According to the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, “In 2018, Asians were 60 percent less likely to have received mental health treatment as compared to non-Hispanic whites.” One of the reasons for hesitency for members of the Asian community to seek mental health support is stigma.
“The prevalence of stigma related to mental health issues is a widespread concern in Asian communities. Within our community, we’ve encountered unfortunate narratives of youth suicides stemming from a reluctance to seek timely assistance for mental health challenges,” said Lei Chen, Director of Community Outreach and a Board of Trustees member for Purple Swans. “With the objective to create a positive impact in people’s lives and promote Chinese performing arts within the community, we’ve started an initiative to enhance awareness regarding mental health, particularly among adolescents. Our aspiration is to play a role in reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, encouraging a greater number of individuals to seek support when necessary.”
Founded in 2014 by a group of dance professionals and enthusiasts, the Purple Swans Corporation, a Morristown-based non-profit, has made a staunch commitment to help break the stigma of mental health conditions both in the Asian community and the general public. The Purple Swans uses a unique, creative approach to promote mental health by interspersing dance performances with mental health messages. It employs a moving and impactful strategy to reach the audience.
“From Indian cave paintings of dancing figures dating back to 8000 B.C.E., dance has been part of human history, lending transcendence to spiritual rituals and creating bonds within communities. Dance is, at the very root, mental as well as physical. At Purple Swans, we believe in the power of using dance to bring people together and empower the disadvantaged, a goal resonating with that of MHANJ,” stated Maria (Jie) Wu, Chair of the Board of Trustees for Purple Swans.
Taking their commitment to mental health further, the organization has sponsored Mental Health First Aid and Question, Persuade, Refer suicide prevention gatekeeper training to members of the Asian community.
For more information about the Purple Swans, see: https://www.purpleswans.org/.