Side-by-side image of Sonali Kohli, author of "Don't Wait: Three Girls Who Fought for Change and Won," and the book’s cover, which will be published in June. Credit: Epicenter-NYC 

A psychiatrist’s guide to caring for yourself while protesting or doing movement workIn recent weeks, we've witnessed gut-wrenching live and recorded images of clashes between student protesters and law enforcement at campus protests sweeping the nation, resulting in injuries and expulsions from campuses. Recognizing this, Epicenter-NYC highlights a 2023 interview between Sonali Kohli, URL Senior Recruiter, and author of the forthcoming young adult nonfiction book "Don't Wait: Three Girls Who Fought for Change and Won," and Dr. Roya Ijadi-Maghsoodi, a psychiatrist at UCLA and researcher in child psychiatry, to provide practical guidance for caring for yourself while participating in protests and doing movement work. 

In the interview, Dr. Ijadi-Maghsoodi discusses what mental health care truly means, particularly for teen activists and youth involved in protest movements. Her advice suggests that getting quality mental health care is not as abstract as the buzzword "self-care" might suggest. According to Dr. Ijadi-Maghsoodi, meeting basic needs is foundational: "There [are] ways to address mental health by just working on getting enough sleep, being able to exercise, being able to be outside, being able to reach out to supportive people." Drawing on her professional expertise and personal activism as a college student post-9/11, Dr. Ijadi-Maghsoodi also highlights how being in social movements and making meaning out of them with like-minded people can help one's mental well-being. 

Read the full interview here →

Credit: A Space Between Worlds 

From spinning beats to saving the earthOn the latest episode of Immigrantly, host Saadia Khan speaks with Amer Jandali, founder of Future Meets Present, a social design agency focused on creating sustainable solutions, about his transformation from DJ to climate activist. Amer's journey began in 2013 after he watched a documentary about plastic bags, which inspired him to take an interest in environmental activism and ultimately leave New Mexico. 

On the podcast, Amer shares his first foray into activism, which was personal. Amer, who is of Syrian descent, used his platform to raise awareness and funds for Syrian war relief efforts. (He waxed his chest for a fundraiser that raised $2,000 in just three hours.)

Amer's path took a turn when he began hosting a radio show titled "Stuff You Don't Hear on the Radio," where he sparked conversations about environmental issues and the hidden dangers of plastic, particularly phthalates, with his co-hosts, encouraging listeners to engage online and broadening the dialogue.

His advocacy for sustainable practices led him to create innovative solutions, like transforming a bracelet into a tote bag, which eventually led him to move to New York and pursue a master's degree in Design for Social Innovation at the School of Visual Arts. There, Amer learned to integrate various design disciplines to challenge the status quo and drive social change. Amer now teaches a sustainable business model course at Parsons and social entrepreneurship at CUNY's John Jay College.

In the episode, the climate activist talks about the need for systemic changes alongside individual actions. He argues that while personal responsibility, such as using reusable bags, sends "crucial demand signals," substantial impact should come from institutions and policy reforms. "Municipalities need to offer [a] compost pickup program at home and out in public [because... ] you can't expect everybody to put their compost and, like, take it to the farmer's market every Saturday, right?"

Listen to the full episode from Immigrantly 🎧 →

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Highlighting the innovators transforming health outcomes in our communities

Shondrea Harrod, a licensed esthetician instructor, began giving massages to friends and family "pro bono" on her front stoop or in a local park in her hometown of Long Island, NY. Now, she owns her own studio and teaches her community about the importance of self-care → 

Credit: Shondrea Harrod

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