The importance of being culturally sensitive during Public Health Emergencies
By Pooja Mamidanna
Over the years we have seen a rapid increase with the immigration of communities of color in the United States. As a woman of color (Asian Indian) living in the United States for the past four years, I have noticed how people of color/immigrants struggle to find a voice in discourses around practice, policy, physical and mental health. Individuals of these communities are often left feeling invisible and unheard. These communities are often also oppressed with challenging matters personally and professionally while getting accustomed to a new host country/culture.
Over the past few months the Asian Community has been facing added stressors regarding the worldwide xenophobic (anti-immigrant) and racist opinions emerging from the coronavirus.
During these times as each of us are attempting to navigate our lives through this public health emergency, it is also imperative for us to be mindful about how we’re interacting and treating our fellow brother/sisters from these different communities.
I am sure each of us can remember hearing this saying said to us when we were children “When you’re pointing one finger at someone else always remember there are three fingers that are pointing right back at you”. It every easy to put the blame on someone else and not think about the consequences of how we might make someone feel.
Through these times I encourage you to think of how a person from this racial and ethnic orientation must be feeling while they are battling overt microaggression’s from society, worried about their own physical/mental health, and how they might be worried sick about their family members that are still present in their country of origin.
I gently encourage you to put yourself in their shoes and reflect on how you might feel if you were in that situation. Let’s come together and be mindful on our interactions and support one another through this crisis.
I have added below here a few articles that are tailored to xenophobia:
https://nextshark.com/50-cent-trump-china-coronavirus/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1125441
I have also added below good resources for you to learn more about how we can support one another:
https://www.kqed.org/news/11800025/to-be-asian-with-a-face-mask-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VjCJ4nVlvA&t=1973s
Here are also a few tips to take care of yourself during this crisis:
https://www.cnet.com/news/us-declares-coronavirus-a-public-health-emergency/