Original article was published on ChannelGE (currently ICITYNEWS.com) in Chinese on May 19th, 2018
Celebrate Hope is not far away - May Mental Health Month
庆祝“希望就在不远处”五月精神健康月
- Art Exhibit to celebrate Mental Health Association for Chinese and beautiful story of a mother and daughter 记美国华裔精神健康联盟成立画展和一对母女的动人故事
2018-5-19
May each year is the nation's mental health month. This year's May 19th celebration is a special day. Under the leadership of the American Mental Health Association (NAMI), Chinese people have established the CHINESE NAMI Association, which can teach in their own language. American Chinese Mental Health Alliance (MHACC). The founder, Elaine Peng and her volunteer team, after several months of hard working, held a special inauguration ceremony at the Fremont Artist Walk Gallery, a special exhibition. All artwork are from the patients, family members and volunteer groups. Through these beautiful paintings they showed the public their love of lives and their courage to fight with the sickness. This association is committed to help people suffering from mental health to have a good quality of lives. The organizers also hope that by organizing this event, they can arouse people's awareness of mental health and care for those around us.
每年五月是全美的精神健康月，今年的五月19日的庆祝活动是个特别的日子，在美国精神健康协会(NAMI)的带领下，华裔成立了可以讲自己语言来授课的CHINESE NAMI协会，美国华裔精神健康联盟（MHACC）。创办人彭一玲女士(Elaine Peng)和义工团队们经过几个月辛苦准备和努力在Fremont Artist Walk画廊举办了特别的成立仪式，一个由患者，家属和义工团们组成的特别画展，以美好的画面向公众展示了这些在勇敢地和病魔斗争中的人们对生活的热爱。此联盟致力于建设美好的生活品质，也希望通过举办这个活动可以唤起大家对精神健康的认知并且关爱身边的人。
Ms. Elaine Peng and her daughter share their family story
彭一玲女士母女分享亲身故事活动现场
Exhibition 画展现场
According to statistics, one out of every five people in the United States has suffered from mental health at some stage in life, and one in ten children and teenagers also have mental health symptoms, so it is very necessary to learn and share mental health knowledge. Many times, because of the silent tradition of Asians, we have not paid enough attention to the abnormal conditions of people around us, and have delayed the best timing of treatment; Or because there is no basic mental health knowledge, we are afraid of ordinary society’s misunderstanding while we lost the opportunities to get help from the experts in time to get good treatment you deserve. So learn and share mental health education is very important in modern busy society.
据统计目前美国每五个人中就有一个人在人生的某个阶段有精神症状，十分之一的儿童和青少年中也会出现精神状况，所以学习和普及精神健康的知识是一件非常必要的事情。很多时候由于亚裔不张扬的传统让我们没有尽早发现和重视周围熟悉的人的异常状况而耽误和拖延了治疗时机，或者由于没有基本的精神健康知识害怕常人的异样眼光等各种原因而没有及时向专家求助得到应有的治疗。普及精神健康教育在现代忙碌的社会显得非常重要。
The exhibitor of Irene Wei can also be seen on her youtube channel lixizu
讲员魏意人(Irene Wei)的参展作品也可以在她的youtube频道lixizu上看到
NAMI was first established in the 1970s. It is currently the largest non-government mental health charity organization in the United States. It originated from a brave loving mother whose child was suffered from mental health problems so she found seven other families via newspaper ads and formed the first supporting group in 1970s . Today, we have the same experience from a brave and giving mother Ms. Elaine Peng in Chinese Americans community. As a family member, she has experienced the double pain of the death of her husband with mental illness and her daughter suffered from mental health as well. She has been supporting her family emotionally and physically for a long time. Under pressure, she used her strong perseverance overcome the difficulties. She also care for other similar families and volunteer groups to form the MAMICC of NAMI Chinese Division. She helped many Chinese families with similar experiences with her family's personal experience.
