my place."

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"I AM NOT A VIRUS"RESPONSE:FROM BULLYING TOBRAVERYCARING WITH COURAGE DURING COVID-19MELE KRAMER, M.S. In Mid-March cities across the country began “shelter in place” orders.  Astensions, anxiety and long lines in the grocery stores rose, so did anxietyabout the unknown.  In times of fear, people often react instead of respond. My city Scottsdale, AZ was no different.   In the early days of “shelter in place,”I stood in the long windy checkout line at the grocery store.  As I was chattingwith others in line I realized, I needed hand soap. One of the people next tome pointed to Aisle 23 and mentioned they would hold my cart and place.  AsI quickly returned back to my cart and place in line, a man a few spacesbehind me started yelling: “There is a line lady!”  Fortunately, many peoplestood up for me and I went back to my cart without incident.  Shortly after, anAsian woman in her mid-70’s who did not speak English, wandered to thefront of the line and the same man started yelling at her. She clearly did notunderstand so I looked back and said she’s my mother. Then let her go infront of me.  Although the man continued to roll his eyes and grumble underhis breath, we both got our groceries unscathed. Personally, I did not feel I was singled out for being Asian.  However, it couldhave been perceived as such.  It wasn’t until I got home that I realized it couldhave gone badly.  Putting this in perspective, in any other time and place,cutting in line would still have caused people to get angry for sure.  As anAsian American, how should we act and behave in a time when Xenophobia isheightened? When do we know when we are the target of racialdiscrimination or latent frustration during these uncertain times? May, 20,2020, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced there were over 1,900racially motivated incidences against Asian Americans have been reportedsince COVID crisis began, and likely exponentially more unreported.  Knowingthis is a real problem we are facing; it is important to be aware of things thatseem to invite discrimination.  It is important to be aware of how our “Asian-

August 2020page 16

ness” and culture might invite misunderstanding, and how we can manageand deflect hostilities during uncertain times. Recognizing racial discrimination and having a plan is important.  Recognizing when a hostility is intended to put one in their “place” is key. The conundrum many Asian Americans are facing today is identifying andknowing the difference between a microaggression or a reactive andimpatient behavior by people during a stressful situation with manyunknowns.  Sue et al. (2007) defines microaggressions as “brief andcommonplace daily verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities,whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory,or negative racial slights and insults to the target person or group” (Sue etal., 2007, p. 271). Knowing what these look and sound like, and how you feelwhen these happen can help you to pivoting quickly.  Some examples ofracial microaggressions may be common stereotypical comments about ourlooks and behaviors.  The most important identifier is if it pertains to yourrace and you feel uncomfortable because of the comment.   If you areuncomfortable, it most likely was a microaggression.  If you addressed it,but received invalidations such as “you are too sensitive” or told “It was justa joke,” it was likely a microaggression.  Remarks that disrespect theindividual and their culture are damaging put downs.  It is a clear indicationto pivot and remove yourself from the situation as quickly as possible anddistance yourself from people and situations that behave in this way.  If it isin the workplace, report it.  Get witness support if possible.  It is importantto have support from anyone that has courage to stand up for what is rightwith you, whether they are Asian or not. Standing for humanity in times offear is power. Since there is a lack of unified leadership coupled with an engineered fearfueling media, our nation is already on edge.  Knowing we can’t control whatothers think, it is incumbent upon us as individuals to control how we thinkand act first, then as a collective population act in ways that unify andempower us.  Many years ago, I was a flight attendant and the first ruletaught and communicated to passengers is to put your own safety mask onfirst, before helping another.  This is one of those times when we need toensure our own safety mask of well-being is on so we and our family’s safetyare protected first.  This can be done using “Extreme Selfcare.” This meansmentally and physically taking care of our well-being.  Extreme self-care alsomeans being aware of and assisting our own most vulnerable communitymembers and our cultural essence that may unknowingly provoke others.

August 2020page 17

Make a list of daily, weekly & monthly goals both personal and professionalHave a support buddy and/or virtual chat group that schedules frequentmeetupsTake time in nature such as hiking, gardening or other ways to get outside. Take care of your physical health daily by eating healthy foods & exercising dailyTake care of your mental health by Meditating daily at least 5 minutes per dayEnjoy creativity, paint, write, sing and dance.  This gets positive energy flowing!Journal daily!  List all your accomplishments and what you are grateful forHavean outlet for your feelings – especially anger and anxiety (separate journal)Keep aligned with what you are proud of about YOU, your family, your cultureand your heritage and immerse yourself in it!Leverage those who support AAPI communities.

Starting with self-care means finding ways to keep your outlook andpositive and body healthy so you can power through the crisis.  Somesimple ways to do this would be to start and keep a “feel good” go-tolist with top things that make YOU instantly happy and do at least 5 ofthem each day.

Then collectively stand up for each other through collaboration, andcommunity action.  This can be done in ways that empowers us collectively. There are many virtual and social media AAPI webinars and meetings duringshelter in place.  Complete the Census and register to VOTE.  Our voice isheard through voting and being counted in the census.  Our voices matter! Celebrate AAPI Awareness Month –Invite others to share our uniquenesssuch as our favorite recipes and food, virtual cultural events, wear yourcultural costumes for the virtual events, create great memories publicly withpeople who support you!  Once your cup is filled it will be harder for others“opinions” to affect you.  When we take care of ourselves and each other, wethrive not just as Asian Americans, but in unity and for humanity. The Asian grandmother in the store did not know me, nor did she knowwhat was happening.  Little things we do, make a difference not just for ourcommunity but for humanity.  This potentially could have been a tensesituation that was diffused simply by owning her as my family memberwithout worrying about the consequence. The people in line did the same forme, only minutes before. Reflecting back on this and remembering the man’sface, he clearly was angrier than the average person.  I could speculate inhindsight it was a person who was racist or I can choose to speculate it was

