by ASHA Storyteller Yamini Rajan
On February 22nd, George Washington University’s Indian Student’s Association teamed up with the George Washington University’s South Asian community to raise money for mental health awareness. As an organization, we brainstormed long and hard over what charity we would like to choose for our biannual Charity Date Auction. When learning about ASHA International, everyone agreed that it was the perfect choice. Mental health issues are prevalent in the South Asian community but are often unspoken, leading to many youth growing up struggling and unaware of how to cope. We, as a group, had felt this very struggle and knew that we had to be a part of the solution. Date Auction comprised of members of our community signing up to walk the runway, bringing friends to bid on them. It was a night of laughter, fun, food, and photos. We are so proud of the event we put on and can’t wait to relive it soon. Together, we raised $ 700 to support ASHA International’s efforts to normalize conversations about mental health and inspire hope & healing, one story at a time.