Showing posts with label Media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Media. Show all posts
Thursday, September 7, 2017
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
RAMS Co-sponsoring September 29th SF District 1 Supervisor Candidates Forum!
RAMS is serving as one of the community sponsors for this
upcoming San Francisco District 1 Supervisor Candidates Forum. Hope you can
join us!
WHEN: Thursday, September 29, 2016, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
WHERE: Alamo Elementary School, 250 23rd Ave, SF
WHAT: 2016 San Francisco District 1 Candidates Forum,
hosted by the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco
View the Facebook Event Page: www.facebook.com/events/188758071535123/
Co-Sponsoring Organizations: Alliance of Californians for
Community Empowerment (ACCE), Asian Family Support Services, Community Youth
Center (CYC), Golden Gate Village, Housing Rights Committee of San
Francisco, Jobs with Justice San Francisco, Richmond Area Multi-Services
(RAMS), Richmond District Neighborhood Center, Richmond District Senior
Center, Richmond District YMCA, San Francisco Tenants Union
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
From Baghdad To The Bay
The extraordinary journey of Mr. Ghazwan Alsharif, the Chef at RAMS Broderick Street Adult Residential Facility, is the subject of the upcoming documentary From Baghdad to The Bay. For the past eight years, Erin Palmquist, independent filmmaker and director of the documentary, has been capturing on film the compelling story of Ghazwan’s life.
When Ghazwan was growing up, he dreamed of being a painter and artist. Born in Baghdad, he shared that is from a wealthy and well-known family of diplomats. Becoming an artist was not a path his family approved of. He learned to enjoy cooking at home from his parents, but cooking was not seen as a career path. In line with his family’s wishes, he pursued a degree in Office Management.
In 2003, while still in Iraq, Ghazwan became a translator for the U.S. Military. However, the Iraqis did not trust translators for the U.S. Army, and after a month in the position, Ghazwan’s family told him to quit. But, as he explained, he did not quit and subsequently his family disowned him. During that time, he camped out at the U.S. Army base. That December, the U.S. Army became suspicious of him and threw him in jail, where he was then reportedly tortured for 75 days. “I have patience. I’ve learned to be patient,” Ghazwan shared.
In 2005, Ghazwan went into exile and moved to Jordan; it wasn’t until 2008 that he was granted refugee status and sent to Oakland, California through the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The IRC introduced Erin Palmquist, Jennifer Huang, and Karena O’Rirodan to Ghazwan, who was excited to share his story with the filmmakers.
From Baghdad to the Bay captures the drama in Ghazwan’s life. Upon moving to the United States, he thought he was in a safe country, but one night, random people jumped him and knocked him down. His roommates called an ambulance and Ghazwan was then in the ER overnight. Afterward, his mental health declined and he went through a period of depression. “I had depression. I’ve been mugged,” Ghazwan shared.
“When you are in depression, you want to talk to someone and let it out,” Ghazwan shared. As a very social person, he started building a family in the Bay Area. “I have a son [in another country], and had to leave him, but I cannot see him. When I came here, I started building a family. I’m very social; I’m very friendly, so I have tons and tons of friends. I’m very loving to them, and they are very loving to me.” One of his friends took him to a therapist to talk and alleviate the depression. “Depression can cause a lot of harm, some people even kill themselves. For me, I knew I could get over it. I have patience,” he shared.
“The documentary basically talks about how I grew up and survived in the jungle; about how you can get over things, with the tough life that you have. I started here from zero and now I have a successful story,” Ghazwan explained.
The documentary also talks about Ghazwan coming out. He didn’t come out when he first arrived to the United States. “One day I looked online and I saw people getting killed because of their sexuality, so I thought it was time for someone to do something and step up and step out, so I said I am a gay man.” He began supporting the Middle Eastern LGBT community in the Bay Area by starting the group Asheq, which means “love” in Arabic. “I support them and do a lot of activities with them,” he shared. Every two months, they have a dance party with fun music and it helps them build the much needed sense of community and belonging.
Ghazwan has been working for RAMS as the Chef at the Broderick Street Adult Residential Facility for just over a year now, and he loves it. Cooking is his passion. “It’s the easiest job I’ve ever done. I tell them all the time that I love it. I like the clients; the coworkers are amazing, and the staff.” He is also a party promoter and runs his own catering business called Plates.
What makes Ghazwan happiest in the Bay Area is that he gets to be himself. He said, “I’m being myself. I’m not lying to myself. I’m in San Francisco, and that’s really a nice place to stay. I’m working at RAMS and I’m happy here. I love cooking. It’s something to make me happy. They call me, even if I have a phone call at 5 a.m. or 4 a.m., I come here to see the clients/residents. Cooking makes me happy. When I wake up, I’m blessed, because I get to work on something that I love and I’m getting paid for it,” he said.