August 2020page 18

"Be the one whochooses to wash

fear away with thebeauty of our

uniqueness -- thisis how we dispel

racism"

just a person having a bad day.  Until a person makes racial slurs, it isimportant to take the high road and assume nothing.  It is our diversity thatmakes this country the melting pot and model for the world. Mostimportantly - Share what we love about our cultures with others.  This helpsbreak the cycle of fear and invites those who are afraid into our uniquecultures.  Be the one who chooses to wash fear away with the beauty of ouruniqueness – This is how we dispel racism. Lorenzo and Reeves (2018) found “Companies with above-average totaldiversity, measured within six dimensions of diversity (migration, industry,career path, gender, education, age), had both 19% points higher innovationrevenues and 9% points higher EBIT margins, on average. All six dimensionsof diversity had statistically significant correlations with innovation, bothindividually and collectively” (Lorenzo &Reeves, 2018). Our uniqueness is whatcontributes to the diversity of thisincredible United States of America. Our founding leaders of the UnitedStates has a proclamation on the U.S.currency that reflects the intendedeconomic strength a diversified nationprovides.  The inscription was and stillis intended to leverage all theresources diversity contributes in aunified prosperous nation.  This is notjust an Asian American concern; it is aconcern for all humanity. E pluribus Unum, which is Latin meaning:  Out of many we are ONE!  

~We are all in this Together!

August 2020page 19

Whether sheltering in place or beginning to venture out, around the world peopleare dealing with uncertainty, frustration, adversity, and loss. Media coverage is near-constant, and in America, an increasingly divided society is beginning to fracture.People continue to fall ill, the crisis drags on, and humanity and other living beingscontinue to suffer.       In Harvard Business Review – Ascend, grief expert David Kessler remarked, “Wefeel the world has changed, and it has. We know this is temporary, but it doesn’t feelthat way, and we realize things will be different. Just as going to the airport is foreverdifferent from how it was before 9/11, things will change and this is the point atwhich they changed. The loss of normalcy; the fear of economic toll; the loss ofconnection. This is hitting us and we’re grieving. Collectively. We are not used to thiskind of collective grief.”

THE GLOBAL EFFECTS OF THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS INCLUDE WIDESPREAD SOCIAL,ECONOMIC, PHYSICAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES TO EVERY PART OF DAILY LIFE.

9/11 involved the deaths of nearly 3,000 Americans. At the beginning of June, theUS had 3000 cases per day and as of July it is now 60,000 per day. The world hasbeen transformed. This is our new normal, and there is no end in sight. Most of usknow that things will be worse before they get better. Thus, our grief includesanticipatory grief, the same kind of grief when a loved one gets a terminal illness. Werealize that we are mortal, vulnerable, and that feeling of safety is gone. Thelandscape of the world we knew no longer exists.   For those isolating in an effort to remain healthy, the virus has also brought acrisis of isolation, a loss of connectedness. Even for those who enjoy solitude, somesocial contact is important. Human relationships provide us with companionship andsupport, especially during times of stress. Now our relationships no longer includephysical contact, and are dependent on modern technology. In hospitals, no visitorsare allowed, and the sick are dying surrounded by strangers instead of their families. Because of this, most of us are anxious. Our minds travel to the future, generatingimages of the worst, most irrevocable coming catastrophes. In doing so we seek toprepare for loss, to have some control over the situation. Unfortunately, there is still

MEANING IN THE TIME OFCORONAVIRUSDARCY S. F. ING, PSY.D.

"We realize that we are mortal,vulnerable, and that feeling of safety

is gone."

August 2020page 20

so much uncertainty and unknown facts that we cannot know when that scary futurewill arrive. No one seems to be in charge. Coping with that anxiety involves staying inthe present. It means becoming aware of black and white thinking, and seeking thosegray spaces in between. Our loved ones may stay healthy, or they may becometerminally ill. Here in the present, we don’t know. Dealing with anxiety means lettinggo of what we cannot control, and reminding ourselves of what we can control. What friends or neighbors do is out of your control. What people in other statesdo is also out of your control. Wearing a face mask and staying six feet away is inyour control. Washing your hands is also in your control. As more people wear masksand stay distant, the risk of getting sick drops considerably. This may feel like forever,but it is not. Emotions are not forever either. They can lessen in intensity, or shift over time.Fighting our feelings does not make them go away. Staying present with feelings,letting them wash over us, lets us feel their power, but also helps us let them go. All around us, people are dealing with powerful emotions. There is worry and grieffor a past that is gone, but there is also courage and hope from those who survive.There is compassion and creativity in people making face masks for others, andfinding ways to gather together safely. Admiration and encouragement is beingshouted at caregivers from balconies. Caring is found in the eyes of a face-maskwearing professional, or helpful grocery store worker. This is a time of seemingcontradictions. A time of solitary togetherness, mystery and challenge, hurting andhealing. Most of us are familiar with the stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining,Depression, and Acceptance. David Kessler states that Elizabeth Kübler-Ross’s familygave him permission to add a sixth stage to grief: Meaning.   Viktor Frankl wrote, "Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his lifeis, but rather must recognize that it is he who is being asked.  It is not what we expectfrom life, but what life expects from us. We are being questioned by life, everymoment of every day.  And our answer to life is in how we are living every moment ofevery day. Our answer is in our right actions and our taking of responsibility." This is a time to slow down, to learn every day joy and happiness. It is a time to letgo of attachment to outcome, and to work on just being, instead of always doing. It isa time to attach to the process, not the outcome, which we don’t know anyway. Try todo your best, but remember that your best will be different on days when we aregrieving or exhausted than on days when we are energized or joyful. Persist. Shareyour feelings with others, on the phone, in a letter or email, or by videoconference.You are not alone. So what meaning do we make of the time of coronavirus? There’s an Internetmeme that may be helpful: “Perhaps when the dust settles, we can realize how verylittle we need, how very much we actually have, and the true value of humanconnection.”

