2025 AAARI Symposium Call for Proposals – Healing During Uncertainty: Asian American Mental Health

Asian American / Asian Research Institute

Due March 15

AAARI’s 2025 symposium, co-organized with NYU Steinhardt, will explore the intersections of identity, culture, history, and systemic factors in shaping mental health experiences within Asian and Asian American communities. Centered around four key themes—Youth Mental Health, Identities and Belonging, Workplace Race-Based Trauma, and Intergenerational & Historical Trauma—the symposium seeks to address both longstanding and emerging challenges while equipping attendees with insights and practical strategies to advance mental health support.

Background
This event rekindles the spirit of AAARI’s pioneering 2004 conference on Asian American mental health, held two decades ago, and is a collaborative effort between NYU Steinhardt and AAARI. Building on that foundation, the 2025 symposium reaffirms a commitment to supporting the next generation of mental health professionals—students, trainees, and early-career practitioners—while fostering meaningful discussions on policy implications and systemic change. This gathering is not only an opportunity to reflect on past efforts but also a platform to pave the way for a more inclusive, informed, and culturally responsive approach to mental health—benefiting both current and future generations.

The City University of New York  (CUNY) has a long history of efforts that engage Asian and Asian American studies and communities but these activities have rarely been sustained over time. Yet, despite an overall lack of institutionalization, CUNY has been the home to vibrant student activism and organizing, collaborative networks built of scholars and practitioners, and creative interventions made to support Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students, staff, and faculty across the university and beyond.

A key aspect of this symposium is the commitment to bridging academic research, clinical practice, and community engagement to ensure that mental health interventions are culturally responsive and actionable. In collaboration with faculty and students from NYU Steinhardt Applied Psychology and LaGuardia Community College, addressing Asian American race-based trauma study exemplifies this approach, fostering partnerships with national and local community organizations to drive impact. Their efforts include professional development workshops, roundtable discussions, and panels that address racial trauma, culturally informed mental health care, and pathways for advocacy within Asian and Asian American communities. These events have brought together mental health practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders to collectively identify challenges and implement strategies that advance AAPI mental health across clinical, organizational, and policy levels.

Building on this shared mission, AAARI and NYU Steinhardt are thrilled to host this all-day symposium on Friday, May 2, 2025, at the CUNY School of Law. This event will provide an opportunity to reflect on past efforts, build connections, and collectively envision the future of Asian and Asian American studies and mental health advocacy in New York and beyond.

Learn more about this opportunity here.