From Baghdad to The Bay has just launched its fundraising campaign on February 25th, in order to raise money for post-production. The trailer has been released, along with the link for the donation page. The campaign has match funding by Beacon, who is matching the first $10,000.
“We have been doing this for 8 years. It’s very stressing. When I see myself I’m like, ‘Wow!’ The trailer shows some dramatic things that have happened to me, but I’m survivor. I’m happy and healthy.”
When asked about his future, Ghazwan said, “My goal is to have my own restaurant, and to see my son, who is in the United Kingdom, with my ex-wife.” Ghazwan has been on competitive cooking shows three times, including Guy’s Grocery Games on the Food Network and a show called Food Chain. “I’m still trying to [get on the] show Chopped. If I win the money, I’m going to see my son.”
For more information about the film and to donate, please visit:
www.frombaghdadtothebay.com
www.facebook.com/frombaghdadtothebay
https://twitter.com/baghdadtothebay #TellGhazwansStory
From Baghdad to The Bay Teaser from Erin Palmquist on Vimeo.
When Ghazwan was growing up, he dreamed of being a painter and artist. Born in Baghdad, he shared that is from a wealthy and well-known family of diplomats. Becoming an artist was not a path his family approved of. He learned to enjoy cooking at home from his parents, but cooking was not seen as a career path. In line with his family’s wishes, he pursued a degree in Office Management.
In 2003, while still in Iraq, Ghazwan became a translator for the U.S. Military. However, the Iraqis did not trust translators for the U.S. Army, and after a month in the position, Ghazwan’s family told him to quit. But, as he explained, he did not quit and subsequently his family disowned him. During that time, he camped out at the U.S. Army base. That December, the U.S. Army became suspicious of him and threw him in jail, where he was then reportedly tortured for 75 days. “I have patience. I’ve learned to be patient,” Ghazwan shared.
In 2005, Ghazwan went into exile and moved to Jordan; it wasn’t until 2008 that he was granted refugee status and sent to Oakland, California through the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The IRC introduced Erin Palmquist, Jennifer Huang, and Karena O’Rirodan to Ghazwan, who was excited to share his story with the filmmakers.
 |
| Photo from www.frombaghdadtothebay.com |
From Baghdad to the Bay captures the drama in Ghazwan’s life. Upon moving to the United States, he thought he was in a safe country, but one night, random people jumped him and knocked him down. His roommates called an ambulance and Ghazwan was then in the ER overnight. Afterward, his mental health declined and he went through a period of depression. “I had depression. I’ve been mugged,” Ghazwan shared.
“When you are in depression, you want to talk to someone and let it out,” Ghazwan shared. As a very social person, he started building a family in the Bay Area. “I have a son [in another country], and had to leave him, but I cannot see him. When I came here, I started building a family. I’m very social; I’m very friendly, so I have tons and tons of friends. I’m very loving to them, and they are very loving to me.” One of his friends took him to a therapist to talk and alleviate the depression. “Depression can cause a lot of harm, some people even kill themselves. For me, I knew I could get over it. I have patience,” he shared.
“The documentary basically talks about how I grew up and survived in the jungle; about how you can get over things, with the tough life that you have. I started here from zero and now I have a successful story,” Ghazwan explained.
The documentary also talks about Ghazwan coming out. He didn’t come out when he first arrived to the United States. “One day I looked online and I saw people getting killed because of their sexuality, so I thought it was time for someone to do something and step up and step out, so I said I am a gay man.” He began supporting the Middle Eastern LGBT community in the Bay Area by starting the group Asheq, which means “love” in Arabic. “I support them and do a lot of activities with them,” he shared. Every two months, they have a dance party with fun music and it helps them build the much needed sense of community and belonging.
 |
| Photo from www.frombaghdadtothebay.com |
Ghazwan has been working for RAMS as the Chef at the Broderick Street Adult Residential Facility for just over a year now, and he loves it. Cooking is his passion. “It’s the easiest job I’ve ever done. I tell them all the time that I love it. I like the clients; the coworkers are amazing, and the staff.” He is also a party promoter and runs his own catering business called Plates.
What makes Ghazwan happiest in the Bay Area is that he gets to be himself. He said, “I’m being myself. I’m not lying to myself. I’m in San Francisco, and that’s really a nice place to stay. I’m working at RAMS and I’m happy here. I love cooking. It’s something to make me happy. They call me, even if I have a phone call at 5 a.m. or 4 a.m., I come here to see the clients/residents. Cooking makes me happy. When I wake up, I’m blessed, because I get to work on something that I love and I’m getting paid for it,” he said.
From Baghdad to The Bay has just launched its fundraising campaign on February 25th, in order to raise money for post-production. The trailer has been released, along with the link for the donation page. The campaign has match funding by Beacon, who is matching the first $10,000.
