Open in Emergency REPRINT: A Mental Health Project

Open in Emergency is a multi-component book arts project by The Asian American Literary Review (AALR) that includes a deck of original Asian American tarot cards. This project, initially launched in 2016 and reprinted in 2019, aims to address the crisis of Asian American mental health by offering an anti-racist, disability justice-informed rethinking of unwellness and care. It serves as an arts-based self-care package for communities, featuring not only the tarot deck but also a mock "hacked" DSM: Asian American Edition, a communal tapestry, a "treated" postpartum depression pamphlet, and a stack of daughter-to-mother letters.

The project emphasizes community curation, having convened numerous public dreaming sessions since 2014. The tarot deck itself is a collaborative effort, with original art and text contributed by various artists and writers, including new cards commissioned for the reprint. These new cards, such as "The Ocean," "The Crip," and "The Suicide," delve into specific experiences and perspectives within the Asian American community, expanding the deck's thematic scope beyond traditional tarot archetypes. The project has been widely adopted as a resource by therapists and taught in numerous university classrooms, with many students reporting it as life-saving.

The Open in Emergency reprint includes a special limited run of both the Asian American Tarot Deck and the hacked DSM, with digital downloads of other original pieces. The project has garnered significant media attention and has been displayed in various cultural and academic institutions, highlighting its impact as both an artistic and a therapeutic tool. The AALR, as a small, independent arts nonprofit, relies on community support to bring such impactful projects to fruition, ensuring its ability to publish without institutional constraints.

This project is ideal for individuals interested in the intersection of mental health, social justice, and Asian American identity. It will appeal to those seeking alternative approaches to wellness, particularly within a framework of anti-racism and disability justice. Academics, therapists, and educators looking for resources to discuss Asian American mental health in classrooms or clinical settings will find it valuable. Collectors of unique, art-driven tarot decks with a strong social message, as well as those interested in collaborative art projects and book arts, will also appreciate its distinctive nature.

The Asian American Literary Review (AALR) is a small, independent arts nonprofit based in the Washington, DC area. They operate without endowment, grant support, or direct institutional funding, relying on private donors and sponsorships. The Open in Emergency project began in 2014 through a process of "community curation," involving numerous public dreaming sessions. The AALR's commitment to publishing without fear or strings attached drives their work, allowing them to create impactful projects like this mental health initiative, which has been widely adopted and praised for its unique approach to Asian American wellness.