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October 03, 2015

Asian Woman Says She Needs Therapy Because Of 'White People's' Racism

 A Portland, Oregon, woman launched a fundraising campaign to get “white people” to pay for therapy that helps her deal with stress — caused by what she claims is a lifetime of institutional racism experienced because she’s an Asian woman.
Rinna Rem, 29, said the stress of being Thai-Cambodian in a mostly white city caused her to have to spend $100 a month on therapy. 
“Dear white friends, I grew up in and live in the [Portland] area,” Rem wrote on a YouCaring page she set up for herself. “The stress of living as a Thai-Cambodian woman in such a white city replete with constant interpersonal and institutional racism has a big toll on my health and wellbeing. I see an amazing therapist to cope with this s**t, but I spend $100/month on therapy for bi-weekly appointments. Now it's your turn to pay!”
Rem, who is more than halfway to her $2,400 goal, said the stress of daily racism can increase risk of disease and cause mental health problems. According to the young woman, she has a hereditary condition called Marfan Syndrome, which affects the heart and causes people to grow taller than usual with abnormally long limbs, fingers and toes.
She also claims to have overcome liver disease and says she is currently battling depression.
“I want to live a healthy, happy life," she wrote. "I want to have a healthy, happy family in the future too. Help me pay for therapy to deal with the stress of racism. Please don't let racism shorten my life or kill me."
Though her original goal was $600, Rem expanded it after experiencing abuse in the comments portion of the crowd-funding page, she told The Daily Dot. 

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