A Message from the API Social Work Council

Photo: Left to right — APISWC co-founders Dr. Susan Sung, Nancy Lim Yee, Janice Wong

By Nancy Lim-Yee

I, along with many of you as well as millions of Americans across our nation, are very disappointed (to put it mildly) with the results of the presidential election.

We have experienced other presidential elections when our candidate of choice was not elected.  We may not have liked it, but we have accepted it and moved on. However, I don’t think we have ever experienced an individual like Donald Trump who used such divisive language and actions to become elected.

I was hoping to wake up on Wednesday morning to a different reality, but that was not to be.

So, what do we do?  Some of you know that I am one of the co-founders of this Council. In 1995, a small group of API social workers began to meet over our concerns about the potentially devastating effects of the social-political climate on all people of color, especially socially/economically vulnerable Asian/Pacific Islanders. Specific issues of concern were immigration, affirmative action (including the “glass ceiling”), cultural diversity and competence, and managed health care.  Sound familiar?  These are the some of the very same issues that we are grappling with today.

As social workers, we can take action in different ways.

We can “fight back” in a smart and organized way; in a strategic and careful way. We get involved. We do what we can to fight injustice anywhere we see it. Maybe we do that by writing a check to contribute to a cause. Maybe we roll up our sleeves to volunteer our time to do something we believe in.  The Council and NASW-CA hope to provide more specific actions in the coming weeks and months.  If you have good suggestions, we would like to hear from you.

But, we also need to heal as a nation. There has been too much divisiveness that has occurred during this campaign. There must be an open dialogue and communication with each other. We all have an obligation to listen too. Social workers are good at that and can help :)  Most of all, our President-Elect has the responsibility to take the lead on this.

Below is a release from Dr. DJ Ida of the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 9, 2016

The Challenge and Responsibility of Bringing the Country Together

The National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, NAAPIMHA, joins those within Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities as well as the countless others in expressing serious concerns about the outcome of the presidential election. The challenge facing this country goes beyond having to adjust to differences of political opinions or policies and goes to a much darker place.  The outcome of the election uncovered how divisive this country really is and lays bare the sentiments of a segment of the population that not only feels disenfranchised but also hold beliefs that threaten the civil rights and overall safety and well-being of others.. The electoral college gave President-Elect Trump the requisite number of votes to be elected but he and those who support him must also remember that he lost the popular vote and therefore does not have a mandate to ignore the concerns of those who voted for other candidates.   .

A major concern of NAAPIMHA is the toll this presidency will have on our country.  Fear, hatred, racism, xenophobia, disrespect for women, and a total disregard for the feelings of those with disabilities are mental health issues that can have dire consequences for those who are the target of this type of a destructive belief system that results in undue and profound stress and anxiety.  We should all be concerned when a young person fears for their safety because they are Muslim, or fears deportation because they were brought here as a child without proper documentation, or concerns over the loss of their health coverage because Trump has vowed to disband the Affordable Care Act.  We should be concerned about his belief that global warming does not exist, or the fact that he takes pride in not paying taxes and is invested in protecting his business interests that places the burden on those who do contribute to the economy through taxes.  Trump played a major role in fanning the flames of hatred and taking refuge in his place of privilege.  As president he now has the major responsibility of explicitly denouncing such actions and beliefs to insure a level playing ground founded on mutual respect and integrity.  It is not enough to have the hollow rhetoric of saying he will bring us together while ignoring the consequences of his behavior.  His learning curve to truly understand and represent ALL who live in this country is very steep. He must earn the respect that the office of the President offers and he must start the path of healing immediately.

DJ Ida  PhD

Executive Director

National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association

1215 19th St, Suite A

Denver, CO  80202

303.298.7910

720.939.6494