Written by Alexandra Dawson
Mental health awareness is finally gaining momentum, from celebrities speaking up and advocating for change, to mainstream platforms making candid conversations surrounding mental health more easily accessible.
Society seems to be moving in the right direction. But for many Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, talking about it can feel like trying to unbox a decades-old family heirloom—fragile, complicated, and layered with lots of history.
While there’s a cultural hesitation rooted in centuries of resilience, Carrie Zhang (she/her), founder of the Asian Mental Health Project, points out that these conversations are essential for healing both individuals and communities. As she shares, “I feel like a lot of this could have been mitigated at a younger age, had I had the vocabulary, the confidence, the tools... to name my feelings at home.” Tackling mental health doesn’t have to be an all or nothing ultimatum. Exploring our mental health actually helps us honor the past while shaping a healthier future.
Unique Challenges Faced by AAPI Individuals
Mental health for AAPI individuals isn’t just about managing personal stressors of daily life—it’s often wrapped up in cultural identity, family expectations, and unique stigmas that society still perpetuates in 2025. Imagine living in a K-drama where everyone around you has specific ideas on who you should be and what’s acceptable to feel.
Carrie recalls, “When someone in my family… was experiencing a mental health issue, they’d instantly be labeled as ‘crazy’ or asked, ‘what’s wrong with your nerves?’ Cultural pressures like these can make expressing one’s emotions feel almost off-limits. Labels like ‘crazy’ become these invisible walls, boxing people in and leaving them to struggle in silence without the support they need."
Understanding Intergenerational Trauma
Enter the era of intergenerational trauma: the “family recipe” that no one really wants but somehow still gets passed down. This concept refers to trauma experienced by previous generations—through war, displacement, assimilation, economic hardship—that lingers in the present as anxiety, perfectionism, or a need to hide one’s emotions. To learn more about generational trauma and the lasting impact visit Talk Space’s Blog.
Carrie explains, “I grew up heavily anxious… always watching my back… because, you know, it wasn’t sort of, was the thing that I was taught to do.” It’s like walking around your whole life, for years, carrying a heavy suitcase that feels like it’s stuffed with rocks bursting at the seams, except this one is packed with inherited fears and anxieties, making it even more important to open up and understand what’s inside.”
Image: https://tenor.com/view/unpacking-explode-mickey-mouse-gif-11819754
Cultural Influences on Mental Health
Culture is a massive force in how AAPI communities perceive their mental health. On one hand, cultural heritage can provide a foundation of identity, pride, and resilience. But it can also impose rigid, unattainable, and narrow minded expectations around emotional expression.
Carrie puts it plainly: “Heritage is everything.” Yet mental health struggles are often “woven into heritage” in a way that complicates open conversation.
"Imagine your mental health like the imposter in the popular video game, Among Us—trying to hide your therapy appointments, hoping no one calls an emergency family meeting about your 'suspicious' behavior. While cultural resilience is our superpower, sometimes it makes asking for help feel like pressing the emergency eject button."
Image: Among Us Game Play Screen / Edited by Alexandra Dawson
Stigmas Surrounding Mental Health in AAPI Families
Stigmas within AAPI families can create barriers to finding help. Carrie shares how, in her family, mental health struggles were met with resistance, as if suggesting therapy was like introducing pineapple on pizza—unexpected and frowned upon.
Carrie’s personal journey to mental health advocacy, however, reveals the impact of breaking these norms: “I would rather live authentically as myself… than hide this and completely have that door closed.” For her, creating a new, open narrative around mental health for AAPI communities isn’t just about fighting stigma; it’s about giving everyone the freedom to express themselves without judgment.
Carrie’s Unique Perspective: Personal and Professional Advocacy
Carrie’s resilience and dedication to advocating for AAPI mental health is inspiring. After her own mental health journey, she turned her pain into purpose and her passion resulted in the creation of Asian Mental Health Project.
Using her platform and communication skills, she built a digital community for AAPI, where they can openly share their feelings, personal stories, and support each other. As she explains, “I just wanted to hold on to hope… we’re all in this together, and we can make the future that we want to see.”
Empowerment Through Community: The Power of Collective Healing
Collective healing—one of Carrie’s key messages—is all about community empowerment. Carrie encourages AAPI individuals to come together and support one another, like a virtual friend group that just gets you. The Asian Mental Health Project creates dedicated spaces where people can share their stories openly. This collective approach is like having a reliable fandom; it’s a space where people don’t just talk about struggles but find strength together and can offer support from a lived experience POV. Having a collective, community focused, approach to mental health advocacy strengthens the relationships and provides a sense of unity.
