Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Events

The JEDI Office seeks to create intentional spaces and time for members of the IHP community to connect and address equity issues. We seek input from students, faculty, staff, clinical partners, and the communities we serve on areas for growth, and new ways to leverage our assets and resources (creativity, knowledge, experience, material) for anti-oppressive work. In this pursuit we enrich our community by hosting and promoting a multitude of events and lecture series, documented below.

Past Events

Honoring a long-serving trustee and first chair of the Institute’s Board of Trustees, now an Honorary Trustee, this award supports a visiting faculty speaker series with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion in the health professions. Established in 2012, this program is made possible by the support of MGH Institute Honorary Trustee Carol M. Taylor and her husband, John H. Deknatel. The couple established the fund because, as Taylor said, “modeling success and helping set goals with regard to diversity is important for students, and a faculty role model can be quite powerful.”

In choosing to honor Baugh, Taylor said, “Ever since I joined the Board of Trustees in 2004, Lorraine has served as an inspiration and beacon on issues of diversity. While the Institute has made great strides in recent years, our hope is that establishing this award will help further advance the importance and value of diversity and inclusion to ensure our graduates are well-prepared to care for an increasingly diverse society.”

Baugh Series Presentations

Our speaker was Dr. John Silvanus Wilson, Jr.

In December 2023, after serving as the executive director of AASCU’s Millennium Leadership Initiative, John Silvanus Wilson, Jr. was named the managing director of the Open Leadership Program in collaboration with MIT, and chairman of The Open Leadership Council. He launched his career in 1985 with a 16-year stay at MIT, mostly as a senior fundraising official in two major capital campaigns. 

Dr. Wilson discussed themes from his new book, Hope and Healing: Black College and the Future of American Democracy, released by the Harvard Education Press in 2023; the challenges facing colleges and universities from three key perspectives, each of which yields important lessons: American higher education and our democracy, American higher education and our trajectory, and American higher education and our destiny.  Watch the lecture.

"Engaging the Social Determinants of Health: Race, Structure, and Wellbeing," engaged the relationship between racism and health, as communities of color in large cities are bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic and health professionals throughout the country are slowly coming to grips with the fact that structural racism deeply impacts health outcomes. Using critical public health and critical epidemiology, Dr. Stovall discussed how, while many understand the current health crisis to be new, others have known it has been with us since time immemorial. Watch the lecture.

Dr. Lori Patton Davis, one of the most influential scholars in the field of higher education, presented on Friday, March 26, 2021 at Noon via Zoom. In this presentation, Dr. Lori Patton Davis discussed the landscape of scholarship on minoritized students in higher education and the slow progress among campuses to implement change. Audience members learned why change is not only difficult but often fleeting in predominantly white educational environments. Recommendations for practice and policy were offered. The Office of Justice Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion held its inaugural Social Justice Research Conference following the Baugh Lecture, an opportunity to come together as an institution to engage in critical conversations about our collective commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion research.

Dr. Howard C. Stevenson, Constance Clayton Professor of Urban Education, Professor of Africana Studies, in the Human Development & Quantitative Methods Division of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania presented on September 21, 2020.

In addition to teaching, Stevenson is director of Forward Promise, a national program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to help young men of color and their families heal from the trauma of historical and present-day dehumanization, discrimination, and colonization. Stevenson discussed research findings showing how racial literacy, whether taught formally through the Forward Promise program or by parents who talk with their children about race, can help resolve those kinds of personal encounters. Dr. Stevenson is Executive Director of the Racial Empowerment Collaborative (REC), a research, program development, and training center that brings together community leaders, researchers, authority figures, families, and youth to study and promote racial literacy and health in schools and neighborhoods. Since 1985, Dr. Stevenson has served as a clinical and consulting psychologist working in impoverished rural and urban neighborhoods across the country. Read more and watch the lecture.

Anthony A. Jack, a sociologist of poverty and inequality as well as a nationally renowned author and speaker, presented on June 23, 2020. Read more.

Dr. Shaun Harper, Provost Professor in the Rossier School of Education and Marshall School of Business and Executive Director of the Race and Equity Center at the University of Southern California. Watch the lecture.

