"Intergenerational Group Work and Mask Making in the Asian American Community in a Time of COVID-19 and COVID-19-related Racism"
Author: Lee, Sangeun
Source: Journal of Social Work with Groups, Volume 45, Issue 1, Feb. 2022
Type of Publication: Article in a Periodical
Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian Americans faced multiple challenges due to COVID-19 and COVID-19 related racism. The Korean American Association of Greater Philadelphia (KAAGP), in Pennsylvania, decided to work together to fight against COVID-19 from the earliest stages of the pandemic in 2020. Intergenerational group work by more than 350 volunteers empowered the Korean community and promoted public health through the process of making and donating face masks to the broader community. These efforts were transitioned to other marginalized communities that shared a mutual understanding: “We are in this (pandemic) together.” It became clear that the Asian American community needs more culturally nuanced services to be delivered by bicultural and bilingual social workers who understand group work and its potential benefits and impacts on ethnically diverse communities.