“We have been doing this for 8 years. It’s very stressing. When I see myself I’m like, ‘Wow!’ The trailer shows some dramatic things that have happened to me, but I’m survivor. I’m happy and healthy.”
When asked about his future, Ghazwan said, “My goal is to have my own restaurant, and to see my son, who is in the United Kingdom, with my ex-wife.” Ghazwan has been on competitive cooking shows three times, including Guy’s Grocery Games on the Food Network and a show called Food Chain. “I’m still trying to [get on the] show Chopped. If I win the money, I’m going to see my son.”
For more information about the film and to donate, please visit:
www.frombaghdadtothebay.com
www.facebook.com/frombaghdadtothebay
https://twitter.com/baghdadtothebay #TellGhazwansStory
From Baghdad to The Bay Teaser from Erin Palmquist on Vimeo.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
RAMS co-presenting at CAAMFest 2016
RAMS will be co-presenting a feature film, Please Remember Me, at CAAMFest 2016, held by Center for Asian American Media.
RAMS will be co-presenting the screening to be held on Saturday, March 12th at 1:00PM, at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 2550 Mission Street, San Francisco CA 94110.
Click HERE for info & to purchase tickets.
Click HERE to read about the true-life love story behind the film, described by the filmmaker as a "story about memory, love, and dignity".
Please join us at the screening and the following discussion, and check out the exciting line-up of events in this 11 day celebration of film, music, and food! CAAMFest 2016 runs from March 10-20. We hope to see you there!
 |
| Please Remember Me |
Octogenarian couple Feng and Lou have been married and inseparable for over 40 years. Ever since Lou was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Feng has utterly dedicated himself to her care. As he witnesses his wife’s mental decline and his own propensity to illness, Feng considers moving them to a nursing home — much to his wife’s disapproving bewilderment. How does one manage the care of an ailing life partner, all while dealing with the intractable march of old age?
Executive produced by award-winning filmmaker Ruby Yang (MY VOICE, MY LIFE, CAAMFest 2015), PLEASE REMEMBER ME is a tender portrait of a longtime couple who, like many elderly Chinese today, live alone as their children have settled overseas. Director Zhao Qing follows her great-uncle and -aunt over three years as Feng works pragmatically to remedy his beloved wife’s increasing dependence and loss of memory. Told with great tenderness and sensitivity, this documentary evokes the importance of personal histories and pays tribute to navigating the joys and troubles of old age with quiet courage, love and dignity.
— Chanel Kong
Click HERE for info & to purchase tickets.
Click HERE to read about the true-life love story behind the film, described by the filmmaker as a "story about memory, love, and dignity".
Please join us at the screening and the following discussion, and check out the exciting line-up of events in this 11 day celebration of film, music, and food! CAAMFest 2016 runs from March 10-20. We hope to see you there!
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
RAMS Co-Presenting at CAAMFest 2015
RAMS will be co-presenting a feature film, CICADA, at the CAAMFest 2015, held by the Center for Asian American Media.
RAMS will be co-presenting the showing of Cicada on March 18 at 6:30pm, at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, 1881 Post Street.
We also invite viewers to stay and join in a short discussion with RAMS after the film.
Cicada is the first feature film from the team that created the award-winning short films Jitensha and Persimmon. Their work has screened at the Venice Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, and Aspen Shortsfest and won awards at the Heartland Film Festival, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and Sapporo Shortfest. For more details, visit the film's site at www.cicadathemovie.com
Please join us at the screening and the following discussion, and check out the exciting line-up of events in this 11 day celebration of film, music, and food! CAAMFest 2015 runs from March 12-22. We hope to see you there!
 |
| Cicada |
When Jumpei Taneda finds out he has a fertility problem, he begins to have clairvoyant flashes that mysteriously lead him to cicada shells. Jumpei's inability to have children causes him to become a father-figure to his sister Nanaka's young son Ryota, who is being bullied at school. Nanaka and her gambling-addict husband decide to throw a birthday party for Ryota in hopes of changing his classmates' perception of him. Unfortunately, no one shows up to the party except the quirky cast of adults in Ryota's life, and it is here that secrets are revealed and chaos ensues.Also a teacher, director Dean Yamada is similarly inspired by youthful energies. A professor at Biola University, Yamada took his students to Japan, where they produced this soft-stepping comedy that combines colorful characterizations with the gentle moods of social discovery found in much Japanese cinema. It’s a welcome return for Yamada, a mainstay of the Asian American film festival circuit, as he steps into the feature film spotlight with longtime collaborator Yu Shibuya and university students ready to mature into filmmakers themselves. (Brian Hu, CAAMFest)
RAMS will be co-presenting the showing of Cicada on March 18 at 6:30pm, at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, 1881 Post Street.
We also invite viewers to stay and join in a short discussion with RAMS after the film.
