Thread by @soori_breeze

Tuning into this important, final plenary session of #2021apadiv45 : The Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color @apadiv45

Starting off with the incomparable Dr. Mona Amer, founding member of @amenapsy. "How many of these stories [of COVID19 racial traumas] impact the Arab American community? We don't know, b/c Arabs are subsumed under the racial category of white." #2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr. Amer warns that Arab govt's deliberately underreport impact of COVID19 for political reasons. "In short, Arab bodies don't count"

Yes! True about Iran, too, sadly.

#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

https://twitter.com/apadiv45/status/1413991885840949248?s=20

Dr. @sannishadale reminds us that what drives epidemics/pandemics are structural factors, not individual behavior. And yet, it is BIPOC individuals who get blamed.
#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Asians and Asian Americans are "damned if they do and damned if they don't in terms of wearing masks" says Dr. Cindy Liu. Anti-Asian racism in the fallout from Covid19 is racism, pure and simple. #2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

.@DrNeblett begins with the first question for panelists: How has Covid19 impacted Communities of Color?

Dr. Cindy Liu highlights the mental health effects of Covid19 related to the onslaught of sustained discrimination. This has been fed and emboldened with xenophobic rhetoric from the highest offices.
#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

"It's cumulative loss"
"Historically, I've been at the margins, and these losses have been here...and I'm exhausted"
@sannishadale speaks to the cumulative and intergenerational loss that makes COVID19 especially painful for BIPOC communities
#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr. Lucas Torres: even among survivors of COVID19 in the hardest-hit communities, folx often suffer from survivor's guilt in addition to the pain of losing loved ones
#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr. Mona Amer: many of our communities are built on networks and social connection (Tweeter's note: #belonging) and part of the loss has been a loss of these necessary support systems.
#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

.@sannishadale: COVID19 has been a global trauma, but it did not show up at each of our doorsteps the same way. Because of -isms and historical oppression, not all communities experienced this in the same way.//

#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr. Mona Amer: we cannot extract ourselves from the global process. Vaccine rollout, testing, ventilator access, etc. Also discrimination in the US has worldwide effects (AAPI hate worldwide)

💯This panel is so important, & these truths make me so angry!
#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

.@DrNeblett asks what are myths and misconcpetions about COVID19?

Dr. Cindy Liu: public discourse denies disproportionate impact among communities of color. Data is hard to get, making it hard to demonstrate the unmet needs and challenge the discourse.

#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr @sannishadale talks abt the tremendous misinformation, and ppl not getting the info they need from trusted/worthy sources. And she stresses *ACCESS* to care for communities of color who do get the info but can't access care.
#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr. Lucas Torres: One of the biggest myths is that we're almost out of covid, that everything is fine.

I agree! And it *troubles* me everytime I hear ppl talking about being in a post-Covid world.

#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

.@DrNeblett bringing the good questions tonight! What are the challenges we face now and moving forward, and the salient issues we must face as psychologists?

#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr. Mona Amer: Essentially, this is not over. So many things to study: mental health, acculturation, social dynamics of communities, domestic violence. What are the aspects of wellbeing we're not trained or interested to look into?
#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr. Cindy Liu: The disparities in funding must be addressed in order to address any of the disparities we've discussed. For example, NIH gives ~0.17% of funding for Asian American populations

#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr @sannishadale: Psychologists need to be better at serving human beings as we collect data that we hope to use to help move society forward. Participants are people first, we must think how we can leverage services to help them how we can.

#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

.@DrNeblett agrees with Dr. Mona Amer: Resilience does not exist only in individuals, it exists among communities and needs to be recognized as such!

(I also agree! 100%)

#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr. @sannishadale is "floored" by the resilience of Black women with HIV whom she has worked with. Quoting them: "I've been through other things that have been bad...I have faith I will get through this too".
(more below)

Dr. @sannishadale reminds us the marginalized ppl who are/have been already hurting should not need to continue to demonstrate their resiliency. "That has been proven over and over again". Need to address structural issues so it's easier for ppl to heal!
#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr. Mona Amer: not just resilience that we don't measure at the community level, it's trauma, it's many things! Dr. Amer also highlights the need to shed light on other silences (e.g., Arab/MENA not part of research paradigms) #2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr. Mona Amer: Sense of community #belonging associated with more health behaviors around COVID19, especially in the Global South.
#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr @sannishadale: listen to community to identify the problems. listen to them to identify solutions. then, provide resources so that they can enact those solutions.
🔥💯🔥💯
I absolutely LOVE @sannishadale's structural perspective! #2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

Dr. Amer and Dr. @sannishadale having a whole psychological jam session together on this #2021apadiv45 panel, and I love it!

Dr. Amer: We have a lot to learn, and we can learn it from the community.
Dr. Dale: it's about showing up with genuine intention to be there and learn.

Dr. Cindy Liu: For those on review panels, FUND the projects with community-based methodologies! 💯
#2021apadiv45 @apadiv45

.@DrRobSellers closing us out! TIL Dr. Sellers first started @apadiv45 conference as division pres. I'm grateful to him and 2021 conference co-chairs @Dr_GigiAwad & @DrNeblett, bc #2021apadiv45 has been refreshing, energizing, thought-provoking, and empowering.