The "Azaleas" #5

#21 Neil

As part 21 of the #azaleacampaign it's my pleasure to introduce Neil! (Neil had submitted this photo, and I take no credit in taking it)

Neil currently works as a pharmacist and enjoys sports such as bouldering and listening to music such as city pop, jazz and lo-fi.

During my interview with Neil, he said that “When I think of Mental Health, the first thing comes to mind. Stability- in any given situation and being able to stay, perhaps afloat with things going, there is a lot of pressure to make any amount of yourself in society. You must do tasks and work with other people. It’s something I’ve struggled with; it’s correlating things with what you want to do, what you have to do, and having others understand what you are doing and the impact it has on your life. Mental health is the key to streamlining that process. It includes your energy, mood, motivation, how you want to be treated

How do you reach that place? I believe Western way of thinking is individualistic while Eastern is community-based. For me, it has been a clash of cultures but ultimately, mental health is protecting your boundaries that you set. Self-Care and getting a hand help as well. You may be a captain of a ship, but you might need a carpenter to rebuild; getting help from someone who will support you is crucial if things get tough. Taking a step back from everything, finding a balance, getting to the ‘I am okay’, and staying to that balance. Especially as 2nd generation immigrants, I think we have the luxury to put mental health first. It can be a clash of taking care of yourself and the people you care about. Whatever seems appropriate. Culture does play a significant part.”

When asked about “masculinity” Neil said “That’s a tricky question. What does it take to be a man? How do you define that? Is it going from child to teen to man? Toxic masculinity hurts the idea that men have emotions. To me, it would be sticking to my beliefs, helping support the world you want to build for yourself, keeping yourself and caring for those around us, being emotional, sticking to your beliefs, self-care. Being a man is being able to stick to your beliefs. Create it or earn it without hurting things. I want to achieve my goals without losing sight and motivation. Being honest and not toxic or harmful to myself. Not alienating my anger which has done harm. I put pressure on myself. I want to become. I expect myself to be that type of personality”

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#22 Howard

As part 22 of the #azaleacampaign it's my pleasure to introduce Howard!

Howard enjoys reading manga, playing video games, chatting with friends, watching shows, cooking, bouldering, archery, swimming, going out and trying different foods, and watching movies (preferably in theaters).

Howard would describe mental health as "an essential aspect in life you need to know to handle, even if you aren't interested in pursuing it as a career. Just like how people get sick physically, you can get mentally ill, and it'll make life more complicated. You won't get a medal for being in pain, and you must be aware when you need support or help. Self-care is a part of this; it's not a solution for a problem or a situation I am facing, but it does help me recollect myself. When an issue comes up, you get into a frenzy that doesn't help you think correctly and impede what's suitable. I found distractions to keep me grounded and back to earth. I can feel more clearly and see and go back to address the issue. Self-Care isn't a way to distract or ignore stuff."

Howard also said that " as a young kid, naturally, "there's a line being taught for what's mas or fem more instilled when you were younger. This extends to the way people are expected to act, feel, think and look. I don't believe in these types of lines. Whenever I do something, I think, "does this work for me, is it harming me? Toxic Masculinity is something that's hurting a lot of people. If your view goes out of control, folks, tell them you are hurting them, especially if you try to force it on others. For example, If I go through the clothing section, I buy what I like and make sure I feel comfortable, even if the clothing might be gender neutral. The important thing is I am happy.”

"We as human beings live in a world of boxes and labels sometimes, it can be used for structure, but when you force others into that box, you are only hurting them. It doesn't affect men only but everyone around them."

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#23 Andrew

As part 23 of the #azaleacampaign, it's my pleasure to introduce Andrew! (Andrew had submitted this photo, and I take no credit in taking it)

"I enjoy being a team player, a strong listener, and a problem solver."

Andrew is a dancer who works as a sales and operations specialist at AIDA Dance USA. He enjoys playing video games, exercising, and taking time for himself when needed.

As someone who grew up in Brooklyn, Andrew believes that mental health is essential; however, there is still a stigma around it, especially among more traditional or older individuals. "It's become more prevalent among younger generations, especially those aiming for higher education."

During my interview with Andrew, he stated, "Personally, I think mental health is our state of functioning." Andrew would further explain, "I put importance on mental well-being because many factors in our lives can affect us in both good and bad ways." He clarified that "by good, I mean things that can help us grow or support us throughout the day, and by bad, I mean something that can harm us, but the reality is that we can't always control what happens around, what we can do is just beware of ourselves."

Finally, when expressing his thoughts on what masculinity means to him, " it's a personality trait that people expect in men, but I think it's more important to be yourself in the day. Toxic masculinity is the opposite; acting overly aggressive and superior to everyone will only lead to self-harm".

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#24 Masahiro

As part 24 of the #azaleacampaign, it's my pleasure to introduce Masahiro! (Masahiro had submitted this photo, and I take no credit in taking it)

Born and raised in Japan, yet loves traveling everywhere; Masahiro's hobbies include photography, reading books, walking, sports, socializing, listening to music, and learning linguistics and history.

When COVID-19 first hit, Masahiro said, "it was a shock; it spread quickly across the entire world and just as quickly impacted my life." "I had started a new job; three weeks in, we were told we had to work from home." "It was new to me and challenging because, at the time, there was specific equipment I needed to use that was only available in the office." "It was a stressful time, having to wear masks 24/7, not being able to do things I enjoy such as seeing friends or being able to travel". "Even now, in 2022, it's still stressful and trying to get used to this lifestyle and trying not to meet a lot of people at once because the concern of getting COVID-19 hasn't gone away."

Masahiro shared that regarding mental health, "I think self-image and self-esteem come to mind." "In today's world, there are endless ways of people compared to others. For example, on social media such as Instagram, some people are trying to live up to these unreasonable expectations of what they should look like in their daily lives, especially within the culture of Japan where the way one presents themself is very important." "I do want to say, however, I have noticed more so in western countries such as USA and Canada many people I know personally don't overly concern themselves about opinions from other people as compared to other parts of the world."

Finally, towards the end of the interview, I asked Masahiro about his views on masculinity. Masahiro said, "usually, I've heard that it is about strength, perseverance, consistency, and resilience, but I also think it is important for people to express themselves as well, just as being allowed to cry if they need to." "There is also a toxic side of it where people use it to hurt others. "It's a socially constructed opinion if you can use it to empower yourself healthily, that's great, but that does not mean you can go around hurting or looking down on others because they chose not to confirm the same style of living as you do." "I think your intentions, words, and actions are most important."

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#25 Surat

As part 25 of the #azaleacampaign, I would like to introduce Surat! (The photo below was given permission to use by Surat, and I take no credit for taking it)

Surat is a stouthearted and genial individual that tries to find balance in work and doing the things he loves, such as singing.

During my interview with Surat, he stated that “mental health has a dynamic definition; I would say it involves the overall satisfaction with your life and your current circumstances, having a sense of meaning and purpose— it also means having good and bad days… if you need help, there’s no shame in asking for it.”

He also stated that when it comes to masculinity, “the concept is being challenged. The idea of what social norms are, what characteristics people are supposed to have… there is a wider acceptance of things typically deemed non-traditional.” “(There is) pressure experienced by Queer individuals of color— especially. While there is still much need for change, there is a larger level of acceptance than let’s say, 50+ years ago.” “Finding your confidence can be tough, but it might be helpful to find a community you feel safe in and want to contribute to… and (where you’re) able to find your voice and solidify what you stand for. If a certain place doesn’t seem right for you, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find another place to call home.”

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