Cicada is the first feature film from the team that created the award-winning short films Jitensha and Persimmon. Their work has screened at the Venice Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, and Aspen Shortsfest and won awards at the Heartland Film Festival, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and Sapporo Shortfest. For more details, visit the film's site at www.cicadathemovie.com
Please join us at the screening and the following discussion, and check out the exciting line-up of events in this 11 day celebration of film, music, and food! CAAMFest 2015 runs from March 12-22. We hope to see you there!
Monday, March 3, 2014
RAMS Co-Presenting at CAAMFest 2014
RAMS will be co-presenting a feature film at the CAAMFest 2014, held by the Center for Asian American Media.
From writer-director J.P. Chan, his full-length feature film debut A PICTURE OF YOU is a poignant narrative of moving out and moving on. Two estranged siblings — Kyle (Andrew Pang) and Jen (Jo Mei) — attempt to reconcile their differences over a weekend packing up their late mom’s lakehouse. Eschewing familiar sibling tropes, Chan’s film balances personal filial piety with modern guilt. The result is a thoughtful meditation of life, death and the infallible bonds that keep us together. (Christian Ting, CAAMFest)
RAMS will be co-presenting the showing on Wednesday, March 19th , at 6:40pm at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, 1881 Post Street.
A Picture Of You is described by J.P. Chan as "a serious movie about life that gets sideswiped in the supermarket parking lot by a funny movie about death. It’s a story about family, loss, secrets, letting go, and starting anew." For more details, visit the film's website http://www.apoyfilm.com/ as well as their kickstarter page
We hope you join us at the CAAMFest 2014 for this highly anticipated film! Also, please check out the CAAMFest 2014 website to see the whole lineup of cinema, food, and music events!
Kyle and Jen, estranged siblings, travel from New York City to rural Pennsylvania to pack up the home of their recently deceased mother. While there, they make a discovery that turns their world upside-down.
RAMS will be co-presenting the showing on Wednesday, March 19th , at 6:40pm at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, 1881 Post Street.
A Picture Of You is described by J.P. Chan as "a serious movie about life that gets sideswiped in the supermarket parking lot by a funny movie about death. It’s a story about family, loss, secrets, letting go, and starting anew." For more details, visit the film's website http://www.apoyfilm.com/ as well as their kickstarter page
We hope you join us at the CAAMFest 2014 for this highly anticipated film! Also, please check out the CAAMFest 2014 website to see the whole lineup of cinema, food, and music events!
Friday, February 28, 2014
Training Asian Female Students in Community Mental Health
A recent article written by Fu Yau program staff was published in the journal Women & Therapy on February 24.
Titled "Training Asian Female Students in Community Mental Health: Reflection on our Multiple Identities as Supervisors", the article is a collaboration between authors Yuki Okubo of CSPP-Alliant University, as well as Fu Yau Project Director Rose Sneed, PsyD, and program staff Chiaki Sasaki, PsyD, and Helen Duoong, LMFT.
As per the Abstract: This article is a compilation of personal narratives and self-reflections by supervisors affiliated with the Community Behavioral Health Clinical/Research Training Practicum (CRTP) at Fu Yau Project, collaboration between California School of Professional Psychology PsyD Program in San Francisco, and Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS). As female psychologists of color, authors reflected on what has shaped us as clinicians and supervisors, and in turn, has influenced the way they train and supervise Asian female trainees in the context of community mental health. Authors each took turns to share our personal and professional experience, followed by commentary and training implications.
We are proud of our staff's accomplishments in publishing this article!
Titled "Training Asian Female Students in Community Mental Health: Reflection on our Multiple Identities as Supervisors", the article is a collaboration between authors Yuki Okubo of CSPP-Alliant University, as well as Fu Yau Project Director Rose Sneed, PsyD, and program staff Chiaki Sasaki, PsyD, and Helen Duoong, LMFT.
As per the Abstract: This article is a compilation of personal narratives and self-reflections by supervisors affiliated with the Community Behavioral Health Clinical/Research Training Practicum (CRTP) at Fu Yau Project, collaboration between California School of Professional Psychology PsyD Program in San Francisco, and Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS). As female psychologists of color, authors reflected on what has shaped us as clinicians and supervisors, and in turn, has influenced the way they train and supervise Asian female trainees in the context of community mental health. Authors each took turns to share our personal and professional experience, followed by commentary and training implications.
We are proud of our staff's accomplishments in publishing this article!