Meme Source: Makeameme.org
Building Supportive Spaces for Open Dialogue
Creating safe spaces where people feel comfortable talking about their mental health openly is one of the most important elements for candid conversations. Carrie’s project prioritizes connecting people who face similar struggles and providing resources tailored to AAPI perspectives- embodied through both online and IRL community-centered spaces. “I really want this platform to be very community-owned and community-driven,” Carrie says. Think of it as the ultimate “safe space,” where people can connect, learn, and support each other without judgment or stigma.
Breaking the Cycle of Stigma: Education and Awareness is Where It Starts
Normalizing mental health conversations starts within families and communities, even if it feels like you’re rewriting the family script. Carrie advocates for open dialogue: “Take what you like, leave what you don’t.” These conversations can slowly chip away at the idea that mental health is something shameful, helping create a new tradition of acceptance for future generations.
By sharing stories and educating others on the impact of mental health, individuals can take small yet impactful steps to challenge cultural stigmas.
Honoring Cultural Heritage While Challenging Stigmas
Carrie emphasizes that it’s possible to honor cultural heritage while embracing and making room for mental health advocacy. This can look like preserving cultural values while at the same time acknowledging when traditional beliefs might hinder the ability to have open conversations about mental health. It’s kind of like remixing an old song with a fresh beat—you’re preserving the core essence but making it relevant to today’s world. She says, “We get to choose the path forward and how we carry that forward.” Essentially, she encourages AAPI individuals to find a balance between respecting their heritage and embracing modern mental health practices, helping future generations feel more comfortable discussing their mental well-being.
Policy and Advocacy: Making Change on a Structural Level
Beyond community conversations, structural changes are needed in order to address the unique needs of AAPI individuals. Because, while individual change is important, the current policies in place are subpar at best, rarely providing basic access to culturally sensitive mental health resources, which Carrie says can make a huge difference. “Policies that expand access to mental health… and invest in community care… are really, really important,” she argues.
Imagine a streaming platform built just for AAPI mental health resources; with the right policies, community-based support could become as accessible as Netflix, tailored to reflect cultural nuances and specific needs.
Image: Alexandra Dawson Mockup AAPI-Flix (Netflix)
The Role of Media in Mental Health Advocacy
Representation in the media can be a powerful catalyst in an attempt to reshape mental health stigmas. Carrie emphasizes the importance of “responsible representation” in media, noting that when mental health stories are authentically told, they help normalize struggles and show audiences they’re not alone. Carrie mentions, “I would like people to speak more openly, like being honest… taking ownership of the ‘I’m not okay’ is what I’d like to see more of.” When media platforms provide real, unfiltered AAPI mental health stories, they are demonstrating to society that honesty and vulnerability are necessary for meaningful change to occur.
TL;DR
Navigating mental health in AAPI communities requires a nuanced understanding of cultural and intergenerational influences. By embracing both collective healing and individual empowerment, AAPI helps provide a platform for people to openly honor their heritage while at the same time help them break the cycles of stigma. Carrie Zhang’s work exemplifies how education, safe spaces, and responsible media representation can transform mental health advocacy and support a brighter future for AAPI communities.
About Carrie Zhang (she/her)
Carrie Zhang is an activist and the founder of the Asian Mental Health Project. She is an advocate and organizer for mental health equity - particularly through the intersections of her identity. A daughter of Taiwanese and Chinese immigrants, Carrie grew up in southern California. Carrie identifies as a bisexual, cisgender woman and survivor. She is currently passionate about creating non-judgmental community care spaces for AAPI and LGBTQIA+ folks, as well as for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. She recently partnered with the Los Angeles Public Library to co-create the first AAPI Pride event, "It's Reading Rainbow."
Founded in 2019, the Asian Mental Health Project aims to educate and empower Pan-Asian communities in seeking mental healthcare. Currently, Carrie also works in public policy research at a civil rights organization, helping everyday people write laws. Carrie's work has been featured in Vogue, TIME, and CNN. Her work has been recognized by A24, through the Academy Award-Winning movie, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Still Curious?
-
Learn more about Carrie & AMHP
-
Connect on Instagram @asianmentalhealthproject
-
Watch the full interview on YouTube
-
Listen to the full interview on Spotify