Dr. Margarita Alegría, Chief of the Disparities Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. Watch the lecture.

Dr. Sherman James, Susan B. King Distinguished Emeritus Professor, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University. Watch the lecture.

Shane Snowdon, Founding Director of the Center for LGBT Health and Equity at the University of California, presented on March 9, 2017. Watch video.

Social workers Abigail Ortiz and Dennie Butler-MacKay from the Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center presented on December 8, 2016. The speakers have extensive experience working with youth, communities, and clinicians on how to minimize the impact of structural racism on health and form racial affinity groups. Watch video.

Alexandre Carter, MD, PhD, gave the seventh E. Lorraine Baugh Visiting Faculty Scholar Lecture "Translating Neuroscience Evidence to Neurorehabilitation Practice" on April 13, 2016. Dr. Carter is an assistant professor in the Division of Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury in the Department of Neurology at Washington University. Watch video.

Maysoon Zayid, who has cerebral palsy, spoke at the 6th E. Lorraine Baugh Visiting Faculty Lecture series on March 25, 2015. She began and ended her presentation with portions from her hilarious routine “I’ve Got 99 Problems ... Palsy is Just One,” which was the most-watched Ted Talk in 2014.

On Monday, December 8, 2014, Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, spoke on expanding underrepresented minority participation in America's science and health care. Watch video.

On March 24, 2014, Candi Castleberry Singleton, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, shared her personal story as well as the tenets of the Dignity & Respect Campaign with the Institute community. Watch video.

On October 7, 2013, Dr. Samuel Betances, world-renowned diversity consultant for three U.S. presidents, presented "Diversity Intelligence as a Mission Imperative for Health Care Professionals." Watch video.

On March 6, 2013, Dena Hassouneh, PhD, RN, ANP, PMHNP, APRN-BC, Associate Professor at Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing, presented “Experiences of Faculty of Color in Schools of Nursing and Medicine.” Watch video.

Diversity can exist without inclusion, but inclusion cannot exist without diversity. That was the underlying message given by Vicki R. Deal-Williams, MA, CCC-SLP, CAE, the speaker for the inaugural E. Lorraine Baugh Visiting Faculty Scholar Series lecture on December 5, 2012, during her talk entitled, “Toward a Culture of Inclusion.” Watch video.

April 2, 2021 - Violence in Context: Understanding the Current Atlanta Tragedy within the History and Systems of Anti-Asian Violence

Dr. Josephine Kim, a lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, presented the history of anti-Asian discrimination in the United States. Dr. Takeo Rivera, an assistant professor in English and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at Boston University, spoke to the relationship between the Atlanta shootings and intersectionality, imperialism, and sexual violence. View the recording.

March 26, 2021 - Social Justice Conference

The Social Justice Research Conference gives us an opportunity to come together virtually as an institution to engage in critical conversations about our collective commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion research. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni shared their research.

Plenary Session

Diversity in Higher Education/Health Professions

Curriculum and Education

Social Determinants of Health

Clinical Interventions

March 26, 2021 - Baugh Lecture

Dr. Lori Patton Davis gave the talk "Masks, Mattering, Magic and Movements: Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities to Support Minoritized Students in Higher Education" on Friday, March 26 via Zoom. Dr. Lori Patton Davis discussed the landscape of scholarship on minoritized students in higher education and the slow progress among campuses to implement change. Change is not only difficult but often fleeting in predominantly white educational environments. Recommendations for practice and policy were offered.

March 23, 2021 - Asian and Asian American Identifying Student Space

JEDI Fellows Annika Chan, Corliss Kanazawa, and Kana Sakai held a safe space for Asian and Asian American identifying students.

March 18, 2021 - Faculty Workshop: Auditing Your Syllabi for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

In this one-hour workshop, faculty developed a lens for examining a syllabus for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Faculty were invited to bring a syllabus and worked through assessing it from a JEDI perspective.

March 15, 2021 - Flint's Deadly Water Documentary Discussion: The Power of a Narrative

Jasmine Hall is a Flint-based public health leader and epidemiologist, who joined the JEDI Fellows on Monday, March 15 at Noon to discuss the documentary Flint's Deadly Water. Jasmine shared her experiences living through the water crisis and how healthcare providers play a role in the community. The discussion included a Q&A session and reflection. Participants streamed the documentary prior to the discussion, available for free.