Friday, July 19, 2013
Teaming Up For Mental Health
On July 18, Entertainment & Media Communication
Institute of the Entertainment Industries Council (eic), in collaboration with National Association
of Broadcasters (NAB) and KTVU as well as other media and community partners, sponsored
the “Picture This: Mental Health in the San Francisco Bay Area” forum, held in
Oakland, California. The focus of the gathering
was to bring the media, entertainment industry, and mental health community
together to talk about media portrayals of mental health and related issues. Kavoos Bassiri (RAMS CEO) and Christine Tam,
LCSW (RAMS Director of Peer Counseling Services) were invited to participate in
this forum. The forum’s goal is to work
together (media and mental health community) in partnership in order to have
positive, accurate, diverse, respectful & personal stories of mental health
be portrayed in the media. Representatives
from the media, entertainment industry, state & local community partners,
mental health professionals, and consumer advocates held roundtable work groups and engaged in
discussions to come up with action items on which they plan to work together to
promote mental health and stories on mental/behavioral health in the media. In moving forward, there are plans to publish
findings and recommendations from this forum to inform other media outlets in
the San Francisco Bay Area and nationally on changing social perception on
mental/behavioral health and related issues.
You can check out RAMS CEO being interviewed by KTVU's Dave Clark:
Click HERE if you are unable to view the video above.
Click HERE to view video clips from the forum and interviews with other organizations and representatives, and follow @MediaTEAMup on Twitter and visit TeamUp online!
You can check out RAMS CEO being interviewed by KTVU's Dave Clark:
Click HERE if you are unable to view the video above.
Click HERE to view video clips from the forum and interviews with other organizations and representatives, and follow @MediaTEAMup on Twitter and visit TeamUp online!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Honoring Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day
Please join us in honoring
Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day
May 10
(May is also the National Mental Health Awareness Month
and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month)
In honor of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day on May 10th, Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. is proudly joining many others in the community at a press conference to discuss the issues of detecting and addressing mental health concerns in primary care & non-mental health care settings.
WHERE/HOST: Chinatown Public Health Center
San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH)
1490 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
WHAT: Join public officials, healthcare professionals, Bay Area local & national leaders, community advocates, stakeholder institutions/ organizations, and educators & researchers who will gather to recognize Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day
SPEAKERS:
Peter Ng, MD, Pediatrician, Chinatown Public Health Center, SFDPH
Tung Thanh Nguyen, MD, Commissioner, President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders; Clinical Professor, UCSF School of Medicine
Irene Sung, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Community Programs, SFDPH; Medical Director, Community Behavioral Health Services, SFDPH
Ho Luong Tran, MD, MPH, President & CEO, National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians
Albert Yu, MD, MPH, MBA, Director, Chinatown Public Health Center, SFDPH; Clinical Professor, UCSF, Department of Family and Community Medicine
Moderated by: Helena Chan, MD, Medical Director, RAMS, Inc.
This event is sponsored by RAMS.
UPDATE: The panel speakers at the press event:
 |
| L-to-R: Drs. Helena Chan, Peter Ng, Tung Thanh Nguyen, Irene Sung, Ho Luong Tran, and Albert Yu |
About Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day
The establishment of Asian
Pacific American Mental Health Day was an effort spearheaded by RAMS along with
California State Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D. and San Francisco Board of
Supervisor (District 1) Eric Mar.
First established in 2010 by
the State of California and the City & County of San Francisco, it recognizes
the importance of raising awareness about mental health and promoting mental
wellness in the Asian Pacific American community. It is overwhelmingly supported by many major
associations and community coalitions. Since
May is already established nationally as the Asian Pacific American Heritage
Month and as Mental Health Awareness
Month, institution of this day in the month of May more closely aligns both
awareness efforts.
We are pleased to share that the City of Austin in Texas, has proclaimed May 10th as Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day this year. Also, The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and The White House Office of Public Engagement are hosting an AAPI Briefing on Suicide Prevention and Mental Health on May 10th. San Francisco Department of Public Health is holding an all-day training on May 10th focused on working with Filipino-Americans. There are many other outreach activities being held on this day.
Friday, March 1, 2013
RAMS Co-Presenting at 2013 CAAMFest
RAMS will be co-presenting two feature films at the upcoming 2013 CAAMFest, formerly known as the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, held by the Center for Asian American Media.
One film, Invoking Justice, explores the way women in Tamil Nadu, South India are challenging tradition to demand equality and justice in their communities. Fed up with an increasingly corrupt system that allows men to interpret the Qu’ran for personal gain, the first-ever Women’s Jamaat is formed to address issues of women’s rights. Despite initial harassment, the organization flourishes as women from the community and the Jamaat gain the courage to speak frankly about the daily violence they endure. Invoking Justice follows three cases (two murders and a divorce) as the core members of the Jamaat raise their voices with humor, tenacity and heart to demand retribution. This intimate portrayal offers the women of Tamil Nadu an additional opportunity to “talk back”—to the male-Jamaats, to their aggressors and to anyone who has ever doubted the power and autonomy of a Muslim woman.
The other film, Dead Dad, is a more intimate story focusing on family dynamics, on children dealing with their parents' imperfections.