August 2020page 21

The sudden onset of COVID-19, a newand highly contagious coronavirus oftencausing serious respiratory illness, hascatalyzed an “infodemic.” On April 15,2020, the Reuters Institute for the Studyof Journalism at the University of Oxfordpublished a report on how people in sixcountries (Argentina, Germany, SouthKorea, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S.) accessinformation about COVID-19 and howthey understand misinformationpresented via different sources andplatforms.  When asked aboutinformation-seeking habits aroundCOVID-19, the majority of U.S. participantsindicated relying on news organizations(54%), and scientists, doctors, or healthexperts (49%). On the other hand, when intersected with levels of education, it was found thatindividuals with lower levels of educationin the U.S. tended to rely on informationfrom lay people, rather than relying onnews organizations or the nationalgovernment. These findings are striking,particularly in the context of a globalpandemic, as disparities in accurateinformation can cause harmful, andsometimes, deadly effects. Combined withfear associated with an unknown disease,in recent months, we have seen how

underlying racial biases towards AsianAmericans have been amplified andhighlighted the “otherness” of Asiancommunities in the U.S. A defining component accelerating thespread of misinformation surroundingthe current crisis, is social media. Thepopulation is absorbing inaccuracies oncommon sources, such as Facebook andTwitter, while simultaneously creating thefalsehoods that spread around the worldin an instant. According to Pew ResearchCenter, half of Americans report difficultydetermining what is true and not trueabout the outbreak, and two-thirds ofadults (64%) report seeing some news orinformation that is completely fabricated. An unfortunate consequence hastranslated into a rise in misattributedblame. Many Asian Americans havesuffered undue hate based on nothingbut individual ignorance and anunwarranted belief of expertise. Theyhave been targeted as carriers of thevirus, assumed to be sick when seenwearing masks, or greeted withskepticism over past whereabouts, attimes under the impression that origin ofdescent relates to virus exposure. When,in fact, the data from the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention (CDC)suggests that less than 5% of confirmedCOVID-19 cases are Asian Americans,while more than half of the positive casesare White Americans (52.3%). Inaccuracieswithin racial claims are only made morepowerful through a perpetual socialmedia loop that discounts factualevidence. It is critical that we use our collectivevoices to guide through the current crisis.While it is certainly valuable to add ourvoices to raise awareness on racialinjustice issues and take a responsive

FIGHTINGSTIGMA INTHE WORLDOF AN"INFODEMIC"SOYONG KIM, PH.D. &ANNIE RESNIKOFF, B.A

August 2020page 22

stand, it is simply not enough. Moreproactive measures are needed toprevent the spread of misinformation, ifat all possible. During the week of March30, 2020, at any given day, more than8,000 tweets were posed on Twitter usinga hashtag, #ChineseVirus, whereas about600 tweets were posed using a hashtag,#RacismIsAVirus, which was created inresponse to the increase in hate crimesduring the pandemic. Through socialmedia, the feasibility of promotingmisinformation, especially raciallyinsensitive claims, is exponential. First, our efforts to "stop the hate” canstart from an off-line context. TheReuters Institute report indicates thatapproximately 30% of U.S. respondentsseek out information about coronavirusfrom their parents, relatives, friends, orneighbors. These groups can become ourfirst line of contact in which we serve as apersonal informant. We may also warnthem about the peril of social media, as ithas the potential for serving as an outletfor misleading information. This is not tosay that using social media should bediscouraged. Now more than ever, socialmedia has brought people together andstrengthened interpersonal reliance.Understanding both sides of its existencewill only increase digital literacy that iscrucial during a pandemic, and enhanceour ability to defeat the crisis of an“infodemic.” Second, similar efforts can be carriedin virtual spaces. When possible, we, as ascientific community, can provide data-driven evidence that refutesmisinformation. Engage in a dialoguewith a simple goal in mind: sharingevidence for science, reducing tensions,and avoiding emotional burdens. Acomplicated balance for people can be

expecting scientific data whileacknowledging that the novelty of thevirus can cause some degree of variancein current understanding. Given that, asmore data is analyzed, experts are moreclear on their recommendations. Lastly, on a more systemic level, wemust request that local and federalgovernment officials provide accurateand consistent information to theircitizens. The World Health Organization’sdisease naming guidelines clearlyindicates that linking certain diseasenames including COVID-19 togeographical locations or ethnic/racialgroups is strongly discouraged, as such apractice can increase biases and stigmatowards targeted communities. Similarly,officials should be comprehensive inexplaining the current stage ofinformation to minimize the risk ofmisguided personal interpretation.Balancing science, communication, andpolicy, the information provided by publicofficials should be clear, transparent andfactual. We can leave the invention of aCOVID-19 vaccine to doctors andscientists, but we cannot rely on othersfor an ‘infodemic’ cure.

Soyong Kim, Ph.D. (left) and Annie Resnikoff,B.A., (right), research fellow and researchassistant, respectively, at the department ofPsychiatry and Human Behaviors at the AlpertMedical School of Brown University

August 2020page 23

During this COVID-19 era, many people find themselves physically and alsosocially distant from others. Given the World Health Organization (WHO) andCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations to be at least sixfeet apart from others, it is essential to find ways to strengthen social connectionsbeyond in-person encounters. Utilizing Gary Chapman’s five love languages as aframework provides means for building better support networks. The five lovelanguages are receiving gifts, acts of service, words of affirmation, quality time, andphysical touch. Expressing these love languages is not exclusive to romanticrelationships; friends, family, neighbors, students, and even work colleagues canbenefit from strengthening bonds. As staying at home increases the risk of isolationand loneliness, it is vital to remain emotionally close with those significant to us.

