Thank you for being here -

While Asian Together has been around since January 2024, my story for creating this organization started all the way in 2021. Let me explain:

August 2021, after the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down and life was becoming more of what it used to look like. I remember being extremely excited to go back to the typical life of before. I had changed so much during the time spent home, discovering my interests and who I was. What I didn’t know was that life wasn’t going to be “normal”.

Always being a shy, introverted boy, I was tired of being quiet. I wanted to share my voice with the rest of my community, who had never really heard me before. Thus, upon entering school in-person and being a “changed” person, I decided that I would tell everyone my story.

What I didn’t know as an eager 13-year-old was that not everyone was accepting. I learned that my unique story in finding myself “wasn’t for Asians”. Furthermore, according to society, my passions and general personality was not for Indian people, and that I should improve myself to “be a better Indian”.

My 13 & 14-year-old self took this as an internal problem that I needed to fix. To become the “Ideal Indian Boy”, I needed to change my whole personality. Consistently trying to achieve this resulted in lot’s of intrusive thoughts, anxiety attacks, and chronic stress. I was always trying to please others, while psychologically hurting myself at the same time.

After I began to realize what stereotypes and false images started affecting me, I noticed that it was mostly affecting my mental health. I was certain that I was not alone in this, that there were more people who’s mental health were also affected by microaggressions, stereotypes, and prejudice.

Upon turning 15, I started to look into mental health throughout my community. One main theme I saw common was that in the Asian community, mental health was never discussed.

Even in my own life, I had never understood much about mental health due to the high stigma and disinformation surrounding it. Knowing that much of the reason behind that was my Asian identity, I knew that mental health stigma in Asian communities was hurting so many people.

Internally, I demanded change. Having never publicly discussed my mental health and directly working with my local Asian community, I knew it was going to be a challenge for me to create change. I was discouraged by many to advocate for Asian Mental Health as it wasn’t for me, and that it was all “in my head”.

Come November 2023, I was heavily thinking on how I could fit both two important parts of me, my mental health and Asian identity, into one big message I could create to help other people like me get the care and support they need.

Knowing that I wasn’t the only one with mental health struggles, and definitely not the only one with an Asian identity, I always resonated with this idea of togetherness. It helped me understand who I was when talking to like-minded individuals who had similar experiences. More importantly, it made me feel heard.

Universally in Asian cultures, there is a belief of being always together. Knowing that I wasn’t alone in any of my struggles, either with my Asian identity or mental health, I knew others would have the same feeling, and we’d feel them together.

Wanting a space for other people with Asian identities to discuss mental health, I knew that I wanted to create a space where we could be Asian, Together. And thus, the idea of Asian Together was formed.

My idea changed from just creating a blog, to a podcast, to a support group, to what it is today, a full organization, I knew that I wanted to help the Asian community with mental health challenges.

Looking back now, I want to go back and tell my younger self about who we really are. My younger self would have heavily benefited from Asian Together, and I hope everyone here does too.

Sincerely,

Arjuna Pandey (he/him/his)

Founder and Executive Director, Asian Together