美国NAMI最早成立于1970年代是目前美国最大的非官方精神健康公益组织，最早起源于一个勇敢的爱心妈妈因为自己小孩有精神健康疾病登报联络找到其他7个类似他家庭而开始。在治疗自己小孩的同时也关爱其他类似家庭直至。今天我们华裔中也有一样经历的勇敢无私的妈妈彭一玲女士，作为家属她经历了有精神疾病的丈夫的去世和女儿的患病治疗的双重人生打击，在漫长的照顾家人的精神和体力等多种种压力下，她用坚强的毅力挺过难关，同时也关爱其他类似家庭和义工团体一起成立NAMI中文分部MHACC，用自己家庭的亲生经历帮助了很多有类似经历的华裔家庭。
Member Cindy Lin and others showcase handmade jewelry
成员Cindy Lin等展示手工珠宝作品
Exhibit画展现场
Her daughter Irene Wei, after her mother's selfless care and encouragement, has also gone out of the trough for six years in the disease, and become a NAMI-certified community trainer and promoter to support her mother's mission. Irene used her artistic talent to create a youtube channel lixizu painting teaching, using life stories to inspire many people to pursue spiritual freedom and artistic dreams, and to life with passion. The story of this mother and daughter is very beautiful. At the event, many people are quietly crying. Their stories have made many similar families see the hope of life, like a bright light to see the direction of many lost people. Ms. Peng Yiling’s courage and love are very respectable. She teaches people every weekend, hoping that more families can benefit. The stories of their mothers and daughters have also attracted many families to join the volunteer team. They are growing and are getting more and more attention from the society.
她女儿魏意人，经过妈妈无私的照顾和鼓励经历六年于病魔的斗争也走出低谷，成为一名NAMI认证的社区推广宣传员支持妈妈的使命。魏意人用她的艺术天赋开创了youtube频道lixizu绘画教学，用人生故事来激励很多人追求心灵自由和艺术梦想的人们，让生活重新充满激情。她们母女的故事是非常感人，在活动现场也看到不少人在悄悄拭泪，她们的故事让很多类似家庭看到人生的希望，象一盏明灯给很多迷路的人们看到方向。彭一玲女士的勇气和大爱非常令人敬重，几乎每个周末她都在外面各处教学，希望更多家庭可以受益。她们母女的事迹也吸引到很多家庭纷纷加入义工团队，目前不断壮大，慢慢得到社会重视。
From Left to right: Ms. Peng, MHACC founder, Ms. Peggy Rahman, Headquarter office of NAMI AC, and Ms. Carol Wang, Director of MHACC
The event was also supported by the National Mental Health Association (NAMI) . Ms. Peggy Rahman, head of NAMI Alameda County, also brought her daughter and paintings to support the event. Another NAMI California Community Commissioner Catherine Chivers from Sacramento also took the stage to speak.
这次活动也得到了美国精神健康协会(NAMI)的支持。NAMI 阿拉米达县负责人Peggy Rahman女士也携患病女儿和画作前来支持。加州NAMI社区专员Catherine Chivers也上台发言力挺.
Mother and daughter
NAMI California Community Specialis ---Catherine Chivers
Ms Peng and the dedicated volunteer team
彭一玲女士和无私奉献的义工团队们
The event was attended by a number of selfless family volunteers and art lovers, including the famous fashion designer Carol Wang, Yi Yan Society honorary president Li Shiyi and the new book The Dangers of Self Idolatry author Tony Koo and the Jewelry designer Cindy Lin and handbag designers and many other people. Ms. Peng also expressed her creative activities through artistic handwriting to encourage these special families to overcome the disease earlier, to enjoy the joy of life, to re-visit the hope of life, and to gradually change the public. Recognition of this particular group. I hope more people will pay attention to and support these brave people. For more information or donations please visit: www.mhacc-usa.org Contact Email: info@namichinese.org
此次活动得到了很多无私的家属义工团队和艺术爱好者们的参与，包括著名华裔服装设计师Carol Wang女士，Yi Yan Society荣誉会长李氏伉俪和新书The Dangers of Self Idolatry作者Tony Koo和手工珠宝设计者Cindy Lin和手工皮包设计者等很多默默付出的人们。彭一玲女士也表达出通过艺术手工写作等创作性的活动以快乐美好的新颖的方式来鼓励这些特殊家庭尽早战胜病魔自强自立，享受生活的乐趣，重新看到生活的希望，同时也慢慢改变大众对这个特殊人群的认同。希望更多的人们来关注和支持这些勇敢的人们,同时也向这些可爱的人们致敬！需要了解更多信息或捐款请浏览：www.mhacc-usa.org 联系电邮：info@mhacc-USA.org
Ms Peng and the Author Leslie QQ Ouyang