WHAT IS LOVE? COVID,DON'T HURT MEMICHAEL P. HUYNH, MPH

Receiving Gifts Gift-giving has become a popular option to demonstrate carefor others, especially since no physical contact is needed! Withthe ease of online shopping, mailing presents allows individualsto stay at home and lessen the need to go out and purchaseitems in person. A food delivery is also an important gift to offer;if a friend or family member has a favorite restaurant or a go-to

place to drink coffee or boba, you can directly order from these places, deliver toyour loved ones, and continue supporting small businesses. If helping your localcommunity is of particular interest, donating money to charities is more needed thanever to keep these services running, and your financial generosity would aid manyrecipients who are struggling to survive through this pandemic.

Acts of Service Taking time to offer gestures of kindness to others can beimmensely positive to both the people receiving such servicesand those who are giving them in the first place. This couldmean offering to help others by picking up groceries ormedicine, volunteering for local organizations, or makingmasks to help slow the spread of COVID-19. For students, keeping each other accountable to study during a phone or video call is another wayto maintain connections while ensuring steps toward academic success. Creatingsystems of support also includes providing support for your own self when possible,such as setting aside hours for personal hobbies or meditation each week.

August 2020page 24

Words of Affirmation While it is mainstream to think that “actions speak louder than words,”sometimes the simple act of providing messages of validation andencouragement can be just as powerful for people to feel appreciated.Sending emails or text messages to check in on others is an effective wayto let friends and family know that you care about how they are doing

during this difficult period. For those who wish to show a greater sense of appreciation,writing gratitude letters about why someone has been a positive influence to your life isespecially helpful to deepen connections with loved ones. With the stress and uncertaintythat comes with coping from the COVID-19 outbreak, it can feel difficult or impossible todiscuss these issues with the people you know. Calling a crisis line is a way to speak with atrained counselor to discuss important life stressors in a free and confidential manner.Lastly, for those who wish to speak to a mental health professional for a longer period oftime, seeking teletherapy services is an important step to support your wellbeing andmental health by developing sustainable coping strategies in the safety of your home.

Quality Time A love language that may be challenging to apply duringquarantine is spending quality time. For many people, in-person encounters have quickly changed to video chatsthrough platforms like FaceTime and Zoom. In some ways,this has felt more constrained with internet interruptions,yet video calls have also become beneficial in buildingdifferent kinds of connections. This includes seeing theinside of a friend’s house for the first time or reaching out tofriends who are outside of your immediate geographic areamore regularly. Some people have also found it enjoyable towatch movies together on Netflix Party or play multiplayergames like Houseparty, Jackbox, and Animal Crossing: NewHorizons to spend time and have fun with each other. Forthose that wish to spend time discussing more difficultemotions with others, people have created online supportgroups, such as Subtle Asian Mental Health on Facebook, toprovide spaces that offer open dialogue in navigating issueslike depression/anxiety, school stress, working from home,or changes in family dynamics.Physical Touch Although people cannot necessarily be in close physical proximity without compromisingother individuals’ health, there are ways to find comfort through warm embraces fromeven their current surroundings. For those who prefer hugs, this can be hugging a pillowor stuffed animal every so often. Taking a bath, using a neck/back massager, or sleepingwith a weighted blanket are additional means of taking good physical care of your bodyand achieving a state of relaxation. While it may not be the same as holding someone’shands, tending to your pets or gardening requires not only working with your hands butalso remembering to care for the animals and plants that we hold dearly in our homes.

While these lovelanguages are not an

all-inclusive,comprehensive list of

ways to find support inthis new lifestyle duringthe COVID-19 era, it is areminder of the many

mechanisms that we ashumans have continued

to adapt withuncertainty and

technological changes.In a time when so muchis unknown about thefuture, we can remind

our loved ones andourselves that despitephysical distancing, weare not alone and can

still give hope whereverwe are.

August 2020page 25

EMPOWERINGPROFESSIONALEXPERIENCESCAITI BRADBURY, M.A, LMHCDRJOCELYN BUHAIN, PH.D.MUHAMMAD BILAL, M.A., MIN-JEONG (MJ) YANG, M.S, The intersections of our racialidentities, professional identities, andcultural values play foundational roles inour lives as Asian/Asian Americanprofessionals. The choice of selecting acareer in psychology, counseling, ormental health felt sub-standard andnon-celebrated, due to the invalidationexpressed within the Asian community.Another added layer of difficulty wasthat exposure to Asian therapists in ourpersonal and collegiate lives might benon-existent. The result of culturalstigma and inadequate social referencescan result in a limited sense ofbelonging and shared identity. Ourexperiences and awareness of theseintersectional identities are corecomponents of our professionaljourneys and work with clients, andthese identities remain critical factors indefining therapy outcomes. Whether weare working as counselor interns orseasoned clinicians, awareness of ourintersecting identities become salient inthe therapeutic space, and has thepower to influence and shape ourexperiences working with clients andcolleagues of similar and differing ethnicbackgrounds. We share with you someof our experiences in hopes to relay thatwhat you may be experiencing inisolation is truly a more universal story.

