namaste! i'm ria, a rising junior in high school. despite the prevalence of mental health challenges within the south asian community, there is a lack of conversation on the topic. in my culture, mental health challenges are often perpetuated as a point of "weakness," resulting in a lack of empathy & heavy stigmatization. i've grown to notice this parallel in other cultures, & believe an increase in cultural competence will drive change. through my work at simply sukham, i hope to shift the narrative & contribute to the overall destigmatization of mental health.

Being born into a south asian household, mental health wasn't always a priority. As I increased my understanding of difficulties regarding mental health, I realized how important it is to destigmatize mental health stereotypes. In order to create a community of healthy and happy minds, it is important to educate people about mental health with the implication of culture. I want to provide a resource people can go to when they need guidance and motivation, as this can be a struggle for many. I aspire to build Simply Sukham into that resource.