When their dad dies unexpectedly, estranged siblings Russell, Jane and their adopted brother, Alex, come home to tend to his remains. Though a stubborn and proud bunch, they are able to agree on one thing: nobody wants to keep the ashes. With little guidance and mounds of resentment among them, the three must work together to achieve a proper goodbye. The man who split them apart brings them closer together as the siblings learn what it means to be a family without their dad.
From Director/Writer Ken Adachi, his goal was to to tell a story about our generation and the inherent estrangement that often exists among family members. What if our parents suddenly passed, leaving us to deal with siblings we primarily communicate with via texts, emails and social networking? His hope was to touch upon those small and seemingly insignificant moments that make us love and hate our family members, those moments that make us wonder 'how the hell did I come from this family?'
We hope you join us at the CAAMFest for these highly anticipated films!
One film, Invoking Justice, explores the way women in Tamil Nadu, South India are challenging tradition to demand equality and justice in their communities. Fed up with an increasingly corrupt system that allows men to interpret the Qu’ran for personal gain, the first-ever Women’s Jamaat is formed to address issues of women’s rights. Despite initial harassment, the organization flourishes as women from the community and the Jamaat gain the courage to speak frankly about the daily violence they endure. Invoking Justice follows three cases (two murders and a divorce) as the core members of the Jamaat raise their voices with humor, tenacity and heart to demand retribution. This intimate portrayal offers the women of Tamil Nadu an additional opportunity to “talk back”—to the male-Jamaats, to their aggressors and to anyone who has ever doubted the power and autonomy of a Muslim woman.
We hope you join us at the CAAMFest for these highly anticipated films!
Thursday, July 12, 2012
A Story from Judy Tseng
Following Mr. Ramey Ko and Ms. Bonnie Youn courageously sharing their stories, Ms. Judy Tseng shares her personal story to inspire others and encourage talking to someone & seeking help when needed. Thank you for making a positive difference!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Fu Yau Project Summer 2012 Newsletter
Check out the latest Fu Yau Times, a semi-annual newsletter with great
articles and tips on parenting and resources for the community. Check it out by
clicking HERE.About the Fu Yau Project:
The Fu Yau Project is one of the many Child, Youth & Family Services offered at RAMS. It is a collaboration of RAMS and Chinatown Child Development Center (CCDC) and is located at 720 Sacramento Street, in San Francisco's Chinatown district. This innovative program provides prevention and early intervention mental health services to the childcare community that cares for children, ages 0-5 years old. Services includes the following: On-Site Program and Child Observation; Clinical Consultation with childcare staff and families; On-Site Intervention with individual and groups of children; Parenting Classes and Support Groups; and In-Service Training for the childcare staff relating to child development and mental health related issues. The Fu Yau Project staff includes child psychiatrists, licensed and license-tracked clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists, all of whom reflect the unique language skills and cultural competence needed to provide services for the children, families, and teaching staff of the childcare programs.
Through the Fu Yau Project, RAMS currently provides services at more than 43 childcare centers, 8 family childcare providers, 5 family resource centers, and one after school site, which are located in over nine San Francisco neighborhoods.
Monday, June 18, 2012
30 Years After Vincent Chin
In 1982, Vincent Chin was the victim of a hate crime murder in Detroit. Thirty years later, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders continue to face discrimination and bullying. In light of recent tragedies like the extreme hazing and subsequent death of Pvt. Danny Chen and the continuing effects of 9/11, what can Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders do to stand up against racism and discrimination?
The death of Vincent Chin's death is of great historical significance for our community, and marked a turning point for API involvement and awareness of social justice and equality. RAMS is proud to be a co-sponsor for this event. Join us on June 23rd for a live broadcast of a national discussion on hate crimes & bullying, followed by a lively local conversation and Q&A with leaders of local civil rights organizations, moderated by R.J. Lozada from local radio show APEX Express.
Here's the Facebook event page!
What: Vincent Chin 30: Standing Up Then and Now, a Bay Area Conversation
When: June 23rd, 2012 10:45am - 3:00pm
Where: 9th Street Independent Film Center Theater 145 9th Street San Francisco, CA 94103
Attendees can buy tickets HERE.
SCHEDULE
Presented by
Asian Pacific Americans for Progress (SF Bay)
Center for Asian American Media
Co-sponsors (current as of 6/18/12): Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) Asian Law Caucus (ALC) Korematsu Institute Council on American-Islamic Relations SF (CAIR-SFBA) APEX Express KPFA 94.1 on Thursdays from 7-8pm Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC) Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) South Asian Bar Association of Northern California (SABA - NC) Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley (APABA-SV) San Francisco La Raza Lawyers Association (SFLRLA) Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) Richmond Area Multi Services (RAMS)
Tickets will be sold for the duration of the event, depending on seating or standing room capacity. There will be a live stream of the event and a viewing area from the lobby. Proceeds will help meet the costs of production for the event.