As four colleagues working at a largeuniversity counseling center, we allidentify as Asian mental healthprofessionals. It is within reason thatthese shared identities may lead tointernalized self-doubts or questions ofwhich MJ, for example, reports in herexperiences include those such as, “whatif I am speaking English weirdly” or “whatif my clients are disappointed because Iam from a different culture and country,”or even, “what if I am doing a bad job?”This can be attributed to how peopleexpress emotions, the use of language,and overall interpersonal communicationsbetween various cultures. There is alsothe tendency of being stereotyped as“model minorities,” which can soundpromising to help Asian-identified clientstrust their counselor’s competence andstrengthening the therapeutic alliance,but it also carries the risk of reinforcingnegative labels and stereotypes. Mental health professionals arepredominately White in the continentalUS, but with more minorities joining ourprofession, one area lacking in attention isthe covert racism toward minoritycounselors. Even though we may receivecomments from non-Asian individualssuch as, “your English is so good” or “I amvery impressed that you are doing yourclinical work in another language,” which

August 2020page 26

are meant to be well-intended, thosestatements are in fact innocuousmicroaggressions stemming from thesocial microcosm of racial superiorityingrained in American society. Anotherexample of this can be seen in ourtherapeutic work with clients of non-Asian ethnic backgrounds, in otherwords, racially mis-matched therapeuticrelationships (Yoshida, 2013). These canrange from dismissive tones andgestures to explicit comments, such as “Iwant to work with someone who is fromhere [USA]”, implying that an Asianindividual cannot be American. In racially-matched therapeuticrelationships, transference andcountertransference may function asthe root of clinical challenges (Yoshida,2013). Bilal observed that Asian clientswith higher acculturation exhibit moretransference resulting in eitherconcealing their concerns or quittingtherapy altogether. For example, one ofhis clients came with undisclosedapprehensions regarding working withan Asian-identified counselor. It wasonly at the time of termination, that theclient shared her initial fear that herconcerns would be minimized. On theother hand, transference in clients withlow acculturation exhibits itself assurrendering of their autonomy andrelying upon the clinician to solve theirproblems as they would with elders intheir community, a strong parallel toEastern cultural values. Theaforementioned encourages us to bemore sensitive to the unique worldviews of racially-matched clients and tobe aware of the high risk of generalizingbased on cultural assumptions, therebyfostering positive therapeutic outcomeswith the clients we serve.

Caiti Bradbury, M.A., LMHC

Jocelyn Buhain, Ph.D., LicensedPsychologistMin-Jeong (MJ) Yang, M.S., DoctoralInternMuhammad Bilal, M.A., RegisteredMental Health Counselor Intern

All authors currently at the University ofCentral Florida Counseling and PsychologicalServices (CAPS)

August 2020page 27

would likely be parallel processesoccurring between what we mayexperience in the empowering space toaddress our needs as mental healthprofessionals, and the experience ofgroup members who have participated inour Empowering Asian Voices therapygroup over the last year. Hopefully thosereading this article may feel empoweredto also find a supportive network ofcolleagues who can embrace and holdthat cherished space of solidarity,universality, and compassion.

When it comes to collegialrelationships, one of the benefits ofworking with racially mis-matchedcolleagues is their ability to impart thesame cultural competencies during ourinteractions as they do with theirminority clients; however, despite theircultural sensitivity, it can feel isolating attimes not to have them fully understandthe cultural nuances or the experienceof our Asian identities. This can create abarrier to the sense of belonging anduniversality that we all desire; however,with more Asian clinicians joining thisworkforce, an opportunity has openedto connect with them, which hasreduced this loneliness and facilitated asense of community. The privilege ofconnecting and collaborating withracially-matched colleagues not onlyempowers us but validates our journeysin becoming Asian clinicians in thebackdrop of cultural expectations andfamilial stigma associated with themental health profession.  Given the emotional intra- and inter-ethnic therapeutic experiences that thisarticle discussed, moving forward, weplan to host a monthly support and/orconsultation meeting within our center.We hope these meetings serve as a safespace for us to explore the ongoingchallenges and stressors we experiencein our clinical and professional work, aswell as the opportunities for us tocelebrate the joys we may encounterthat others may not fully understanddue to the lack of shared identity asAsian/Asian-American counselors. Nowis the time, especially given what ishappening in our global world, to uniteas colleagues. In thinking of thistransition to support each other, there

EMBRACINGRACISM, NOTEXPERTISE ISLEADING TOA NEW WAVEOF TRAUMASHIRLEY ANN HIGUCHI, J.D. Soon after the Japanese attack onPearl Harbor, rumors spread that someof the Japanese American residents ofHawaii had blocked the path ofemergency vehicles heading to thenaval base to put out fires and savelives. Such incidents showed that thenation’s Japanese American communitycloaked a secret army of saboteurs andspies who would undermine the buddingU.S. war effort and had to be isolated

August 2020page 28

from the rest of the country. By Feb. 19, 1942, President FranklinRoosevelt had signed Executive Order9066, which granted the fear mongers’wishes by authorizing the forced removalof 120,000 innocent people (two-thirdsU.S. citizens) from their West Coasthomes and put them in concentrationcamps from California to Arkansas. The people in the best position to knowabout the alleged roadblocks in Hawaii,the territory’s police and military leaders,said Japanese Americans never blockedthe roads. “There was no deliberateblocking of the traffic during December 7by unauthorized persons,” HonoluluPolice Chief W.A. Gabrielson said. By the time the truth from the expertsreached Congress, it was too late. A massforced removal of Japanese Americansfrom the West Coast was alreadyunderway. Businesses closed or weresold for a pittance. Crops rotted in farmsowned by Japanese American farmers.Students were torn from their schoolsand forced in the grandstands ofracetracks used as temporary assemblycenters. Once again, we’re seeing a similarundermining of expertise, this time in theface of the COVID-19 virus. In this WhiteHouse, as during World War II, knowledgeand expertise are being pushed aside byignorance and intolerance. Some officialshave insisted on calling it the “Chinesevirus” despite evidence that such claims

