Rcoz (Our Cause) - A South Asian Mental Health Awareness Initiative

Mull over this: Paraag Marathe is every immigrant parent’s dream child—successful, a leader in the NFL, breaking barriers in spaces where South Asians are rarely seen. But in my book, he stands out for something else: speaking up about something most won’t. His sister, Shilpa, struggled with anorexia. She was brilliant, accomplished, and slowly disappearing right in front of him. By the time the severity of it all became clear, it was too late. She was 31. Marathe puts it bluntly: "Immigrant families are particularly susceptible, because of the whole Tiger Mother, Tiger Father concept. You don’t talk about your feelings. There’s no such thing as mental illness. You don’t want to bring shame on the family by being put in an inpatient facility.” We South Asians often act like certain health issues don’t happen to us. Maybe we think we’re built differently. And yet, so many of us ignore the writing on the wall—just because the script feels foreign. But these conversations need to happen. Not in whispers, not as an afterthought, but out in the open—where they belong. Because the more we talk, the more we see what’s really happening. And maybe, just maybe, more people will seek help in time. Read more: New York Times (2016): https://lnkd.in/gnMydZ_6 NAMI (2023): https://lnkd.in/gmi62XMb. Shoutout to David K. Mineta for putting this on my radar. Until next Friday. #MullOverThis #SouthAsianMentalHealth #BreakTheSilence #EatingDisordersAreReal Roopali Rajvanshy Rcoz (Our Cause) - A South Asian Mental Health Awareness Initiative #ChaloBaateinKaren #Anorexia #MentalHealthAwareness

Happy Holi! Holi is a time to embrace every shade—joy, love, struggles, and hope. Colors aren’t just what we throw in the air; they’re the emotions we carry, the experiences that shape us. At Rcoz, we create spaces where South Asians can share their stories, making room for every hue of human experience—seen or unseen. This Holi, let’s honor every color—because every emotion, every story, deserves to be acknowledged. #HoliInEveryColor #Rcoz #StoriesThatHeal #Holi2025 #FestivalOfColors #HoliCelebration #MentalHealthMatters #SouthAsianVoices #SouthAsianCommunity

Came across this - Alia Bhatt openly talking about her ADHD and anxiety with Jay Shetty is huge! Especially in the South Asian community, where mental is still a ‘gaali’ and health is only about diabetes and heart disease (we do love our biryanis ??). If you’ve ever felt like you had to keep quiet about your struggles, let this be proof that you don’t have to. You’re not bringing shame to your family. You’re not alone. And you can have a fulfilling life—hell, succeed! She’s a superb actor, no doubt. But Alia speaking up about her journey? That’s something else. Because now, at our next Chalo Baatein Karen session, we could just say: ‘When someone like Alia talks about it, it makes it easier for all of us to.’ That it’s OK to talk about mental wellbeing—without feeling like we have to hide it. Read her story https://lnkd.in/gsv9gFvB or watch her talk about it https://lnkd.in/gqQPatHw. Roopali Rajvanshy Anjum Suzie Khan (Gupta) Jagdish Grover, CPA -Ill-Inactive, MBA (USA) C.A.(India) Ashvini Nikhade Suparna Chatterjee Vinita Kulkarni #Rcoz #ChaloBaateinKaren #MentalHealthMatters #SouthAsianCommunity #ADHD #Anxiety #EndTheSilence #MentalWellbeing #AliaBhatt #RealConversations #JayShetty

I walked into Indiaspora’s Forum for Good in Abu Dhabi with an open heart but no idea what to expect.?700 people in a room—and not a single familiar face.?It was a mix of excitement and nerves, but that quickly transformed into something incredible. Over three days, I met so many passionate individuals—tech founders, doctors, investors, filmmakers, chefs, dancers, real estate leaders, Nobel Laureates, and non-profits like ours at?Rcoz. Some came to collaborate, some to invest, and others simply to connect. But what truly stood out??People wanted to talk.?Real conversations, open hearts, and a shared commitment to making a difference. Every time I shared what?Rcoz?does—using storytelling and community dialogue to make mental health conversations easier—someone would say,?“Oh wow, that’s so important,”?and then go on to tell me about their own experiences. People talked about growing up in families where mental health was never discussed, where struggling was seen as something to hide.?Men’s mental health came up a lot.?So many men shared how they were taught to push through, to never talk about it. And yet, they were opening up—because when you make space for real conversations, people are ready to have them. And that’s why?Rcoz exists.?To create places where these conversations feel natural. Where people don’t feel judged for sharing what they’ve been through. Seeing how easily these stories came out—even in a room full of strangers—was just another reminder of how much this work is needed. Beyond the conversations, I made some amazing connections—people who want to help, collaborate, and bring mental health awareness to their own communities.?It was three days well spent. Huge thanks to?Indiaspora, MR Rangaswami Rangaswamy, my dear friend Praba Iyer, and Sanjeev Joshipura, Manasi Dharne Anisha Padukone?for putting together such an incredible event. I walked in knowing no one and walked out knowing that these conversations are happening everywhere—we just need to keep making room for them.#MentalHealth #IndiasporaForumForGood #LetsTalkAboutIt #MensMentalHealth #SouthAsianStories #Rcoz