March 2, 2021 - Healing Space for Asian Identifying Students, Faculty, and Staff

Dr. Josephine Kim shared an introduction of the history of Asian Americans in the US to give us a context of anti-Asian racism and facilitate a processing session.

February 23, 2021 - Intro to Intersectionality (Part 1)

Have you ever wondered what the term intersectionality means and where it came from? The JEDI Office presented the first part of a two-part virtual workshop series on the theory of intersectionality. The first part of this workshop focused on learning about the original theory, as coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw. Open to all IHP students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

February 22, 2021 - Crip Camp Documentary Discussion

A virtual discussion on the documentary Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution. Discussion on the film included disability justice, and how to apply these concepts to our work in healthcare professions and beyond. Participants were able to stream the documentary prior to the discussion, available for free. Open to all IHP students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

January 13, 2021 - Power, Privilege, and Positionality (PPP)

PPP is a program intended to create dialogue and reflection on power, privilege, positionality, and their connection to the health professions. Faculty, staff, and alumni are welcome and strongly encouraged to attend.

June 2020: LGBTQIA+ 101

Learn some of the foundational knowledge for working with LGBTQIA+ patients and colleagues. This webinar series will be a mix of instruction and interactive activities to help health care practitioners create a more inclusive practice. The first module of this series will cover LGBTQIA+ 101 including principles of gender and sexuality, terminology, and intersectionality. The second module of this series will help participants think of actionable ways to make their everyday practice more inclusive and to practice communication skills. Topics will include the physical clinical environment, forms and documentation, pronouns and names, and inclusive language.

June 2020: Pronouns 101

Would you like to learn more about Gender pronouns? How can you share your pronouns? How can you ask someone else about their pronouns? Learn all this and more at our Pronouns 101 workshop.

June 2020: Pride Keynote: "Intersex Justice" with Sean Saifa Wall

The Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion was honored and excited to feature Sean Saifa Wall as our Keynote speaker to conclude our Pride month of LGBTQIA+ centered programming. Saifa is a renowned Intersex activist, artist, and public health researcher based in Atlanta. As co-founder of the Intersex Justice Project (IJP), his work seeks the end of medically invasive and unnecessary surgeries in the United States that target intersex children and adolescents by empowering intersex people of color to advance that change. Saifa's story has been featured in Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation, Trans Bodies, Trans Selves, Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics journal, the Washington Blade, The Guardian, and The Remedy: Queer and Trans Voices on Health and Healthcare. He is a TEDx speaker and has been a guest on Huffington Post Live, ABC News Nightline and Afropunk: Solutions Sessions. Recently, IJP was highlighted in the Google/Stink Films documentary, Stonewall Forever. As an intersex activist and community-based researcher, he founded the research company, Rooted in Research which has consulted with the Scottish government on intersex rights and met with the Intersex Task Force in Kenya. His team's findings, which highlighted intersex activism in the Global South, will be published in a forthcoming report by the Open Society Foundations.

March 2020: Movie Screening "Talking Black In America"

Documentary Talking Black in American chronicles the incredible impact of African American English on American language and culture. Filmed across the United States, this documentary is a revelation of language as legacy, identity and triumph over adversity. The screening and evening discussion is presented by the department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, SRJH and NSSLHA.

March 1, 2020: Movie Screening "The Photograph"

The movie, starring Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield, concluded a month of programming in honor of Black History Month.

January 19, 2020: Movie Screening "Just Mercy"

The first social event of 2020 sponsored by the JEDI Office was a screening of the movie Just Mercy. More than a dozen students attended the event.

November 2019: Know Your Rights Workshop presented by Shannon Al-Wakeel, co-founder of the Muslim Justice League.

She discussed options if law enforcement comes to a person’s home or if someone is stopped by security in an airport. She also discussed the Countering Violent Extremism campaign, which recruits health care professionals to engage in soft surveillance.

December 2019: Chinatown Tour with the Chinese Progressive Association.