Shirley Ann Higuchi, JD is a Senior Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs for the American PsychologicalAssociation and past president of the District of Columbia Bar. She also chairs the HeartMountain Wyoming Foundation (www.heartmountain.org), which runs an interpretivecenter at the site of the camp where her parents were imprisoned. Her forthcoming bookabout her family and several key incarcerees, Setsuko’s Secret: Heart Mountain and theLegacy of the Japanese American Incarceration is due out this year by University ofWisconsin Press. Follow her on Twitter at @HiguchiJD

fuel race-based reprisals against peopleof Asian descent, whether they areChinese or not. In the early days of World War II,officials who should have known better,such as California's then attorney generalEarl Warren, claimed that the absence ofany evidence showing sabotage orespionage by Japanese Americans did notmean the threat didn’t exist. It justmeant, Warren said, that there was noevidence. In April 1943, evidence that showedthat most Japanese Americans posed nosecurity threat on the West Coast meantnothing to Lt. Gen. John DeWitt, leader ofthe Western Defense Command. “A Jap’sa Jap,” he told a congressionalcommittee. “He is still a Japanese, andyou can’t change him.”

August 2020page 29

mother’s family immediately after theJapanese attack on Pearl Harbor, as mygrandmother gathered my mother, whowas 10, and her two brothers to go fromSan Francisco to Oakland to rescue mygrandfather who was working at hisstore. My grandmother reasoned that anangry mob would not attack a family withyoung children, even if they did look likeAmerica’s new enemy. Now we’re seeinghow my grandmother’s fears in 1942 arebeing revived by many Asian Americans,who fear they will be targeted for abusebecause of how they look.

Today, without any evidence, racists havephysically and verbally abused people ofAsian descent around the country,blaming them for bringing the virus,which originated in China, or demandingthey go back where they came from. Ithasn’t mattered if they were from Chinaor were born in the United States; all ittakes is having a face that looks differentto come under attack. My grandmother and 120,000 otherJapanese Americans realized that danger78 years ago. My family members,including the former incarcerees who arestill alive, are still coping with the mentalhealth trauma from that time.  In many ways, we are creating anothergeneration of traumatized Americanswho are wondering about their place insociety and whether they will beattacked. Some, like former Democratic

"...all it takes is having a face thatlooks different to come under attack."

presidential candidate Andrew Yang, areurging that Asian Americans display morepatriotism to prove their worth in society.That way of seeking the approval ofracists didn’t work during World War IIand it led instead to decades of divisionwithin the Japanese American communitythat has not healed. But reflexive attacks on Yang as asellout don’t work, either. The governmentwas able to get away with much of what itdid to Japanese Americans during WorldWar II, because the community wasdivided and fighting among itself. Onesegment wanted to cater to the racists

Evidence or expertise be damned,DeWitt was playing to the emotions,hysteria and racism of the masses. He gotaway with it long enough to destroy once-thriving neighborhoods of JapaneseAmericans that could have boosted thewar effort.  In times of crisis, so manythings resemble the events of late 1941and 1942, the peak months of the anti-Japanese American inquisition, becausethat is the standard for how bad thingscan get for the abuse of governmentpower. Lives were destroyed not throughexpertise or knowledge but throughracism and fear. As I researched my upcoming book,Setsuko’s Secret: Heart Mountain and theLegacy of the Japanese AmericanIncarceration, I was struck by how oftenexpertise was ignored in favor of raciststereotypes and fear. That fear hit my

August 2020page 30

that imprisoned them, while anotherfought and resisted the draft. It hastaken decades for them to realize theywere both victims of an oppressivesystem. As I work with other Asian Americansto sort out what happened in the 1940sand what is happening now, I realize weare never truly free of the trauma thatattaches to people of color during timesof crisis. Too often, racism flourishesamid fear, and people of Asian descentagain feel the stigma that started soonafter our ancestors started arriving heremore than 170 years ago. As AsianAmerican psychologists we have theexpertise to help change negative

REMEMBERING A HEROALWAYS WITHIN US:JEAN LAU CHIN, ED.D.,PSYCHOLOGIST ANDCHAMPION

behavior and show how racism anddiscrimination erode society. I am proudto work for an organization that seeks toset an example of what our world shouldbe. As behavioral change experts,psychologists should continue to helpshape the hearts and minds of ourcommunities to create a better America.

MATTHEW R. MOCK, PH.D. I have been fortunate to know Jean Lau Chin, EdD, across decades. I wascertainly aware of her work and contributions to psychology long before she knew ofmine. When I was an undergraduate psychology student at Brown University forgingmy early commitment to diversity and social justice in community mental health, Irecall being inspired when I heard about her leadership at South Cove in Boston. Irecall reading about her early ideas in the Chinese American community and mentalhealth that would influence the blossoming of my own. Returning to the Bay Area of California to pursue my doctoral studies at theCalifornia School of Professional Psychology, Berkeley in the 1980s, Dr. Chin’s workalong with that of several other prominent Asian American psychologists, impressedme for their strong Asian American presence not just for their contributions in the

