Hello there, I’m Amanda.

English pronouns: they/any | Vietnamese pronouns: em/chị/anh/chanh

My own lived experiences with cycles of trauma and healing bring me to this work, particularly at the intersections of care and justice. Mental health institutions have failed me repeatedly but I naively believed I could improve myself and the system. I became disabled during the pandemic, abandoned by Western medicine and public health, and finally found disabled and Mad ancestors and communities. They taught me how to listen to and care for my sickness, grief, and rage with slowness, compassion, and skills learned through shared struggle. They taught me that care, access, and healing must be a collective responsibility undertaken to transform the conditions that are sickening us all.

Alongside my current role as a systems-adjacent care worker, I’m an artist, archivist, writer, decomposer, yin wood pig, Pisces moon, Leo sun, and Leo rising. I love playing video games, working on puzzles, cooking, and eating soup. I’m a voracious and critical manga reader and anime watcher learning more about anti-Japanism. I rely on many beloved humans, routines, rituals, and special interests to support me. I adore mushrooms, cats, and ginkgo leaves. One of my dreams is to study Vietnamese herbalism.

I tend a slow, lifelong practice of composting grief and Madness into collective possibility. I offer presence, solidarity, stories, skills, and questions, passing along wisdom that sustains me in the hopes that it may serve you and your loved ones well.

Image description: Amanda looks off towards their right with a slight smile, illuminated from behind by golden sunlight. They have long dark hair and are wearing a white jumpsuit and dangling earrings. Behind them is a lush green garden.

All photos except headshots were taken by me.