Members of the IHP community and friends attended a walking tour in Chinatown where they learned the history of Boston’s Chinatown and challenges the community has been grappling with, including environmental health concerns and gentrification. Chinatown is built on a landfill and the Chinese Progressive Association is helping the community to work on contingency plans based on global climate change and the possibility of flooding. It has the worst air quality in Massachusetts as 200,000 cars pass through it daily.

September 2019: Latinx Heritage Month

Events included a “State of Boston Latinx Health” discussion with Boston’s Chief of Health and Human Services and the Fenway Health Medical Director, students discussing their Global Heath Experiences trip to Peru, a screening of the film Icebox and more.

September 10, 2019: Gender Diversity Education Day.

Students, faculty, staff, and administrators heard Cei Lambert, program manager of the LGBT Health Education Center at Fenway Health, discuss gender, identity, and education issues during his visit to campus. April 2019: National Minority Health Month March 25-29, 2019: LGBTQ+ Health Awareness Week The KinsIHP student organization raised awareness of LGBTQ+ health issues with a full week of events from March 25-29. The week began with a talk given by student Jonathan Morency, DEN ’19, a representative from Fenway Health, who discussed providing comprehensive care for LGBTQ+ people, respectful terminology to use, LGBTQ+ health disparities, Trans health, and further resources. KinsIHP also staged an iTV Takeover throughout the week featuring healthrelated information and statistics on the LGBTQ+ community, as well as a Pronoun Awareness Day to promote pronoun-inclusive intake forms. The week culminated with a film screening of Act Up: How to Survive a Plague, which takes a deep dive into the history of the HIV/AIDS crisis and how it has impacted the LGBTQ+ population and their access to health care.

February 25, 2019: "Health Professionals with Disabilities: A Lived Experience"

Kenneth B. Schwartz Center Educational Rounds

September 5, 2018: What Is the IHP's Role in Health Care? Exploring the Impact of Power, Privilege, and Positionality

Program for Incoming DEN and CSD Students

April 9, 2018: "From Seclusion to Inclusion: A 'BioPsychoSocialJustice' Approach to Physical Rehabilitation"

Presentation by IHP alumnus and founder of Experiential Physical Therapy Dr. Brandon Sloan

April 4, 2018: Making the Connection: Our Best Strategy to Reduce Behavioral Health Disparities

Dr. Margarita Alegría, Chief of the Disparities Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, presented the E. Lorraine Baugh Visiting Faculty Scholar Lecture.

April 2, 2018: Advocating for Social Justice

Difficult Conversations: Kenneth B. Schwartz Center Educational Rounds. The 2017-2018 Schwartz rounds focus on "Social Determinants of Health and Health Care Delivery.

March 5, 2018: Religious Literacy at the IHP

February 28, 2018: Africa en el Centro: Afro-Latinx Diaspora in the United States

As part of the events for Black History Month, Yvette Modestin, of Encuentro Diaspora Afro, spoke about the Afro-Latinx experience and the struggles of holding those two identities.

February 26, 2018: Caring Beyond the Box: Health for people who identify as transgender and gender nonconforming

Difficult Conversations: Kenneth B. Schwartz Center Educational Rounds. The 2017-2018 Schwartz rounds focus on "Social Determinants of Health and Health Care Delivery.

January 15-February 15 , 2018: Dignity and Respect Campaign

This is the fifth consecutive year the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council has sponsored a month-long Dignity & Respect Campaign.

November 6, 2017: When the Patient is Prejudiced

Difficult Conversations: Kenneth B. Schwartz Center Educational Rounds. The 2017-2018 Schwartz rounds focus on "Social Determinants of Health and Health Care Delivery.

October 16, 2017: John Henryism and the Health of African Americans

Dr. Sherman James, Susan B. King Distinguished Emeritus Professor, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, presented the E. Lorraine Baugh Visiting Faculty Scholar Lecture.

September 25, 2017: Social Determinants of Native Health

Difficult Conversations: Kenneth B. Schwartz Center Educational Rounds. The 2017-2018 Schwartz rounds focus on "Social Determinants of Health and Health Care Delivery.