August 2020page 31

early psychology literature but also for their advocacy and activism. Dr. Chin’sfeminist perspectives clinically and professionally enriched my ideas and early work.She shared key psychological insights while also sharing her own intersecting,personal experiences as a woman with rich Chinese roots. As for many of us, findingmy voice and place in psychology would be an important process. The influence ofthose wise does not leave us but only germinate for our contributions later on. I do not recall the exact time when I met Dr. Chin.  As for many of us, it was likelyat the APA convention or perhaps our own, invaluable AAPA conference. What I canattest to is that after first meeting Jean, I instantly felt seen, heard, validated, andvalued. While her “tower” of knowledge and experience in the field might intimidatesome, her ease of genuinely connecting and gently reaching out, put me at quickease. I understand that this experience of Dr. Chin is shared by many of us.  I wasdelighted when she decided to temporarily leave her home in the New York area toassume a heavy, leadership role for the CSPP system in California. I was delightedthat she was “in the same neighborhood” so to speak.  Mid-summer of 2019, Dr. Chin put out a call via AAPA for someone to write aspecific chapter for an upcoming “Psychology of Inequities”, a three-volume co-editedset of books. She had noticed that an author had not yet risen to focus oninequalities confronted by Asian Americans. Leave it to Jean to always be sensitivelyaware of our inclusion. While she had reached out to some of our prominentcolleagues with a background in addressing Asian and Asian American inequities, thetiming was off in terms of their availability. I shared my interest with her. Always theconsummate communicator even when busy teaching, writing, advocating, ortraveling to do her work in international contexts, Dr. Chin wrote back to me in shortorder.    Given life cycle events in my personal life, I was not sure if this was something Iwanted or should take on given the likely “heavy lifting” that would be entailed. Responding positively with the potential, Dr. Chin wrote back to me with confidencefor my authoring such a valuable chapter.  She wrote back with ideas of her own thatshe thought should be included.  As she shared her ideas I automatically reflectedand wrote mine, not so much on paper or my laptop, but “in my head” almost asthough Jean and I were “in conversation” about a topic for which we each arepassionate. For me, the process with Jean felt easy, comfortable, and rewarding. Itwas like a shared conversation in our living rooms, albeit an academic one.  I havespecial gratitude for this, as, for some, this is not always the experience with otherprominent editors. I was able to finally write the chapter on “Asian Americans Rising Up and SpeakingOut for Greater Equity” to confront Asian American inequities past, present, andfuture. In honesty, I had to push through my process of needing to say the“definitive” word for such a personally and professionally significant subject.  Unlikethe experience others may have with publication editors, I did not experience asense of intimidation but more of mutually respectful consideration from Dr. Chin. Ishared with her that I was able to finish the chapter by strategically speaking about a

August 2020page 32

personal family “hero” in my life that Idraw upon now for inspiration. I do sowhen I experience challenges such as lossor injustice. In   kind, Jean personallyshared hers, openly and freely with bothunconditional support and compassion. With her editorial shepherding, my bookchapter that she edited is moving forwardfor publication at the end of 2020 byPraeger. Jean gently, collaboratively, andheroically helped me to get there.  We are fortunate to meet the giants inour field who have not only been rolemodels but also pillars of doing this, oftenchallenging, work together. In mid-March,Dr. Chin wrote her article titled "Global &Culturally Diverse Leadership in the 21stCentury: Crisis Leadership During theCoronavirus Pandemic and Xenophobia,"published by the International LeadershipAssociation (ILA). In it, she shares

Matthew R. Mock, PhDProfessor of Counseling Psychology, John F.

Kennedy University (mmock@jfku.edu) & Independent Practice: 2714 Telegraph

Avenue, #3, Berkeley, CA 94705(DrMMock@comcast.net)

perspectives on the mistreatment of people of Asian descent attributed to the recentcoronavirus. Reading her words and ideas, it is clear to me that Jean could havewritten the chapter on standing up for Asian inequities herself. But much like Dr.Chin, she made “a place at the table” for me to have our ideas come together as one,a louder voice.  I am grateful to Dr. Jean Lau Chin, EdD, for not only being aremarkable psychologist but a hero and champion for us all.  Her strength,spirit, and inspirations will always be within me and countless others. 

Respectfully submitted:

August 2020page 33

“A great personal and professional loss of an individual who rosefrom humble beginnings to become one of the very best.” - Stanley Sue, Ph.D.

“Jean, your passion, dedication,ambition, and work ethic helpedus all dream bigger and bolder. Ihope the realizing of thesedreams will be a legacy thatwould have made you proud. Wewill miss you dearly.” – Meiyang Liu Kadaba, Psy.D.

IN LOVINGMEMORYRemembering Dr. Jean LauChin, Ed.D.

"Dr. Jean Lau Chin will always continue tolead me and others, and help find ourways uniting to fight for social justice andmore!" - Matthew R. Mock, PhD

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Asian American Psychologist, the official newsletter of the Asian AmericanPsychological Association (AAPA), is published 3 times yearly (Fall, Spring, Summer)and distributed to over 1,000 members of AAPA. For information on specificpublication dates and advertising submission deadlines for upcoming issues, pleasecontact the editor. AAPA is a federally recognized non-profit organization.

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August 2020page 35

Yunkyoung GarrisonEditor-in-ChiefShe, her, hersI am a first-generationKorean immigrant whovolitionally landed in the USin 2013 to become apsychologist. I am finishingmy Ph.D. degree inCounseling Psychology atthe University of Iowa andsoon to be an AssistantProfessor in Psychology atBates College as well as apractitioner at PsychologySpecialists of Maine. Myresearch and practice focuson community engagement,social class/classism, andmental health/career issuesamong underservedcommunities. In my freetime, I enjoy stayingconnected with my family,friends, mentors, andmentees virtually or inperson, having meals withthem, reading people’sstories, hiking, and

meditation. I am excited towork with you as Editor-in-Chief and hope ournewsletter continues toserve as one of theamplifiers for the AAPAcommunity.

ecumenical, holistic view ofreligion and spirituality andam comfortable integratingboth with psychotherapy.

