The Jed Foundation Supports Asian and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Communities
March 9, 2021
In response to the increasing violence and hate toward Asian and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, The Jed Foundation (JED) once again strongly condemns racism, xenophobia, and bias-motivated violence of any kind. While racial discrimination and violence towards Asian communities are not new, the pandemic has led to more anti-Asian rhetoric, discrimination, and physical assaults toward Asian communities across the globe and we need to work together to stop the hate and the violence.
We stand with our Asian and AAPI communities and call on authorities to take every measure possible to hold perpetrators accountable and to keep Asian and AAPI communities safe. These incidents are traumatic and contribute to an increase in fear, stress, anxiety, and psychological trauma, reinforcing a need for increased mental health support. We are also saddened to see how this violence may be impacting whether or not Asian and AAPI families are sending their children to school if remote learning is available. As we stated in a recent post, the mental health benefits of being physically present at school cannot be overstated. However, even school principals have reported how families have expressed concerns for the safety of Asian and AAPI children in schools.
We at JED believe that feeling safe and knowing that our friends, family, and community members are safe are essential to maintaining our mental health. If you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or unsafe, here are some things you can do:
- Text START to 741-741 or call 1-800-273-TALK (8253) for a confidential conversation anytime.
- Contact The Trevor Project’s TrevorLifeline 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386. Counseling is also available 24/7 via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or by texting START to 678-678.
- Check out mental health resource center for info on taking care of ourselves and others during difficult times.
- Call your local emergency response number to report incidents to law enforcement.
- Help with tracking hate by reporting incidents by visiting Stop AAPI Hate or https://www.standagainsthatred.org/about
We stand together to promote unity, inclusion, and safety for all.
In solidarity,
The JED Team
Mental Health Resources:
- Asian American Suicide Prevention & Education
- Call 1-877-990-8585, a 24 hour Asian LifeNet Hotline (Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Fujianese are offered)
- @asiansformentalhealth on Instagram
- Asian Mental Health Collective
- APIDA Therapist Directory via AMHC
- HGSE Let’s Talk! Supporting Asian and Asian American Students through COVID-19 (2020) 8-Part webinar series
- Racial Trauma Toolkit
- Recent Instagram post AMHC Resources
- SAMSHA: 800-662-HELP
- @subtleasianmentalhealth on Facebook
- Supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students video from Each Mind Matters (CA)
Anti-Racism Resources:
- Anti-Asian Violence Resources Carrd
- COVID-19 and Racism one-pager
- Guide for Parents of Asian/Asian American Adolescents on how to talk to teens about racism
- HGSE Let’s Talk! 2021 Professionals Conference, supporting Asian and Asian American students
- Stop AAPI Hate
- Supporting Asian/Asian American Children and Youth during the COVID-19 Pandemic video and resources from Society for Research in Child Development