Past – Depression – Future
Yuhua An
Yuhua An is a freshman at the University of Washington intending to pursue a BA in Human Centered Design and Engineering. She grew up in southern China and came to the United States in her sophomore year of high school.
Chinese international students in the U.S. can face compounding forms of bias—including, for students who suffer from depression, cultural biases toward depression as a legitimate mental illness. Yuhua An’s piece asks whether the experiences of these students might best be understood through students’ own voices. An’s combination of three personal narratives from University of Washington students—“past,” “present,” and “future”—with images and research-based framing allows a nuanced understanding of the “cultural backgrounds and social customs that make this group vulnerable to mental health problems,” and brings to light the diversity of experiences among Chinese international students, as well as among those battling depression.