AAPA NEWSLETTERTEAM

Darcy IngColumnist and Copy EditorShe, her, hersI am a licensed clinicalpsychologist working withadults, couples, and familiesat Waimanalo HealthCenter, an integrated healthclinic. I have also been withSamaritan CounselingCenter Hawaii since 2010. Ihave expertise in clergypsychological assessment,counseling and continuingeducation for Buddhist andChristian clergy, and I givetalks on various mentalhealth topics for faithcommunities and thegeneral public. I have an

Michael HuynhColumnist/Reporter & CopyEditorHe, him, hisI am a projectmanager/research analystat the UCLA Center forHealth Policy Research. Mytraining includesquantitative research onmental health serviceutilization and previousvolunteer experience as acrisis line counselor at theDidi Hirsch SuicidePrevention Center. Icompleted my Master ofPublic Health (MPH) degreein Epidemiology/Biostatistics at UC Berkeleyand will be an incomingstudent pursuing a PhD in

August 2020page 36

Public Health at UC Irvine.As a Vietnamese Americanfrom Little Saigon, OrangeCounty, I have researchinterests in copingmechanisms for distress,dietary patterns, structuraldiscrimination, and socialdeterminants of mentalhealth among immigrantpopulations. Outside ofacademia, I enjoy traveling,playing the piano, lettering,and finding anything that isrelated to Harry Potter,Studio Ghibli, or Disney!

become a certifiedMotherpeace reader. Iblend this healing modalitywith my peer recoveryspecialist training to use astrengths-based approachin my sessions with clients. Iam also a research assistantin Dr. Fantasy Lozada’sSHIELD Lab indevelopmental psychologyat Virginia CommonwealthUniversity.

being. In my free time, Ienjoy hiking, floral design,and live music.

Mele KramerColumnist/ReporterShe/her/hersMele Kramer, M.S. I am afourth-year doctoralstudent at WaldenUniversity completing myPh.D. in I/O ConsultationPsychology. My M.S. is inOrganizational Psychologyand my B.S. is from NewYork University where Istudied Art Therapy and ArtEducation. I enjoyed thehonor of being a past V.P.of the Arizona Health SectorManagement Associationand former Director of theArizona Asian AmericanArts Association. Mydoctoral studies focus onAsian American Leadershipand I work withorganizations inmulticultural awarenessand leadership diversitydevelopment.

Portia ChanColumnist/Reporter & CopyEditorShe, her, hersI manage the developmentprogram and write grantsfor the National Alliance onMental Illness of Virginia(NAMI Virginia). I havestudied both art historyand psychology from afeminist perspective foralmost 30 years. These twodisciplines merged when Istudied with Vicki Noble to

Nina BillingsleyCopy EditorShe, her, hersI’m a Southern-California-based freelance writer. Icover topics on mentalhealth, personal finance,and health & wellness. Mywork has been published byThrive Global, and HuffPost,among others. I’m a strongproponent of therapy andself-development, so muchthat it inspired my newcareer as a marriage andfamily therapist. I believepositive relationships fosterresilience and overall well-

August 2020page 37

Ivy TranLayout EditorShe, her, hersI am a third year doctoralstudent in ClinicalPsychology at HofstraUniversity. My research andclinical interests includemotivation and reward inpsychosis and exploringtransdiagnostic tools forearly detection ofpsychosis, especiallymechanisms of learning. Ilove hot sauce, plants, andbaking.

Maica PorcadasColumnist/ReporterShe/Her/HersI am a coordinator for theOffice of Student Equity atCity College of SanFrancisco, and I teach AsianAmerican Studies: Filipina/oAmerican Experiencesthrough Pin@y EducationalPartnerships (PEP). Irecently received my MA inEducational Equity andSocial Justice at SanFrancisco State University.My passions are anintersection of EthnicStudies, Filipino/a/x -/American mental health,identity construction, andteaching. Outside ofacademia, I enjoy traveling,exploring new cuisine, andtrying out extreme sports(i.e. scuba diving, jet skiing,etc.). I aspire to one daypursue my doctoral studiesin Clinical-CommunityPsychology at theUniversity of Alaska,Anchorage.

Lisa N. CruzColumnist/Reporter & CopyEditorShe/her/hersI am a 4th-year ClinicalPsychology PhD student atYeshiva University, AlbertEinstein College ofMedicine. I received my MAfrom Harvard Universityand my BA from StonyBrook University. My broadinterests include cross-cultural neuropsychology inHIV, smoking, andneurodevelopmentaldisorders (autism,psychosis). Outside ofwork, I enjoy traveling,hiking, yoga, photography,and spending time with myfur babies.

August 2020page 38

AAPA EXECUTIVECOMMITTEEPresidentRichelle Concepcion, Psy.D., MPH

Past PresidentHelen H. Hsu, Psy.D.

Vice PresidentNellie Tran, Ph.D.

Secretary/HistorianGloria Wong-Padoongpatt, Ph.D.

Finance Co-OfficersMatt Lee, Ph.D.Jan Estrellado, Ph.D.

Membership OfficerKavita K. Atwal, Ph.D.

Communications OfficerMing-Che Tu, Ph.D.

Elected Observer to APA CouncilSara Cho Kim, Ph.D.

Editor-in-Chief, Asian AmericanJournal of PsychologyChu-Kim Prieto, Ph.D.

Chair, Division Council ofRepresentativesAnjuli Amin, Ph.D.

Board of DirectorsKimberly J. Langrehr, Ph.D.Anne Saw, Ph.D.Justine Fan, Ph.D.Swapandeep “Swap” Mushiana(Student Representative)

Asian AmericanPsychological AssociationNewsletter Disclaimer

The AAPA newsletter, AsianAmerican Psychologist, is theofficial publication for themembership of the AsianAmerican PsychologicalAssociation and is published threetimes a year electronically: Spring,Summer, and Fall. The viewsexpressed in this newsletterpublication do not necessarilyrepresent the policies of theAAPA.

August 2020page 39