The death of Vincent Chin's death is of great historical significance for our community, and marked a turning point for API involvement and awareness of social justice and equality. RAMS is proud to be a co-sponsor for this event. Join us on June 23rd for a live broadcast of a national discussion on hate crimes & bullying, followed by a lively local conversation and Q&A with leaders of local civil rights organizations, moderated by R.J. Lozada from local radio show APEX Express.
Here's the Facebook event page!
What: Vincent Chin 30: Standing Up Then and Now, a Bay Area Conversation
When: June 23rd, 2012 10:45am - 3:00pm
Where: 9th Street Independent Film Center Theater 145 9th Street San Francisco, CA 94103
Attendees can buy tickets HERE.
SCHEDULE
- 10:45am - DOORS OPEN
- 11:15am - 12:00pm BROADCAST of live Google Hangout "Vincent Chin 30: Standing Up Then and Now" from speakers across the US including Moderator Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man), Congresswoman Judy Chu (LA) - and speaking on location in San Francisco, Zahra Billoo (CAIR - SF, Executive Director)
- 12:00pm - 1:00pm FILM SCREENING: "Vincent Who?". Food and light refreshments available in the lobby.
- 1:00pm - 3:00pm LIVE DISCUSSION and Q&A Featuring Bay Area Civil Rights Leaders on Hate Crimes and Bullying Moderated by R.J. Lozada, contributor to APEX Express, a weekly magazine-style radio show on KPFA featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. Speakers: Vincent Pan (Chinese for Affirmative Action, Executive Director), Ling Woo Liu (Korematsu Institute, Executive Director), Zahra Billoo (Council on American-Islamic Relations - SFBA, Executive Director), Angela Chan (Asian Law Caucus, Staff Attorney in Criminal Justice Reform Program)
Presented by
Asian Pacific Americans for Progress (SF Bay)
Center for Asian American Media
Co-sponsors (current as of 6/18/12): Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) Asian Law Caucus (ALC) Korematsu Institute Council on American-Islamic Relations SF (CAIR-SFBA) APEX Express KPFA 94.1 on Thursdays from 7-8pm Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC) Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) South Asian Bar Association of Northern California (SABA - NC) Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley (APABA-SV) San Francisco La Raza Lawyers Association (SFLRLA) Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) Richmond Area Multi Services (RAMS)
Tickets will be sold for the duration of the event, depending on seating or standing room capacity. There will be a live stream of the event and a viewing area from the lobby. Proceeds will help meet the costs of production for the event.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
A Story from Bonnie Youn
Following Mr. Ramey Ko courageously sharing his story, Ms. Bonnie Youn shares her inspiring story in recognition of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day. Thank you to both for putting yourselves out there & making a difference!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
A Story from Ramey Ko
Ramey Ko shares a personal & inspiring story related Asian American
Mental Health, in honor of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day -
May 10, and the launch of Friends Do Make a Difference campaign.
Mr. Ko is currently a Commission Member of the White House AAPI Initiative, and is a current Associate Judge of the City of Austin Municipal Court. Click HERE to read his bio.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
APA Mental Health on NPR
Local public radio station KALW 91.7 FM shall be airing a three-part series on Asian American mental health issues in time for APA Mental Health Day, starting this Wednesday May 9th at 5:00pm during the Crosscurrents news show. This first story shall feature a Q&A session as well as a profile of a family struggling to find care for their daughter, and shall re-air on May 10th at 8:50am during the Morning Edition. The second story, about depression, suicide, and treatment for Asian American women, shall be airing on May 22nd at 5pm. The third story will cover treatment and access to care for San Jose's Cambodian community (air date to be confirmed, as of this writing).
RAMS is honored to have been asked to contribute and assist in the making of this noteworthy program. The entire series can be heard on air at KALW 91.7FM, but will also be available online at www.kalw.org.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Honoring Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day on May 10th
SAN FRANCISCO – Richmond Area
Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS) is proudly joining many others in the community to
honor “Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day” on May 10th, as
first established in 2010 by the State of California and the City & County
of San Francisco, to recognize the importance of raising awareness about mental
health and promote mental wellness in the Asian Pacific American community.
Please join us at a special event on this day.
Click HERE to view & download the press release.
Email info@ramsinc.org for more information.
Approximately
25% of Americans in a given year are impacted by mental health conditions
regardless of gender, age, race, religion and socioeconomic status, according to
the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Asian & Pacific Islanders (A&PIs) specifically make up one of
the fastest growing ethnic communities in the United States, yet they have the
lowest rates of utilization of mental health services among ethnic populations,
which may be due to the substantial stigma that exists (since many individuals
and families remain in denial or silence about their situation) as well as
cultural & linguistic isolation of the community, family, and individual. A&PI girls have the highest rate of
depressive symptoms of any racial/ethnic or gender groups, according to a study
released by the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI, February 2011). A&PI women ages 15-24 have also been
shown to have a higher rate of suicide than Caucasians, African Americans and
Latinos in that age group (Center for Disease Control and Prevention/National
Center for Health Statistics). According
to another study, A&PI college students report higher levels of depressive
symptoms than white students (NAMI 2011).
