AHS President Dr. Thu Quach speaks on mental health panel: “The Art of Healing: Mental Health in the Diasporic Community”

AHS President Dr. Thu Quach joined the fourth show of the 2021-2022 season of ÁCCENTED: Dialogues in Diaspora, presented by the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network (DVAN). On “The Art of Healing: Mental Health in the Diasporic Community” panel, Dr. Quach joined Pulitzer-prize winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen, James Huynh, Danny Thien Le, and Dr. Yvonne Y. Kwan in a conversation centering on mental health, self care, and wellness through the course of the pandemic vis-a-vis the lens of intergenerational trauma. We will explore the expanding need for mental health awareness and dialogue along with resources for older and younger generations alike, especially through the lens of anti-Asian violence and racism, intergenerational trauma, and bicultural/queer identities.

Dr. Quach notes, “The pandemic has deepened the mental health needs of our Asian American communities, as we felt the impact of being both blamed and ignored. As part of the health equity agenda, we must focus on transformative changes in the mental health system, including fighting for language access and cultural competency and advocating for deeper investments in a bilingual/bicultural mental health workforce. We need to look at the impact of racism on mental health.”