The Cut Fruit Podcast
The Cut Fruit podcast: A Queer Conversation, is a podcast where we have honest conversations that explore the nuances and complexities of what it means to be Queer and Asian through intimate conversations with real people. Each episode explores a guest’s formative experiences that helped shape who they are, how they view the world, and the ways they engage in community.
The Cut Fruit Podcast
Episode 111: Carrie Zhang on starting Asian Mental Health Project, Queer Expansiveness, and Asian Parents
In this episode, Dr. Moon interviews Carrie Zhang on what it means to live expansively as a Queer Asian person. She shares about her own mental health journey, what led her to start Asian Mental Health Project, and navigating her family’s reactions to her coming out. Carrie dives into the nuances of her expectations of her parents in accepting her queerness.
CW: sexual assault
⭐️ Carrie Zhang is an activist and the founder of the Asian Mental Health Project. She is an advocate and organizer for mental health equity - particularly through the intersections of her identity. A daughter of Taiwanese and Chinese immigrants, Carrie grew up in southern California. Carrie identifies as a bisexual, cisgender woman and survivor. She is currently passionate about creating non-judgmental community care spaces for AAPI and LGBTQIA+ folks, as well as for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. She recently partnered with the Los Angeles Public Library to co-create the first AAPI Pride event, "It's Reading Rainbow."
Founded in 2019, the Asian Mental Health Project aims to educate and empower Pan-Asian communities in seeking mental healthcare. Currently, Carrie also works in public policy research at a civil rights organization, helping everyday people write laws. Carrie's work has been featured in Vogue, TIME, and CNN. Her work has been recognized by A24, through the Academy Award-Winning movie, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
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This episode was sponsored by Inclusive Therapists, a simpler, safer way for BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and marginalized folks to find culturally-responsive, identity-affirming mental health care. You can find them at inclusivetherapists.com or @inclusivetherapists.