Mayu Masuhara
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Mayu Masuhara

What is your specific area of interest in youth mental health advocacy?

Peer Advocacy and Anti-stigma Advocacy, focusing on LGBTQ+ youth and neurodivergent communities.

why is youth mental health advocacy important to you?

As someone with lived experience, a caregiver of an autistic sibling, and from the LGBTQ+ community, I see how mental ill-health could affect various youth with different identities and from diverse backgrounds. My approach to youth mental health advocacy is based on intersectionality – as youth with intersecting identities may be likely to be marginalised, experiencing more social pressures and having more barriers in accessing support.

how would you describe mental health in your community?

Mental health is still being stigmatised and misunderstood among the wider population and we are very behind in terms of accessibility in mental health care and resources. The youth population in cities is more open to conversation about mental health and more inclined to seek help when felt necessary. This may contribute to conversation and resources from social media on mental health. 

Project summary

Queers and Cheers project activities

  • Resources: Create social media content (Facebook, TikTok) providing basic information about mental health, encourage conversation on mental health in the wider youth population.
  • Workshops: In-person and/or online educational workshops every two months (or as frequently as needed), highlighting different kinds of topics regarding mental health with intersectionality on SOGIESC (sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics).
  • Peer Support: Short peer support program specifically organized for LGBTQ+ youth with lived experiences in mental health issues or wanting to become mental health advocate.