These disparities indicate the critical need to raise awareness &
talk about mental health, de-stigmatize seeking help, and increase access to
& support culturally competent services for the Asian American &
Pacific Islander community.
In the honoring of Asian
Pacific American Mental Health Day in 2012, RAMS is pleased to be collaborating
with the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association
(NAAPIMHA), and its partner interTrend Communications, in their national Friends
DO Make a Difference campaign. This
creative and collaborative outreach effort will provide and distribute messages
that focus on the importance and power of being a friend for someone facing
mental health challenges. This project grew out of the successful What A Difference A Friend Makes
campaign, created by the US Department of Health and Human Service’s Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). With the support and encouragement of SAMHSA,
this project has tailored the message, art work and approach of the SAMHSA
campaign to make it relevant to Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander
(AANHPI) students. RAMS will focus on
outreach to the youth population and help to pilot this project among high
school students in San Francisco.
Please join us at a special event on this day.
WHEN:
Thursday, May 10th from 9:30am to 10:30am
WHAT: Join
public officials, school district representatives, Bay Area local &
national leaders, community advocates, stakeholder organizations/institutions, educators,
and youth who will gather to recognize Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day
and learn about the Friends DO Make a Difference campaign
HOSTS:
Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc.
National Asian American Pacific Islander
Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA),
a non-profit organization with the mission to promote the mental health and
well being of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders
George Washington High School, a
four-year comprehensive San Francisco public high school dedicated to the
philosophy that every student entering its halls has the right to an education
to maximize his/her potential
Click HERE to view & download the press release.
Email info@ramsinc.org for more information.
The establishment of Asian
Pacific American Mental Health Day was an effort spearheaded by RAMS along with
California State Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D. and San Francisco Board of
Supervisor (District 1) Eric Mar. It was
overwhelmingly supported by many major associations and community
coalitions. Since May is already
established nationally as the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and as Mental Health Awareness Month,
institution of this day in the month of May more closely aligns both awareness
efforts.
Monday, April 9, 2012
CIIS Alumni Meet Urban Needs at RAMS
The Spring 2012 hardcopy issue of the community newsletter published by California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) features several CIIS alumni who are working at RAMS.
You can read the feature story by clicking on the images below to enlarge (right-click and select any options to "Open").
Thank you to our amazing staff for sharing your personal stories! What you do is an inspiration to us all!
You can read the feature story by clicking on the images below to enlarge (right-click and select any options to "Open").
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
National Problem Gambling Awareness Week
RAMS is actively participating in National Problem Gambling Awareness Week, which is being held from March 4-10 this year.
As part of our ongoing outreach and awareness-raising efforts, Dr. Eddie Chiu, Director of RAMS Asian Family Institute, together with Kent Woo, Executive Director of NICOS Chinese Health Coalition, participated in a press conference held by NICOS at Donaldina Cameron House regarding Problem Gambling in the Chinese Community.The press conference revealed new data which indicates a 10% increase in the number of Chinese seeking assistance in gambling-related problems, which signifies that the Chinese community has increased awareness of such problems, although overall usage is still relatively low compared to other population groups. Issues such as youth gambling as well as success rates in gambling addiction were also discussed.
For more information and to view video coverage of the press conference, visit the KTSF Channel 26 website HERE.
RAMS collaborates with NICOS in offering problem gambling services, which provides assessment, counseling, support groups, outreach, and educational services for problem gamblers and their family members in the Asian American communities. The project also operates the Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-888-968-7888 and provides counseling, information and referral in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin languages/dialects.
RAMS collaborates with NICOS in offering problem gambling services, which provides assessment, counseling, support groups, outreach, and educational services for problem gamblers and their family members in the Asian American communities. The project also operates the Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-888-968-7888 and provides counseling, information and referral in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin languages/dialects.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
RAMS co-presenting at the 2012 SFIAAFF: Himalayan Youth Voices Project
From the CAAM website:
With funding from the Asian Pacific Fund and the Comcast Foundation, we collaborated with the grassroots organization Sahayeta at the first Himalayan Youth Summit in Oakland, connecting with youth from those three national backgrounds for an intensive media training workshop. From there, the Himalayan Youth Voices Project was born. The project was created and organized by Sapana Sakya, Public Media Director at CAAM.
RAMS is also honored to have been the recipient of grants awarded by the Asian Pacific Fund, and to be co-presenting this special film.
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