BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.2.1//EN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:22@rcoz.us DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250425T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250425T160000 DTSTAMP:20251212T232927Z URL:https://rcoz.us/events/a-night-of-stories-strength-and-solidarity-insi de-the-rcoz-annual-gala/ SUMMARY:A Night of Stories\, Strength\, and Solidarity: Inside the Rcoz Ann ual Gala DESCRIPTION:Date &\; Time: Saturday\, April 12\, 2025\, 4 PM onwards\nLo cation: Olive Hyde Art Gallery\, 123 Washington Blvd.\, Fremont 94539\n“ I never truly understood what people went through until today. It opened m y eyes to the mental health struggles so many silently face. Hearing exper t therapists and engaging in open dialogue showed me how powerful even sma ll conversations around mental health can be." – Raj\, Rcoz Gala attende e\nIt was a picture-perfect Saturday evening—a gentle breeze whispered p romise\, and anticipation filled the air. The Rcoz team had transformed th e Olive Hyde Art Gallery in Fremont into a warm\, welcoming space\, brimmi ng with charm and connection. After months of planning\, the evening unfol ded with warmth and a sense of shared purpose.\n \;\n\n\nAs guests arr ived\, they were greeted by a thoughtfully curated setting—stunning sile nt auction pieces\, a spread of appetizers and drinks\, and a vibe full of heart and purpose. The Mission Room quickly filled with people ready to e xperience an evening where vulnerability met courage.\n\n\n\nFounder Roopa li Rajvanshy opened with a story of personal grief—losing both her paren ts in just two months—and how she realized\, only after hearing someone else share a similar story\, that she’d been avoiding her own pain. That \, she said\, is the power of storytelling:\n\n“Just hearing those words from somebody else made me realize I’d been escaping\, not grieving. Th at story gave me the vocabulary to get help.” – Roopali\n\nShe reminde d us why Rcoz exists: to raise awareness and build acceptance of mental he alth struggles in the South Asian community through storytelling and commu nity dialogue. “In a world leaning toward AI\,” she said\, “we’re intentionally leaning toward human connection.”\n\n\n\nNext\, comedian a nd emcee Dhaya Lakshminarayanan brought the house down with humor\, vulner ability\, and a moving story about her grandmother’s untreated mental il lness. As she reflected on the shame and silence her family had navigated\ , she reminded us:\n\n“Everyone is messed up. So instead of worrying wha t people will think of your mental health—look around. They’re messed up too.” –  Dhaya \n\n\n\nWhat followed was a live demonstration of Chalo Baatein Karen™ (Let’s just talk)\, Rcoz’s signature storytelli ng and dialogue series. Dr. Seema Sehgal and Dr. Apurva Bhatt tackled barr iers like language gaps\, spiritual mislabeling\, intergenerational silenc e\, and stigma.\n“The stigma doesn’t just keep judgment out—it keeps you walled in.” – Dr. Sehgal\nDr. Bhatt offered a striking insight fr om her Stanford clinic:\n“Not a single South Asian youth I treat came in before they were hospitalized. That’s why I’m here.”  – Dr. Bhat t\nThe panel reminded us that mental health exists on a spectrum\, and sup port can take many forms. Whether it's therapy\, peer connection\, spiritu ality\, or simply being heard\, healing begins when conversations feel nat ural\, not clinical. Among the many attendees were esteemed guests from Al ameda County District 1 and District 2 offices\, members of theFremont Cit y Council\, and local business owners who have consistently supported ment al health initiatives in the community. Their presence was a powerful remi nder that change happens when institutions and individuals come together.\ n \;\n\n \;\nThe evening didn’t end with the paddle raise. As gu ests made their way to dinner\, they were met with the soulful sounds of D ebjani and Sid Chattopadhyay. Their Hindustani fusion brought depth\, rhyt hm\, and a little magic to the night—music that made you pause\, then pu lled you in. Laughter\, conversation\, and connection continued long into the evening\, as people stayed not just for the food or the music\, but fo r the feeling of being part of something that mattered.\n \;\n\n ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcoz.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Image -from-iOS.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20250309T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR