Mental health
Immigration status is not the only source of worry for farmworkers in California. Financial stress cause many in the Central Valley additional psychological distress.
In California's Vietnamese American community, caregivers silently endure their own health crisis while tending to disabled or elderly family members, trapped between cultural expectations of filial duty and the crushing reality of round-the-clock care.
A project that started during the pandemic to provide people with free groceries eventually grew to become Somos Esenciales, a San Francisco Mission District participatory intervention project where community "researchers" are trained to be full-time mental health advocates to promote health equity and lasting change for Native, Latino and Black communities in San Francisco.
As immigration enforcement tightens under the Trump administration, there are a growing number of undocumented Asian immigrants caught in legal limbo — unable to adjust their legal status, return home, or speak openly about their lives.
Tamala Floyd, shaped by childhood trauma, became a therapist to heal others. She advocates for ancestral healing and tailored care, especially for Black women and mothers.
Anxiety spreads across immigrant groups driving some communities into hiding. Fatty Ding Square in Monterey Park has long been a landing spot for migrants from China. These days, the square is much quieter with few people risking coming out in public.
For those suffering from silicosis (mostly immigrants from Latin and Central America) — a deadly disease experienced by cutting, sanding, drilling artificial stone which can cause the inhalation of silica dust leading to the scarring of lungs — the health challenges often come hand-in-hand with a high level of emotional stress.
Dozens of homeless families face evictions due to a controversial city policy that limits family shelter stays to 90 days.
Like many Black teens across the country, Duchess-Angelica Wright struggles to maintain her mental health. As a young Black woman, a member of the LGBTQ community, and a former foster youth, she faces multiple layers of challenges and has attempted suicide three times. Recognizing that systemic barriers thwart many Black youth like Wright from seeking mental health care, community organizations are stepping In to provide support in trying to stem a swelling crisis.