Sanjo

“When I first came here when I was six, I was excited, but it was kind of overwhelming and confusing. Back home in South India—in a small state called Kerala—the environment is so different. Everything revolves around your family, so you're not alone for the most part. Coming here, I kind of lost that. I was suddenly surrounded by people who don't even know what my culture is or my identity.” 

“So now I'm trying to find that identity again. It started with us going to church and seeing that there's a whole other group going through the same struggles. Finding that just brought me back to my culture and roots. When people have those support systems, you feel like you're not alone—and experiencing that myself inspired me to go into social work.” 

“The first job I had was at a retirement home. In my culture, we usually don't do that. We try to take care of our parents—it's like a whole tradition. Many of our clients didn’t like being here. They want to be at home with their grandchildren.” 

“One of our South Asian residents started crying on her way back to the elevator after her children and grandchildren left. She felt so much joy in spending time with them, and now she’s placed in a retirement home. She might see them once every month or two.” 

“My current placement is at Victim Services. There's violence involved, mostly because there's a lack of communication. As much as ethnic communities talk about community and family, the very place where you call home can also be very oppressive. In my South Asian culture, talking about mental health or speaking about what you're going through is a taboo topic.” 

“I feel like if people were able to communicate within their own families, it would create a safer space. Some people reach their lowest point before deciding to ask for help, so it does give burnout knowing that there's only so much I can do. Being able to hear their stories is honestly a privilege, and being trusted with their lived experiences means a lot to me. As people, we often don't realize the power we have to help another person, even if it's just by listening and validating their experiences.”