In this month’s ALAAP episode, we have a special guest, Bushra, who runs the first BD sex education platform which is entirely written in Bangla. Bushra shares her journey on creating this platform and answers various questions that event moderators Unsha, Fairoz, and Naziat have. This is a very important conversation and helpful platform that is needed in our community due to the stigmas around sex in the Bengali community.

*CW* Content Warning: includes sexual assault, sexual violence, child abuse, rape, and violence

Resources - 

Ig: Bushraapa

Website: bdsexeducation.com

Please be sure to stay updated on the BMHM's IG (@bengalimentalhealthmvmnt) in order to catch the next topic and add in your own questions and comments, that may end up in an upcoming episode!

In this month’s ALAAP episode, we have a special guest, Farzana, who is college friends with our event moderator Unsha! Farzana shares her mental health medication journey with us and answers various questions that event moderators Unsha and Tasnova have. We preface that anything mentioned in this episode is our own individual journey and that your experience may be different from ours. This means that we hope you stay curious and advocate for yourself especially when it comes to seeking the right kind of mental health care!

*CW* Content Warning: content involves mentions of suicidal ideation, various symptoms of major depressive disorder, and side effects to medication. 

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from the BMHM team!

Please be sure to stay updated on the BMHM's IG (@bengalimentalhealthmvmnt) in order to catch the next topic and add in your own questions and comments, that may end up in an upcoming episode!

In this month's ALAAP episode, we started a new series: getting to know our BMHM team!

Events Moderators, Fairoz and Tasnova, had the honor to speak with the founder, Tazin, on what BMHM was and where it is now. Tazin was vulnerable enough to share what it means to be a “young” founder, a clinician, discussed her own therapeutic journey, and lastly mentioned some BIG NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS to look forward to with our team! Big events coming back! Make sure to stay up to date with our Instagram to know more details about the Gala this year and other upcoming events! We are all excited to meet our new and old viewers of this community!

In this episode, we included music by Sreeja Chakra! Please consider donating to Sreeja’s bandcamp! Her proceeds from ‘Ami Jaani’ will support BMHM's initiatives.

Resources: 

Sreeja Chakra - donate & buy her song: https://sreejachakra.bandcamp.com

Please be sure to stay updated on the BMHM's IG (@bengalimentalhealthmvmnt) in order to catch the next topic and add in your own questions and comments, that may end up in an upcoming episode!

In this month's ALAAP episode, the moderators, Tasnova, Unsha, and Naziat discuss the concept of being alone and being lonely. During young adulthood (after college) people tend to blend the idea that being alone = lonely = sadness. However, being alone doesn’t have to mean that at all! Learning things about yourself each and everyday allows you to be comfortable in your own skin. The moderators discuss their personal hardships and journeys with being alone and help come up with skills and habits to be comfortable with yourself. This journey is not easy and it’s not meant to be, but taking it slow by showing yourself compassion and gratitude each day goes a long way!

Throughout the episode we included new music by Sreeja Chakra! Sreeja is a Queer Bengali South Asian artist and decolonization activist based in Denver, CO. Sreeja came out with a first single, “Ami Jaani,” on June 17th and the message connected to our BMHM mission and goals. Thus we decided to collab with Sreeja on this episode to show off the song as it represents the struggles and hardships of South Asian descent in all generations. Please show some love and support for Sreeja, links are down below!

Resources:

Sreeja Chakra - donate & buy her song: https://sreejachakra.bandcamp.com

Please be sure to stay updated on the BMHM's IG (@bengalimentalhealthmvmnt) in order to catch the next topic and add in your own questions and comments, that may end up in an upcoming episode!

In this month's ALAAP episode, we bring back our special BMHM guest, Syeda, our compliance consultant! The moderators, Fairoz, Unsha and Tasnova, along with Syeda continue to discuss the effects of grooming in South Asian women in this part 2 episode!

Resources:

IG Account: @southasiantherapists - South Asian Mental Health topic/title of post: "the effect of grooming south asian girls to be 'good house wives' growing up" https://www.instagram.com/p/CeW4tRVqo_n/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Please be sure to stay updated on the BMHM's IG (@bengalimentalhealthmvmnt) in order to catch the next topic and add in your own questions and comments, that may end up in an upcoming episode!