July 24-28, 2017: In Solidarity Week

Organized by student groups OHANA for PoC Community, Affinity for Racial Justice, and the Student Diversity Committee to engage the IHP community in discussion about racial justice and our role as health care professionals in challenging racism and oppression. Events included a documentary screening and discussion of "I Am Not Your Negro", a vigil remembering the lives taken, a discussion of systemic racism by Martin Henson from Black Lives Matter Boston, the presentation “Racial Justice in Health Care: How Racism Makes Us Sick” by OHANA for PoC Community and Affinity for Racial Justice, and an In Solidarity Week interprofessional mixer at Blackmoor Bar & Kitchen.

May 3-4, 2017: Unconscious Bias: Recognizing, Managing, Limiting Our Own and Our Students

Faculty Development Days

April 17, 2017: Human Trafficking – Your Role as a Health Care Provider

School of Nursing

April 14, 2017: The Role of Occupational Therapy in Working with Parents with Disabilities

Student Occupational Therapy Association

April 12, 2017: Sexual Assault: Responding to Disclosures as a Health Care Professional

Nursing Students for Sexual and Reproductive Health

April 10, 2017: Navigating Hierarchy Among Health Professionals

Difficult Conversations: Kenneth B. Schwartz Center Educational Rounds

April 6, 2017: Working on the Margins: Occupational Therapy and Social Justice

Department of Occupational Therapy

April 6, 2017: Stand with Congo Initiative

Office of Student and Alumni Services

April 5, 2017: Special Considerations for Working with Visually Impaired Clients

Student Occupational Therapy Association

March 16, 2017: Beyond the Binary: Serving the Needs of Trans People

Staff Development Day

March 9, 2017: Optimizing Care for your LGBT Patients: What They’d Like You to Know

E. Lorraine Baugh Visiting Faculty Scholar Lecture Series

February 27, 2017: Providing Care to Transgender Patients

Difficult Conversations: Kenneth B. Schwartz Center Educational Rounds

February 21-24, 2017: In Solidarity Campaign

Ohana, KinsIHP, Student Diversity Committee, and Affinity for Racial Justice

January 19, 2017: Caring for our Muslim Patients

Ann W. Caldwell President's Lecture: Interprofessional Rounds

January 8-February 8, 2017: Dignity and Respect Campaign

Diversity Council

Thank you for your interest in our webinar series, “Let’s Talk! Supporting Asian and Asian American Students Through COVID-19." This series has been organized through a collaboration between the MGH Institute of Health Professions, the MGH Center for Cross-Cultural Emotional Student Wellness, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education Let’s Talk! Conference.

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

This webinar discussion focused on Anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The target audience is: Asian American students, families, and community members, though attendance was open to all who are interested. The session featured social justice educators, youth workers, community organizers, and academics. ​

Speakers:

Michael Liu, Ph.D., social justice author, historian, and activist

Carolyn Chou, A.B., Executive Director, Asian American Resource Workshop

Arshad Ali, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, George Washington University

Taharee A. Jackson, Ph.D., Expert Consultant and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Manager, the National Defense University

Slides from Webinar 

Additional materials and resources from Dr. Taharee Jackson:

The following resources provide a historical context for the racialized experiences of Asian Americans in what is currently known as the United States:

Concepts introduced during the webinar include, hegemony, whiteness, and white supremacy. The following publications are available for free download to learn more about these topics:

Ways to support Asian and Asian Americans during this time:

  • Document Anti-Asian racism and violence
  • If you have the financial means, donate to the Asian Community Emergency Relief Fund, MassUndocuFund, or any of the non-profit organizations working with and within these communities.
  • Complete the 2020 Census and encourage others to complete it as well, especially those from marginalized and minoritized backgrounds that have been historically undercounted. The 2020 Census will determine congressional representation and provide data that will impact communities for the next 10 years, including the allocation of hundreds of billions in federal funding (e.g., SNAP, Medicaid, Head Start, block grants for community mental health services).
  • Join a mutual aid network
  • Participate in a campaign, such as supporting affordable housing, supporting data disaggregation, fighting Southeast Asian deportation, fighting Anti-Muslim violence, etc.

How do we build coalitions with other marginalized and minoritized populations? How can we start the conversation?

As Michael, Carolyn, Arshad, and Taharee discussed, Anti-Asian racism is nothing new. The struggle for racial justice has been ongoing. Start by reviewing some of the resources, explore additional learning opportunities, and connect with organizations that have been doing this work.

