Health and well-being issues are not trivial matters

To the editor,

The article “Striking a Balance” [Feb. 8] portrays a misinformed view of the Asian American Activities Center’s (A3C) After Dark Series and the seriousness of its purpose. As the coordinators for the series, we were extremely disappointed and frustrated to see the event and its topic so trivialized and our speakers directly quoted when the reporter had agreed not to quote them.

The purpose of the A3C After Dark Series is to provide the Stanford community an intimate and comfortable space in which students can discuss serious issues that affect student health and well-being. The series emerged from identification of community needs in the Asian/Pacific Islander Health and Well Being survey conducted by the A3C last year. Such needs include body image, parental and academic pressures, sexuality and social concerns.

The After Dark Series is divided into Q&A panels and workshops where current students and alumni are invited to speak and share personal accounts related to the issues mentioned above. Students are then able to ask questions and participate in discussion about how to resolve such issues. In addition, workshops led by student and professional staff aim to equip students with the knowledge of how to help fellow students and what resources they can utilize to deal with health and well-being concerns. Maintaining the confidentiality of personal information expressed at these events is an important feature of the series — one that was severely compromised with the publication of this article.

However, the most glaring issue at hand is the trivial approach toward health and well-being issues that is represented by the article. It is already difficult enough at Stanford for students to even broach topics that revolve around physical, emotional and mental health. To trivialize attempts to encourage discussion only promotes further embarrassment, discomfort and isolation for students battling with these issues.

We sincerely hope that, in the future, The Daily will take better steps to consider the silent battles that students are dealing with and help remove the stigma from addressing health and well-being issues.

Amy Yu

Class of 2008

Andrew Pipathsouk

Class of 2010