Generation Connect Workshop - RSVP HERE!
Saturday, May 4, 2013 | 1pm to 4pm
Daniels Fund | 101 Monroe St Denver, CO 80206
Cost: Free | RSVP to: [email protected] by Thursday, May 2.
You’re invited! This workshop is for Asian-American young people (ages 12+) and parents to come together in writing exercises, hands-on activities and fun games to stimulate interaction and learning between generations. There is so much we can learn from each other and there are many ways we can connect! Bring your mom, bring your son! Or just bring yourself!
RSVP HERE!
Questions to ask your parents
We challenge you to take time out of your day and talk to your parents. Ask them questions to get to know them better. This will begin to open up comfortable, natural dialogue. Here are some ideas!
1) Who is your role model?
2) What is your favorite movie?
3) Who makes you laugh?
4) What was the biggest change in your life?
5) Who do you miss?
6) If you could have any super power, what would it be?
7) If you could trade places with a famous person, who would it be?
8) If you could speak any other language fluently, what language would you speak?
9) If you had one extra hour in the day, what would you do with that time?
10) If you could only have one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
Let me know how it goes! Did it go well? Did your mom get annoyed? E-mail [email protected] if you gave this a try. Lets talk about it!
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Project Generation Connect addresses an important issue within Asian-American families—the lack of communication, dialogue and understanding among the multiple generations of Asian Americans.
The goal of Project Generation Connect is to share common barriers and challenges faced by Asian American parents and children in regards to communicating true feelings, problems, affection, and more. The project encourages both parents and children to reach out and seek support and help when needed. Because Asian-American cultural upbringing perpetuates this lack of communication, young Asian Americans often find themselves dealing with depression and isolation, and at times, thoughts of suicide.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, depression is the second leading cause of death for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women between 15 and 24, who consistently have the highest suicide rates among women in this age group.
Asian countries place a great emphasis on the family unit rather than the individual, and mental illness and depression often reflect poorly on the family. The resulting stigma associated with mental illness often prevents these conditions from being addressed within Asian-American communities.
First-generation Asian-Americans are often pressured to remove themselves from their family’s struggles and become the image of American success. Often parents live through the success of their children causing feelings of tension and guilt. Asian Americans also face issues in regards to their race, ethnicity, identity, and sexuality. Being able to express oneself within a family as well as in the world is very important.
The first step of Project Generation Connect was that 80 Asian Americans across all generations were surveyed. Comments were shared in the April issue of Asian Avenue magazine:
- “Growing up my parents spoke Korean to me at home. Now that I am older, it is hard for me to convey my feelings because my Korean is stuck at an elementary level. My parents’ English never advanced to a point where they could understand the complex problems I am going through.”
- “I am dealing with issues around my sexual identity and have no one to talk to. My parents do not know the first thing about the LGBT community.”
- “I do not want my kids to go through the struggles I did as an immigrant from China. I tell them that school is important but they tell me to stop pressuring them to be successful.”
- “I recently turned 22, and my dad told me he loved me for the first time. I didn’t know what to say. It was awkward.”
- “My son wants to work at our family laundromat instead of going to college. I cannot press higher education upon him when I do not have a degree.”