How do I better understand Asian Black solidarity?

Carolyn referenced an open letter from Freedom Inc.’s Southeast Asian Team on COVID-19 and Black Solidarity. Here is an NPR piece on the model minority myth and how it creates a wedge between Asian and Black communities. Who benefits from this wedge? There is very little data on who is committing Anti-Asian racism and violence but the videos that are going viral are feeding into this wedge narrative, this time perpetuating stereotypes of Black people as violent. Asian and Black communities have been systemically oppressed and we need to work together to dismantle racism.

How can I be a better White ally and accomplice?

It takes intentionality and is a lifelong, learning process. Start by reviewing some of the resource materials, explore additional learning opportunities (e.g. , join groups like Showing Up for Racial Justice, and attend conferences like the White Privilege Conference.

What is the MGH Institute of Health Professions doing about Anti-Asian racism?

You can report bias affecting MGH Institute of Health Professions students, faculty, and staff through several different ways, including directly with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The mission of our office is to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at the MGH IHP. We work on improving policies and practices. The office regularly plans programs and initiatives to raise awareness about marginalized and minoritized communities and provide support for members of our community who come from these communities. Please contact ktruong [at] mghihp.edu to learn more.

I have questions that were not answered on the webinar and were not related to an upcoming webinar.

Please direct these questions to Kim Truong, Executive Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at: ktruong [at] mghihp.edu.

Wed, April 29, 7:00-8:15pm EDT

Slides from Webinar | Webinar Recording

In this webinar, professionals with experience in education and cross-cultural mental health will provide an overview of common stressors affecting high school and college students and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially Asian American and international students. They will also share helpful coping strategies that can be utilized by students, parents, educators, and institutions to promote mental health and resilience.

Speakers

Justin Chen, MD, MPH; Executive Director, MGH Center for Cross-Cultural Student Emotional Wellness and Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School

Ying Wang, MD; Owner, Bucks Psychiatry, an integrative psychiatric care clinic in Pennsylvania; Columnist, Letters To Strangers

Nora Yasumura, MSW; Class Dean at the Hotchkiss School, Diversity Consultant, and former Pan Asian Advisor at Dartmouth College 



The following information was shared at the webinar:

Asian Americans Advancing Justice in collaboration with Hollaback! is hosting a number of bystander intervention workshops. Find out more.

The MGH Center for Cross-Cultural Student Emotional Wellness has a repository of resources related to COVID-19 with translations in other languages. Access the information.

How are international and East and Southeast Asian young people reacting to perhaps their first experience with anti-Asian racism?

Justin spoke about this a bit immediately after the question was posed. We have another workshop specifically focused on international students and how schools can support them..

What advice and suggestions do you have for those who support Asian and Asian American students (beyond sending links to resource pages online)?

At MGH IHP DEI, we are collaborating with colleagues to record a video for how faculty can be supportive of students. Acknowledgment of students' lived experiences may be helpful as well as making space to have conversations about the challenges these students are encountering. You may wish to invite the diversity, equity, and inclusion officer(s) at your institution as well as mental health providers to be present and supportive during these conversations.

How are schools responding to a racism against Asians that has been often overlooked?

Different schools are responding in different ways. Some schools, including the MGH Institute of Health Professions, have made public statements acknowledging the existence of anti-Asian racism and inviting members of the school community to engage in allyship. Other schools have not responded to anti-Asian racism.

Are mental health providers in particular discussing this?

Some mental health providers have addressed issues related to coping and responding to trauma related to racism-related stress among Asians and Asian Americans. MGH Institute of Health Professions students have access to EAP and SAP and they can refer students to mental health providers who can support students with these issues.

Are there collective efforts in addressing/healing the trauma from "the majority" which motivates the current anti-Asian attacks?

Showing Up for Racial Justice developed a toolkit recently, related to supporting Asians experiencing trauma. In addition, Asian Americans Advancing Justice in collaboration with Hollaback! is hosting a number of bystander intervention workshops. Find out more.

Why are future sessions only in Mandarin Chinese? Will other programs for other Asian language groups be offered?

