Register: Racial Trauma Among Asian American & Asian Immigrant Communities (Webinar Series)

Anti-Asian hate crimes have risen dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 11,400 hate incidents against Asian Americans reported to the national Stop Asian American and Asian Immigrant (AAAI) Hate coalition between March 2020 and March 2022. However, racism, prejudice, and acts of hate and violence towards AAAI communities have historically existed ever since members of these communities first began immigrating to the United States.

This webinar series from PHI’s Lotus Project will discuss and address the impact of AAAI hate and how to better support AAAI communities.

Webinar 3: Community Programs in Action

Date & Time: Wednesday, August 16 | 10:30-12pm PT

This webinar is the third of a three-part series, and aims to take a look into specific culturally competent and trauma-informed community-based programs that have been implemented to support AAAI children, youth, and families who have experienced any form of racial discrimination, stress and trauma.

Learning Objectives

As a result of attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Describe at least two community-based programs that have been developed and implemented to address trauma, mental health issues, and impacts of anti-Asian hate in AAAI communities.
2. Identify at least two strategies on how to implement culturally competent community-based practices to support AAAI children, youth, and families.

Moderator:

Angela Tang, LCSW
Clinical Supervisor/Project Coordinator, Lotus Project (RAMS)
(She/Her)

Angela Tang is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified in Healthcare Compliance. Ms. Tang is currently the Chief Operating Officer at RAMS, a not-for-profit agency in San Francisco that provides and advocates for mental health and wellness services that are centered in clients, community, and culture, with expertise in serving Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Ms. Tang has previously served as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Smith College School for Social Work (honorary) and a Program Advisor for Boston University School of Social Work. A San Francisco native, Ms. Tang earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree at SF State University and received her Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University. Her areas of interest include macro-level, systems, and strengths-based theories & practices; organizational development; and program evaluation.

Speakers:

• Cruz Chan, M.A., LMFT, RDT
• Ellen Chang, MSW/MPH Candidate
  
• Yarou Ou
  

Workshop:

Join this in-person workshop to learn from field experts on how we can better support AAAI children, youth and families with healing from racial trauma and incidents of anti-Asian hate and discrimination. There will be opportunities to network with and engage in small group discussions with other professionals in the field.

Date & Time: Thursday, May 18, 2023 | 9AM-4:30PM PT (Registration starts at 8:30AM)

Location: State of California, Milton Marks Auditorium: 455 Golden Gate Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102 (Please allow ample time to go through building security)

Course Objectives:

1. Increase understanding and awareness of the unique mental health challenges and factors that affect AAAI communities.
2. Identify ways to address barriers of mental health access within AAAI communities
3. Describe clinical interventions in working with AAAI communities
4. Identify at least two areas for strategic growth in developing and nurturing healthy community alliances.

Other Information:

• 6.5 Continuing Education Credits available for Psychologists, LMFTs, LCSWs, and LPCCs
• Lunch will be provided
• Masks are optional
• Please allow ample time to go through building security
• Registration is FREE

Webinar 2: Implications for Clinical Practice

Date & Time: Tuesday, April 25, 2023 | 10-11:30am PT

This webinar is the second of a three-part series, and aims to take a deeper dive into culturally sensitive and trauma-informed clinical practices and recommendations that can be implemented to best support AAAI children, youth, and families who have experienced any form of racial discrimination, stress and trauma.

Learning Objectives

As a result of attending this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Describe trauma and mental health issues in AAAI communities due to exposure to anti-Asian hate, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Identify cultural sensitive clinical practices to support AAAI children, youth, and families

Moderator:

Angela Tang, LCSW
Clinical Supervisor/Project Coordinator, Lotus Project (RAMS)
(She/Her)

Angela Tang is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified in Healthcare Compliance. Ms. Tang is currently the Chief Operating Officer at RAMS, a not-for-profit agency in San Francisco that provides and advocates for mental health and wellness services that are centered in clients, community, and culture, with expertise in serving Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Ms. Tang has previously served as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Smith College School for Social Work (honorary) and a Program Advisor for Boston University School of Social Work. A San Francisco native, Ms. Tang earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree at SF State University and received her Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University. Her areas of interest include macro-level, systems, and strengths-based theories & practices; organizational development; and program evaluation.

Speakers:

• Chris Hahm, PhD, LCSW
• Diana Chu, MFT, RDT/BCT
• Pysay Phinith, LCSW

Webinar 1: Historical Context & Mental Health Impacts

Date & Time: Wednesday, February 1, 2023 | 10:30am – 12pm PT

Racial stress and trauma can be caused by direct or indirect exposures to racism throughout one’s lifetime and is influenced by an accumulation of unavoidable exposures to racism across generations, communities, and history. This webinar and panel discussion aim to further explore the historical context of AAAI hate, its connection to current events, as well as the impact of AAAI hate and racial trauma on the mental health of youth and families.

Learning Objectives

As a result of attending this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Describe key concepts related to the history of racism towards the AAAI community, such as the model minority myth.
2. Identify mental health impacts of racism and trauma on AAAI children, youth, and families.

Moderator:

Dorothy Chin, PhD
Associate Research Psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles

Dr. Dorothy Chin is Associate Research Psychologist with the UCLA Center for Culture, Trauma, and Mental Health Disparities at the Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA. Her research examines the effects of community and interpersonal trauma on psychological functioning, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD, among minoritized populations.

Speakers:

• Cruz Chan, M.A., LMFT, RDT – Cruz is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist as well as a Registered Drama Therapist. Cruz’s background also includes providing mental health services to children, youth, families and adults at RAMS outpatient and school-based programs. Currently, Cruz is actively receiving training in psychodrama under the guidelines of the American Board of Examiner of Psychodrama, Group Psychotherapy and Sociometry (ABE), and presented in the 2020 North American Drama Therapy Association Conference.
• Russell M. Jeung, PhD – 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 AAPI Equity Alliance. Stop AAPI Hate was awarded the 2021 Webby Award for “Social Movement of the Year.” Dr. Jeung has been named as one of the TIME 100 Most Influential Persons, as well as the Bloomberg 50 and Politico 40 most impactful persons.
• Sherry C. Wang, PhD – Dr. Sherry C. Wang is an associate professor of counseling psychology at Santa Clara University. She is also a licensed psychologist, anti-racist educator and mental health media contributor. Dr. Wang teaches graduate courses in multicultural counseling, developmental psychology, counseling theories, microskills, and feminist multicultural therapy. She provides clinical services one day a week in her private practice. At the national level, Dr. Wang co-chairs the Asian American Psychological Association’s (AAPA) Division on Women (DOW).

Upcoming Webinars & Workshops

• April 2023 – Webinar 2: Implications for Clinical Practice
• May 2023 – Addressing Trauma & Mental Health in AAAI communities (Workshop in San Francisco)
• August 2023 – Webinar 3: Community Programs in Action

The Lotus project aims to provide training, education, and technical assistance based on the wide-scale dissemination science and implementation of effective, evidence-based trauma-informed treatment and service approaches specific to Asian American and Asian immigrant (AAAI) populations. This work is a collaboration of two key agencies, PHI’s Health Intervention Projects for Underserved Populations and Richmond Area Multi-Services (RAMS).

Originally published by The Lotus Project