Graphic Courtesy of Compassionate Home, Action Together
Founded in 2019 at Yale University, Compassionate Home, Action Together (CHATogether) is a program dedicated to the mental well-being of Asian-Americans and to fostering better communication between Asian-American children and parents. Knowing that it can be a challenge for children to bring up certain topics with parents who may have different viewpoints and experiences, CHATogether has many resources designed to facilitate open discussions. Being an Asian-American parent with children herself, Dr. Eunice Yuen MD, Ph.D., the Founder and Director of the program, has both a scientific and personal background on the issue. The CHATogether team is comprised of members from diverse backgrounds, all united by a common drive to promote better communication.
To encourage healthier dialogue between Asian-American individuals and their parents, CHATogether holds a variety of skits and publishes vignettes on topics such as racism, teaching ways in which family members may discuss these topics. These events have three parts to them. First, members of the CHATogether team act out an original, less healthy, scenario. After that, a moderator will discuss the event from both the parent and child’s point of view. Then, the situation is acted out again, but this time with more effective communication and a deeper understanding of each other’s perspectives. This sequence is a great way for families to revise the way that they communicate and learn what is and isn’t helpful. Regarding this approach, Max Su ’21, the development coordinator for CHATogether, said, “This process, both going back and rewatching the final project, as well as creating content like this, was very helpful in allowing me to realize my own emotions and work through them, as well as giving you methods that can help you have more effective communication.”
With the rise of Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) hate, CHATogether is a valuable resource for finding a supportive and understanding community. “It’s very important in these times to come together because it is very easy to feel alone and afraid. CHATogether really emphasizes finding an AAPI community that will support you,” said Su.
CHATogether’s resources can be accessed on their website, which provides content such as videos, flashcards, and transcripts on topics ranging from communicating about sexuality, to model minorities, and racism. According to Dr. Yuen, the purpose of these resources is to “address cross-cultural issues and child-parent communication.”
On Wednesday, April 6, and Friday, April 29, CHATogether will be hosting events on Zoom for Choate, Deerfield, and Yale students focused on culture shock and cultural literacy for international students.