We have two webinars focused on parenting. One of them will be in English and the other will be in Mandarin Chinese for how parents can support their children. It is scheduled on a date and time that would engage parents internationally. At this time, we do not have webinars scheduled in other Asian languages.

Wed, May 6, 4:00-5:15pm EDT

Webinar Recording

How is COVID-19 impacting student mental health and well-being, and how can parents promote the success and resilience of children and teens under such unusual and uncertain circumstances? During this webinar, professionals with experience in education, child and adolescent development, and mental health will discuss parenting practices and tools that can help to support the well-being of Asian and Asian American students through these unpredictable times. This session is appropriate for parents of school-age children, middle/high school students, and college students.

Speakers

Juliana H. Chen, MD; Associate Director, MGH Center for Cross-Cultural Student Emotional Wellness; Instructor, Harvard Medical School

Josephine M. Kim, PhD; Faculty, Harvard Graduate School of Education

John Lee, LICSW; Upper School Counselor, Milton Academy

Catherine Vuky, PhD; Assistant Professor, William James College; Clinical Supervisor; South Cove Community Health Center

Shubh Agrawal, Ed.M., CAS, School Counselor at Worcester Academy

 

I had questions about Asian Americans and schooling. Do you know of other webinars?

There will be an upcoming townhall on May 9, 2020, 2-4pm PST on education & providing a critical hope foundation for students and communities. The hosts will be Gregory Cendana, Can’t Stop! Won’t Stop! Consulting and Kuttin Kandi, Asian Solidarity Collective.

I had additional questions related to mental health. Do you have other resources?

The national Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association and ChangeMatrix are hosting an interactive virtual roundtable on May 15, 2020.

Sat, May 9, 9:00-10:30pm EDT

Webinar Recording

The first half of the webinar will be led by two experts in the fields of college admission and college counseling who will discuss some of the challenges and uncertainties students have experienced under the pandemic, and how U.S. higher education institutions have responded to these situations in order to better support students and families. The second half of the webinar will feature two experts in the field of mental health, one working at a university and the other working closely with Chinese international students and their families. They will discuss some of the mental health issues s many Chinese students and families have experienced due to communication barriers, quarantine, and anti-Asian racism as well as strategies on how to address these challenges. This webinar will be delivered in Mandarin.

Speakers:

Percy Jiang, Co-Director of College Counseling at Keystone Academy, Co-Founder of China Institute of College Admission Counseling

Xiaofeng Wan, Associate Dean of Admission, Coordinator of International Recruitment at Amherst College

Weiyang Xie, Ph.D, Staff Psychologist, University of Notre Dame,University of Notre Dame, WeChat “WeiyangEdPsy”

Yi Yang, Ph.D, Psychologist, WeChat "haizichuguohou," Clinical Committee Director, MGH CCCSEW

 如何应对新冠肺炎期间的种族歧 视 (how to react to anti- Asian racism)

如何应对微歧视 (how to face micro aggression)

举例:如何“分散” 施暴者注意力(how to distract abusers’ attention)

美国华人社区呼吁华裔公民权利、反对种族歧视的一些相关组织 (couple Chinese advocates Organizations):

United Chinese Americans (美国华人联合会) Asian American Advancing Justice (AAJC)

May 23, 8:00PM EDT

Webinar Recording

In this webinar, we invite professionals, educators and mental health experts to come together to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on international students. Professionals will provide a holistic view of the challenges that international students are facing and ways to support them, institution policies, and best practices. The webinar will provide concrete takeaways and tips to students, parents, and professionals to support international students during this unprecedented time. The target audience includes international students from high schools, universities (both undergraduate and graduate), parents, and professionals who work closely with this population.

Speakers:

Jang-Eun Cho, M.D., Child and Adolescent Psychiatris

Andrea Le, Program Coordinator, Office of Student Affairs, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Marina Lee, Founder of Cogita Education Initiatives, Chair of Independent Education Consultants Association Global Committee

Szu-Hui Lee, Ph.D, ABPP. Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, Phillips Exeter Academy

Yi Yang, PhD, Psychologist, WeChat "haizichuguohou," Clinical Committee Director, MGH CCCSEW

Moderator:

Xiaoqiao Zhang, Doctoral Candidate, Director for International Outreach, MGH Center for Cross-Cultural Student Emotional Wellness

Webinar Recording

Asian American families may often experience misunderstandings and may not feel well equipped to support LGBTQ+ youth due to generational, cultural, and language barriers. Given Pride month, COVID-related mental health challenges, and recent events impacting LGBTQ+ healthcare, we want to create a safe space for Asian American families to learn about and discuss sexuality and gender, and how to best support LGBTQ+ youth. In addition to our speakers and CHIPAO skit, a mother of a transgender child will join our workshop to share her experiences and advice.