In this month's ALAAP episode, we have a special BMHM guest, Syeda, our compliance consultant! The moderators, Fairoz, Naziat and Tasnova, along with Syeda discuss their individual stories of the importance of becoming a good wife through grooming. From the pressures of needing to know how to make the roundest shaped roti, the best tasting cha, to looking a certain way for a future male suitor. We share what helped us/can help us create boundaries with parents in explaining that being a good wife should not be our identity or priority; it should not be required - it is a choice. We are allowed our autonomy to do what we wish, we desire, etc. 

Resources:

IG Account: @southasiantherapists - South Asian Mental Health topic/title of post: "the effect of grooming south asian girls to be 'good house wives' growing up" https://www.instagram.com/p/CeW4tRVqo_n/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Please be sure to stay updated on the BMHM's IG (@bengalimentalhealthmvmnt) in order to catch the next topic and add in your own questions and comments, that may end up in an upcoming episode!

In this month's ALAAP episode, we have a special BMHM guest, Oyeshee, our outreach coordinator! The moderators, Fairoz and Unsha, along with Oyeshee talk about their individual spiritual journeys. From being forced into religion by parents/community, moving out and losing the spiritual connection and unintentionally judging others, to then ultimately find their way back to religion in some form - in their own autonomous ways - these stories are real and raw. These are vulnerable stories that are important to discuss in order to allow all of us to ask tough question, to be curious about your spiritual self, about your culture, and so on! The month of Ramadan is however you choose to spend it; Self-reflection and self-discovery in any capacity!

Resources:

IG Account: @themasgd - The Muslim Alliance for Sexual & Gender Diversity

Podcast: The Digital Sisterhood on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

Please be sure to stay updated on the BMHM's IG (@bengalimentalhealthmvmnt) in order to catch the next topic and add in your own questions and comments, that may end up in an upcoming episode!

In this month's ALAAP episode, the moderators, Tasnova, Unsha, and Naziat discuss the stigmas of body shaming that come about in our South Asian community. From media and clothes to what our aunties gossip about - we all grew up being told we had to look a certain way. We discuss how listening to what you want and what your goals are for your physical and mental health are more important than anything else.

*Content Warning* - Contains content involving anti-fat bias.

References:

IG Account: Ashlee Bennett, AThR @bodyimage_therapist

IG post about Body Image from @southasiantherapists: https://www.instagram.com/p/CanFOusKbz-/?utm_medium=copy_link

Please be sure to stay updated on the BMHM's IG (@bengalimentalhealthmvmnt) in order to catch the next topic and add in your own questions and comments, that may end up in an upcoming episode!

This month's topic: Different Types of Grief

In this month's ALAAP episode, we have a special guest, Tamara, who is a first generation Bengali-Palestinian. She is a journalist and currently works in Content Operations at Walt Disney. The moderators, Fairoz, Tasnova, and Naziat asks Tamara various questions about the different types of grief she experienced. We touched on the necessity of self-love during a friendship loss, job loss, and loss of a family member.

Tamara mentions a quote about grief that is beautiful to add here: “Grief is just love with nowhere to go.”

*Content Warning* - Contains content involving death. 

References:

Grief of a Job Loss: https://www.bengalisofnewyork.com/grief-of-a-job-less/

Grief of a Friendship Breakup: https://www.bengalisofnewyork.com/grief-of-a-job-less/

Tamara’s Instagram: @tamarasyed

Tamara’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-SeMuARlpBAgfnF1l92pKQ/featured

Please be sure to stay updated on the BMHM's IG (@bengalimentalhealthmvmnt) in order to catch the next topic and add in your own questions and comments, that may end up in an upcoming episode!

This month's topic: Interpersonal relationships

In this month’s Alaap episode, our special guest, Zawaad, returns for a continued conversation on interpersonal relationships and childhood experiences. Fairoz, Tasnova, and Unsha together with Zawaad share stories about topics like divorce, romantic relationships, secrecy, and how our generations are breaking cycles to be more open and value self-care.

Zawaad’s First Album:

https://open.spotify.com/album/51jYMKDjtbMmgxeqIgjSWG?si=OpGiyMxgTXqLzWPhNAc3yw

Please be sure to stay updated on the BMHM's IG (@bengalimentalhealthmvmnt) in order to catch the next topic and add in your own questions and comments, that may end up in an upcoming episode!