Our workshop will include:

  • Speakers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Stanford Medicine
  • An educational role play about coming out
  • A mother of a transgender child will share her experiences and advice

We invite all those who are interested in learning about how to support LGBTQ+ youth - especially parents and caregivers in Asian American families. Participants can remain anonymous, and this event will not be recorded. Registration required for Zoom video conference link.

Learning Resources

National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance

  • Multilingual Leaflets - Educational fact sheets in over 20 languages geared towards helping AAPI parents learn about LGBTQ+ identity and debunk common stereotypes
  • Family is Still Family – Multilingual PSA campaign – NQAPIA - Videos of LGBTQ+ children and AAPI families
  • Coming Out: Living Authentically as LGBTQ Asian and Pacific Islander Americans by NQAPIA and Human Rights Campaign Foundation (LIVING AUTHENTICALLY): LGBTQ resource guide helping Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with the coming out process.

Asian and Pacific Islander Family Pride – In API Homes, All Children Are Welcome

  • Organization for LGBTQ+ API families, providing resources and contacts

PFLAG: PFLAG is the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies.

API Equality

July 23, 2020 8:00PM ET

Webinar Recording

Speakers

Sam Hyun, Commissioner of the Asian-American Commission of Massachusetts

Josephine Kim, PhD, Lecturer on Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Akriti Bhambi, M.Ed., Chief of Staff for MA State Rep Marjorie C. Decker

We would like to acknowledge that the term “Asian American” was developed by Asian American activists, not the US Census Bureau.

How would you talk to your parents or older adults that have immigrated here and found power by putting Black Americans down?

Josephine Kim: I’ve found success by highlighting parallel experiences of oppression, erasure, and marginalization that my family and ethnic group have endured and using those experiences as entry points for soliciting empathy for the Black community. It opens the door to naming the 400+ years of human trafficking, forced labor and slavery, segregation, deprivation, and senseless murders that Blacks have endured. From there, I begin with how much we owe to our Black counterparts, as birthright citizenship, voting rights, and land ownership (amongst a long list) would not have been possible for us without their forging the way.

Bilingual media sources and panel discussions have also been useful. For example, I was part of a bilingual panel discussion where immigrant Korean parents and their adult children tuned in together. We started out with a video (with Korean subtitles) of Black parents speaking with their children about how to respond to the police, and we had immigrant parents crying during the video. The bilingual session sparked conversations between multi-generations, painted a larger systemic and historical picture, and provided new language and words that both generations could use in their subsequent conversations.

Some pieces of advice would be 1. to not get defensive or angry (as any hint of disrespect may shut down conversations with most older Asians); 2. to validate and listen to the older generation’s experiences of oppression first, so that their hearts and minds can hold greater capacity for empathy to the pain of others; 3. to approach these conversations as a prolonged, persistent interaction and not a one-off conversation. These loaded and sensitive conversations usually can’t happen in one setting, one time. They have to be routine and frequent; and 4. to not forget that a positive rapport buffers the potential falls in difficult conversations; hence, it doesn't hurt to develop the relationship first before broaching sensitive topics

August 6, 2020, 8:00PM ET

Webinar Recording

Speakers

Dr. Vichet Chhuon, associate professor of education and Asian American studies at the University of Minnesota

Kevin Lam, organizing director of the Asian American Resource Workshop,

Representative Tram Nguyen, state representative of Massachusetts

Adhithyan Krishnan, founder and CEO of AK Aveksha

Discussing strategies for Asian and Asian American allyship with the Black community at the individual, interpersonal, and systemic levels based on their experiences in academia, grassroots organizing, and policy.

This webinar is co-sponsored by The MGH Institute's Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.